Photo Boxes

Ok, I am a scrapbooker and I want to keep pictures in an acid free and as humidity controled enviroment as possible. To that end I have already taken all of my pictures out of acid filed "magnetic" albums and scrapbook them when I can. But I have a class I really want to take this winter. I am going to ask Jeff for the class as my Christmas present. In the class you take 12 weeks to organize your photos (which would be a good thing as I have at least 5000-7000 hard copies and around 3000 digi pictures). One of the needed items in the class is photoboxes and "three" up albums. I already have about 6 boxes, but will really need 4-5 more to do this correctly. Acid Free photoboxes are not really something you can find "used" or free. Shoeboxes aren't acid free otherwise I would use those (And DID for years until I knew better). I looked for acid free boxes for about a month before I started the Compact, but could not find any...

SO here is my challenge. I am only on day 7 of the compact and I am considering purchasing something new. I can't really determine if this is a need or a want. Do I need to put these pictures away? Do I need to take the class? If I purge my pictures will I have enough room in the boxes I already have? Part of the class I want to take also talks about purging, which as you know dear readers, I have a problem with letting go. Even of the three copies of the same picture from my wedding of some guest I don't really know... You know, I might give that picture to a family member someday that wants it.

I love my scrapbooking hobby, it is in part a part-time job for me. I could come up with all sorts of rationalizations for why I need the boxes. They are finally available at the craft store again. They are on sale. So, what am I going to do?