Tips for storing Family Heirlooms and Valuables
Family heirlooms and valuables are prone to theft and damage. Plus, you hold them close to your heart. Meaning you have to be ultra-careful when handling, packing or storing them. Besides, each type of valuable or heirloom comes with its own material and handling techniques. There are things you need to know to ensure their full protection. Find out in the next part of the article.
Store in Dry and Cool Places
Heirlooms and valuables comprise different materials. And changes in humidity and temperatures influence their longevity. For instance, heirlooms made of wood or paper cannot withstand low humidity areas as they crack. Metal made valuables stored in low humid areas rust. Moderate humidity suits many heirlooms.
Fluctuating and extreme temperatures are harmful. They could lead to breakages when your heirlooms are ceramic or antique made. To ensure safety store the materials in cool places.
Ensure no sunlight penetrates into the room or hits the valuables to limit fading and chemical reactions that wear out the material.
Security
The financial and emotional value of heirlooms puts them at risk of theft. When you’re moving in your new home, ensure you use lockable safes to store valuables with extreme value. Put them in a less frequented room or in a private cabinet in your home.
When you’re moving, enlist a trusted moving company to transport the valuables. Ensure it insures them for the sake of damages cover in case of loss or blemishing. In addition, you can take photos of the valuables before assigning them to a moving company.
Handling
If you leave your valuables in the open, people will always want to touch them. And some antiques and valuables are susceptible to lotions and oils. Therefore, any touch or exposure to oils can degrade them. Ensure you use special gloves and equipment when cleaning or touching to avoid depreciation.
Consider Packaging Material
First, all packaging material should be acid or chemical-free. You should not fold textiles antics anyhow but mark them as fragile to ensure proper handling. Use drying agents and insecticides to inhibit humidity and insects.
Avoid storing abrasive and metal heirlooms together with brittle items. And mark boxes containing brittle items “fragile “to enhance handling care.
Separate jewelry with mini boxes to avoid material mix-up, reactions, and corrosions. Ensure the boxes are strong and well-padded for enhanced protection.
When you’re moving and you have doubts about packaging, enlist a professional, take an inventory and leave packaging to them.
