Many people have precious possessions such as expensive jewelry or family heirlooms they want to hand down to their children and grandchildren. It’s important to know how to correctly care for and store precious items so they can stand the test of time. Jewelry, photos and china are common items that people want to preserve, but owners sometimes make mistakes in storing them.
Jewelry
You should categorize your jewelry based on gemstones and metals. Keep your gold jewelry stored in one box and your silver jewelry in another. Each gemstone type has a different regimen of care, so storing the different types separately makes it easier to look after them properly. To prevent scratches and other damage, make sure to use cushiony fabrics when storing jewelry. You should also get a home safe for storage to help protect your fine jewelry from thieves.
Photos
Position, location, and humidity matter when it comes to preserving your photos. The ideal humidity of the location where you store them would be between 15 and 65 percent. Humidity lower than that can cause the photographs to become brittle. Humidity that is too high can cause mold growth, insect infestations and ink bleeding. Avoid storing your pictures in the attic because the temperature up there often gets far too high. Your photograph collection should be kept in a cool, dark place that never exceeds 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Light degrades photos over time, which is why a dark place is necessary.
If you want to have a photograph on display, you can scan the original to create a copy to put in a picture frame while safely storing the original in a cool, dark location. To preserve them, it’s best to only store photos in archival containers. Preserving your photos correctly is important when you want them to last for many generations.
China
China needs to be cleaned once a year to keep it in good condition. If you have fine china that you eat on, make sure to immediately cleanse it afterwards because food can damage your dishes. In addition, since the dishwasher would be too harsh for this material, china must be washed by hand. When storing your china, place thin, soft cushions in between the dishes. Paper towels or coffee filters will provide sufficient cushioning.
Precious possessions like jewelry, photos and china need special care to last a long time. It’s important to know how to deal properly with each type of item. Otherwise, you may accidentally make mistakes such as storing your photos in the attic or basement. If they’re preserved properly, precious possessions can be handed down in the family for many generations.
One of the best ways to protect your things is with insurance. Obviously if they get stolen, broken, or damaged, it’s impossible to get those items back, but you can be compensated for their loss. Let Linc Financial Group help you find the right personal possession plan for you!
