If you’ve ever had a leak in your house or faced a natural disaster, you might know how heartbreaking it can be to have your possessions damaged. Some items might be expensive or one-of-a-kind. Others might not be worth much money but have infinitely more value — such as those honeymoon photographs you hope to share with your grandchildren someday.
It pays to learn how to protect your most treasured possessions from harm. Here’s how to store five types of valuable items to protect them from damage.
1. Fabrics
Your wedding day is hopefully a once-in-a-lifetime affair. However, you spent a small fortune on your gown. You want to pass it down or simply keep it for posterity without having it turn yellow from unseen stains. Your best bet is to take it to a professional preservationist, preferably one that insures your treasure down to the last sequin.
You can DIY by wrapping your cleaned gown in washed, unbleached muslin and placing it in a wedding chest. However, remain aware that the DIY method is riskier.
Another item you might need to preserve is a flag. Fortunately, you can machine-wash many fabrics and hang them to dry. However, go to a dry cleaner if your flag uses nylon cloth or has a gold fringe, as the washer can damage them. From there, you can fold and store your flag or display it once it’s refreshed.
2. Fine China and Glass
Breakable items — like favorite holiday decorations and your grandmother’s china — require a special touch. Bubble wrap is a classic choice, but there are more eco-friendly alternatives, as well.
You can find special-made sustainable bubble wrap for those wine glasses with walls so thin that tapping them with your pinky could shatter them. You can most likely make do with newspaper for hardier pieces. Are you packing things up for a pending move? If so, household items like clothing and towels can provide padding that you don’t have to throw away upon reaching your destination.
3. Furniture
Maybe you downsized to a smaller pad after your child left for college, but you still want them to inherit your antique dining set when they buy their first home. Temperature extremes and humidity can cause wood to warp and even go moldy in the right conditions.
Your best bet is to disassemble your furnishings and loosely wrap them in fabric before placing them in a storage unit. A climate-controlled location is best, but your basement, attic, or even garage will work if it’s well-insulated. Use pallets to elevate your pieces off the floor to protect them from flooding. You can pick up used wooden ones at many hardware stores for free — so get savvy and save a buck.
4. Jewelry, Watches, Guns, and Money
The only time prying eyes should spy your grandmother’s inherited vintage engagement ring or vintage Ruger .357 is when you’re around to show your stash. Otherwise, such valuables belong under lock and key.
A locking gun safe is a must-have for any weapons enthusiast, regardless of whether your jurisdiction requires one. Store any valuable jewelry or cash in there as well, especially when you have guests over or go on vacation.
Is a lock or a combination better? Both offer protection, but memorizing a code means no one can steal the digits out of your brain the way they could lift your keychain. Your safe should be fireproof and waterproof to prevent damage to your valuables.
5. Photographs and Love Letters
Photographs and written correspondence are perhaps the most valuable, yet delicate, items you have to store. Time can leave these items yellowed, water-stained, and indecipherable.
Perhaps the best preservation method is to use a scrapbook to protect your most treasured written and photographic mementos. Use clear plastic enclosures around items before slipping them into the attached photo corners to protect them from dust and abrasions.
How to Store Valuable Items to Protect From Damage
You want to save certain items for their resale or collector’s item value. Other things matter more because of the nostalgia they blossom in your heart. Keeping your items safe year after year requires a bit of savviness. Follow the tips above for storing valuable items to protect them from damage.
Author bio: Cora Gold is an avid writer and the Editor-in-Chief of women’s lifestyle magazine Revivalist. She is always finding new ways to spruce up her home, and she loves to share her inspiration with others. Keep up with Cora on Twitter, Pinterest and Facebook.
