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When it comes to storing your antiques and family heirlooms, you will want to take some extra precautions to make sure these items are protected for the time you are storing them.
The first step before storing your antiques will be to ensure they are clean and free from dirt, bacteria, and dust. Making sure your antiques are cleaned before storing goes a long way in keeping them in pristine condition during storage.
Check out some of our tips below to make certain you are doing right by your valuables and antiques when storing them.
Use the Right Products
When cleaning your heirlooms before storage, it’s important to use the right products suited for the material and surfaces you are cleaning. Certain harsh chemicals and products can damage your priceless antiques and heirlooms to the point that they lose value altogether.
Read all the labels and ensure that the polishing and cleaning products you are using are specifically formulated for your items. Avoid harsh chemicals and opt for natural solutions if possible. This also goes a long way in ensuring the products you are using are safe and eco-friendly.
Inspect Before Storing
Of course, you will want to thoroughly inspect your antique items before storing them to ensure that no pieces are discoloured, rotting, or otherwise damaged. If your antiques are damaged, then storing them for long periods of time will only make things worse and expedite further damage. Thoroughly examine each item, and make sure that any issues regarding the condition of your items are resolved before storing them.
Minimize Contact and Handling
We all know that expensive and fragile items should be handled with care and caution. This is especially true for older antiques and family heirlooms that have been passed down through generations.
You want to avoid constantly touching these items with your bare hands and handling them often. Wear gloves while handling and cleaning your antiques if possible.
Limit time spent handling these items and moving them around. When cleaning, rest your antiques on a soft cloth or towel to avoid unnecessary damage from hard surfaces.
Disassemble When Possible
It is in your best interest to disassemble certain pieces that require it before storing. This is especially true when it comes to antique furniture pieces such as chairs, tables, bed frames, and such.
This way, transportation is more convenient, and storing will be easier when the antique item is in multiple parts, instead of one heavier part.
Never Stack Items
It’s best to avoid stacking items on top of one another, especially when dealing with delicate and fragile antiques. These things need space from one another or else they risk being crammed and becoming damaged or crushed. Lay everything out with generous space and if you have to stack items, always put the heaviest storage bins on the bottom of the stack.
Bubble Wrap Can Help
Bubble wrap is great for protecting mirrors, lights, and corners of furniture. However, use it sparingly, as it may not be breathable for certain materials such as wood. Wood can easily accumulate mould and bacteria if airflow is restricted to the item. Instead, you can look for breathable protective covers for certain items so that moisture, dust, and dirt stay away from your things while in storage.
Avoid Sunlight
Light in general is not optimal for antiques. Antiques should ideally be stored away from bright lights and sunlight. This is because their materials are usually older and more fragile, and can become discoloured, tarnished, or warped when exposed to the sun. It helps to keep your antiques away from sunlight and any bright lighting so that they stay in better condition while being stored.
Use Climate Control
In addition to sunlight, heat and humidity can also do damage to your precious antique items. Avoid this issue altogether by choosing climate-controlled storage units for your antique items. They will never be prone to high temperatures or extreme heat within a temperature-controlled environment. This is an absolute must when storing antiques and sentimental items such as old photographs and fine art.
Ensure Safety
Ultimately, no matter where you decide to keep your antiques during storage, you want to make sure that the location is safe. Keeping your antiques in an offsite storage location helps to ensure safety and security, as these facilities often have additional safety measures in place.
Here at Jiffy Self-Storage, we prioritize the safety of your items, and our facility is equipped with state-of-the-art surveillance and lighting to deter theft and keep your items protected.
Your antiques are priceless and should be treated as such. Before deciding to store your valuables at a storage facility, make sure to take a tour of the units and get an idea of how the facility operates. For more information on antique storage in Toronto and the GTA, please call Jiffy Self-Storage at 416-74-JIFFY (54339) or contact us here.
Your antiques and valuables deserve the utmost care, and Jiffy Self-Storage can help ensure proper storage solutions and additional amenities. Contact us today to learn more about our climate-controlled storage units.
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