Protecting Your Family Treasures, Heirlooms, and Collections

Just about every family has treasures of some kind. Whether these treasures have tremendous monetary value or only have sentimental value, it's important to protect them so that they can last and you can pass them on to your children and grandchildren.

Something For All of Your Treasures

The first step to protect your possessions is to make sure that you know precisely what you have. Knowing what you have is more than just having a vague idea that you have some old Roman coins or holiday Barbies in the original packaging. Knowing what you have and what it is worth is an essential first step in asset protection.

It's important that you don't just keep a mental list in your head. Think back right now. Can you remember everything that you have? Can you remember all of the details of every single item? By investing in a good asset protection software, you don't have to worry about that. A great asset protection software is Asset Panda. Within just a short time, you can catalog all the details of your collections and treasures so that you don't have to worry about keeping remembering it all the time.

Store in a Proper Location

Once you have made a good inventory of all your possessions, you need to make sure that you store your treasures in the proper location. Improper storage can result in mold, rot, and all kinds of damage. Asset protection software will help you demonstrate what your treasures are worth, but you won't be able to collect much if anything from your insurance if they find out that you weren't storing them correctly.

As a general rule, remember to keep all of your treasures out of direct sunlight. Not only will it fade the coloring, but it will also increase the rate of natural decay, particularly in older items. You should also avoid storing your items in the basement, unless the basement is relatively dry. Otherwise, you risk mold and mildew development.

Books

You have a couple choices when it comes to storing books. The first is to box them up in a solid airtight container away from sunlight, damp, and extreme temperatures. But most people prefer to have books out so that they can serve as decorations or be read. In that case, you need to make sure that the books are shelved upright and supported by sufficiently strong bookends. Larger volumes should be stored flat. When removing the book from the shelf, it should never be pulled from the spine.

Paper Treasures and Photographs

Whether letters, cards, bookmarks, drawings, or sketches, paper treasures are some of the easiest to lose. They are especially vulnerable to the elements, and they will become brittle with age. They need to be stored flat. Even if you received the letter folded up, spread it out and store it fat. This will lessen the wear on the paper. It is generally best to store these items in an acid free folder. It helps prevent the natural decay of time.

Photographs should be treated in a similar fashion. Ideally though, you should make sure they are entirely sealed. Just make sure that there's no cardboard, paper clips, rubber bands, or anything else in the bag along with them. If you have negatives that go along with the pictures, store them in a separate acid free container.

Textiles

One of the hardest keepsakes and collections to restore are the textile based treasures. These treasures are anything that include cloth or fabric including those old scarves and quilts to the new designer dolls. These items must be kept in thick containers lined with aluminum or some other similar material to prevent the release of chemicals that would start to erode the items. Just make sure to clean them thoroughly through vacuuming and a soft brush before packing away.