The Best Ways to Store Sentimental Items Safely

May 11, 2023

No matter who you are, sentimental items are most likely stored somewhere within your home, even if you’re not using them. And whether these items are childhood memories from your children or family heirlooms, they can take up valuable storage space within your home.

By using a storage unit for your precious belongings, your sentimental items will be kept safe at all hours of the day. And while storage costs Melbourne-wide may vary based on the items you intend to store, the long-term benefits of storing your sentimental items are invaluable.

As the storage experts, the team at Moor Room will delve into some of the best ways to store different sentimental items safely.

Work out what you want to keep

Before you pull out the boxes and masking tape, it’s important that you go through your sentimental belongings and work out what you actually want to keep. While it might be emotionally challenging to sort through your precious belongings, it can also feel cathartic to let go of some items you’ve held on to for years.

You should keep the things that matter the most to you, rather than keeping an item out of guilt or a sense of family obligation. To make the process less intense, focus on what you want to keep – this will make parting with sentimental items a bit easier and less painful.

Clothing

For any clothes, you should delicately wash and dry them before popping them into storage. This ensures that the garments are free from pre-existing stains and blemishes.

Fold dry items gently and wrap them in acid-free tissue paper. This helps prevent moisture from getting trapped while the garments are in storage, which can cause damage. Avoid using plastic bags, which can cause moisture build-up, and vacuum-sealed bags, which can wrinkle clothing.

Make sure your items are stored out of direct sunlight, as this can cause the clothes to fade. In addition, opt for a climate-controlled space for further protection.

Jewellery

As a starting point, separate your jewellery by metal types, as this can help you find specific items at a later date. Before putting your jewellery together, ensure that all pieces are clean and dry. Higher moisture levels can cause some metals to tarnish or degrade over time.

Though if your jewellery is lacking shine, go to a local jeweller to see if they can professionally clean it up for you. Storing jewellery that’s tarnished with untarnished jewellery can make the latter degrade much faster.

When it comes to storing the jewellery itself, opt for felt-lined boxes, which you can then pop into other plastic buckets for maximising your storage space. You should also use a climate-controlled unit to prevent humidity from affecting the jewellery.

Photos

Before stacking your photos into a box, it’s important to dust them and ensure that they’re dry before wrapping them up. Moisture can easily tarnish photos, so it’s important that the photos go into storage dry and stay that way.

Opt for acid-free wrapping paper for photos in larger frames, or consider storing individual photos in a photo album. Store your photos in tubs or boxes in a climate-controlled unit, as this can prevent moisture from damaging the photos.