At Cheethi, we absolutely love time capsules because they provide one sure shot way for us to really communicate with the future – be it our future selves, our future generations or just people existing at a time that could be very different from our own.
Planning your own time capsule? You’ve come to the right place!
At a time where we are constantly worried about the state of a world riddled with a pandemic, climate change, threat of constant war – we believe that time capsules inherently provide hope. To be able to commit towards making one by itself signifies the presence of hope in the fact that humanity will exist and so will we. We’re here to encourage you to make a time capsule of your own, fill it with your hopes, dreams and ambitions for what your future should hold – and even some precious memorabilia from the past!
Worried about your time capsule withstanding the test of time? Fret not, we’ve got you covered. Highlighted here are some important steps to follow while building your very own time capsule.
First and foremost, you’d have to find a location to store your time capsule. A lot of this depends on when you would like to retrieve it – going underground can lead to a lot of damage over the years, however, in that case how you prepare for it also becomes important. More on that later. While finding a location it would be best to find a spot that will remain undisturbed – for instance if you plan to bury it in the backyard of your own home, you’d have to ensure that nothing gets constructed over that spot. Some other places you could consider – your mother’s locker, a locker inside a bank, Cheethi or even in a storage space within your own home!
If you intend to bury it, you need adequate reinforcements.
The next thing on your list should be setting a date for opening the capsule. It is important that you do this before any of the next steps because this acts as a deciding factor for how much care you need to take to ensure your capsule remains undamaged for that period of time.
Selected a date? Perfect. Now it’s time for you to pick a container. Usually, one would pick containers made of stainless steel or aluminium simply because these are hardy materials that wouldn’t easily disintegrate. We would always recommend picking something that can withstand the test of time so that your precious mementos don’t get destroyed! You can use an old coffee can, a tin can, anything that you can seal easily!
Be sure to select a container that would survive in the location that you want to hide your time capsule!
What’s next, you ask? The most exciting part of course! This is where you assemble your time capsule. Who is your capsule intended for? Is it for future you, or for future generations – get that clear in your head. Now decide what you’d like to tell or show the people of the future – do you want to give them an insight into your life? Do you want to simply store memorabilia for future you to discover and reminisce over? We would recommend sticking to materials that wouldn’t leak or get corroded or even break down given enough time (batteries are definitely out of the question). Make sure all paper documents and electronic devices (if any) are protected safely to withstand water damage. Do ensure you also include a list of all the things you’re storing in it for the sake of maintaining a record.
What would you store in your time capsule?
Now is the time for you to seal your capsule. Now if this is a capsule you’ll be storing in a storage space, a loft or an attic, you can simply tape it securely. However, for something that will go underground you might have to take some more precautions like sealing it with strong adhesive (something that you can eventually open, of course!). If your container is an airtight one, then simply taping it up should suffice.
Don’t forget to label your time capsule! A sufficient label would include the preferred opening date, some identification as to who it belongs to and who created it among others.
Once you’ve done this, it’s time for you to send the capsule off on its journey through time. Please ensure you add a physical marker where you hide your capsule (especially important in the case of ones buried underground). Or just ensure that you geotag the location so that you can find it again in future.
And voila! Your time capsule is now on its way to the future. Sit back and live your life until it’s time for you to drown in bittersweet nostalgia!
What would you put into your time capsule? Let us know!
Seems like a lot of effort to go through? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Simply go on to the Cheethi website and write a letter to yourself (or a loved one), schedule a date for it to be delivered and wait while we do all of the work for you!