Many people accumulate antiques and vintage items, especially as valuable belongings get passed down from generation to generation. Or maybe you’ve managed to find an absolute gem in a charity shop!

Regardless of how you acquired them, these pieces often possess great value, emotional, if not financial. Beautiful and often fragile, these items will require a high level of care and consideration, particularly when storing them for future use or display.

As a result, they must be stored properly. Nobody wants to return to their precious and fragile belongings only to find them damaged, smashed, or in deteriorating condition.

So, how do you store them?

In this article, we’ll cover how you can store these items safely, packaging tips and tricks, and why you can trust Apex Self Storage to provide you with secure self storage solutions, tailored to your needs.

Why proper storage matters

Appropriate storage for your fragile memorabilia or antiques is crucial for preserving their condition and value over time.

Gain peace of mind and know that all of these possessions are stored safely and securely by placing them in a self storage unit. Through careful planning and choosing the right storage solution for your needs, you can rest easy knowing that your fragile items are out of harm’s way.

How to properly store fragile memorabilia and heirlooms

First: cleaning

Remove as much dust, dirt and any residues as you possibly can before placing your antiques or vintage items into self storage.

Inventory check

Making a detailed list of everything you want to put into your self storage unit is truly the best way to keep this process orderly and organised.

Seriously, label everything

As with everything you put into a self storage unit, label every single box with what it contains. This can be as detailed as you want it to be, whatever works best for you.

This step is also invaluable when storing fragile items, as you can alert anyone handling these boxes that they need to be handled with care.

Packaging supplies

The right packaging is essential to ensuring your items are protected, whilst being transported, as well as in your storage unit.

Free van and driver service

With our free van and driver service, you can make the most out of the space available in your self storage unit. Safely transport everything from vintage furniture and clothing to antique dressers or mirrors.

Shelving units

Especially when we’re talking about older and more fragile possessions, avoid stacking these things on top of each other to mitigate risk of damage and deterioration.

Alternatively, consider storing boxes containing fragile items on shelves in your storage unit, with the heaviest boxes at the bottom, thus protecting your belongings from being crushed.

Insurance

Accidents happen, regardless of how many preventative measures you can take. Consider insuring your collection of antiques and vintage items to ensure that you gain some financial security in case anything goes wrong.

Check in regularly

Why not schedule regular check-ups for your self storage unit?

Whether you’re simply checking the condition of your collection and want to move anything back home, it’s important to regularly visit your unit and record whether anything needs extra care, cleaning, or maintenance.

Packaging tips and tricks

Everything in your collection will require tailored packaging to ensure its protection from damage or deterioration. Read on to discover some tips and tricks for particular items.

Furniture

For any pieces of furniture in your collection, wrap them in breathable fabrics, and protect exposed parts like legs with bubble wrap.

Books

Books, photo albums and any historical documents should be stored in acid-free paper or archival plastic sleeves to protect their condition and value over time. Next, pack them into archive boxes with packing peanuts to prevent any warping.

Vintage clothing

For older items of clothing, use breathable garment bags. You can also consider using conservation hangers to preserve the shape of the garment.

Glass, art or other fragile items

With mirrors, lamps and framed art, wrap each item in bubble wrap, and place it in sturdy boxes with foam padding to prevent excessive movement during transportation.

Additionally, store these delicate items at the top of shelving units and label them fragile.

Shop smarter for your packing supplies

Packing and moving your precious possessions can feel stressful. No one should have to go through finding a priceless family heirloom smashed to pieces due to inadequate storage or packaging.

With Apex Self Storage, you can rest easy knowing your valuable antique and vintage collection is safe and secure.

We have many packaging options that can be tailored to your needs and requirements when moving valuable possessions, including:

• Strong and sturdy packing boxes
• Archive boxes (perfect for books and documents) with great stackable strength
• Wardrobe boxes that keep your clothes neat & tidy
• High security padlocks
• Eco-friendly bubble wrap, ideal for wrapping delicate items
• Sheets of newsprint to protect vintage dishes, plates and other fragile items
• Dust covers, protecting against soil, dust or water damage

Give yourself one less thing to worry about with the right packaging. Browse through our online catalogue and grab everything you need, all in one place.

Trust Apex Self Storage for collectables and more

Secure self storage for collectables, such as antiques or vintage items, is essential for safeguarding your belongings. Our storage solutions are clean, dry and secure and are complete with advanced protection features, including:

• Full insurance
• 24/7 monitored CCTV
• Smart fire and intruder alarms
• Access control systems
• Sturdy lock to secure your unit door

What’s more, with Apex Self Storage, you can discover the exact amount of space you’ll need in your storage unit with our free storage planner feature and even unlock an instant quote!

We even have flexible contracts, meaning that you only pay for what you use when you use it. Therefore, you’ll save money and know that your goods are secure, with no long-term contracts to hold you back.

Get in touch with us

Your treasures deserve the best care; store them safely with Apex Self Storage.

Stock up on our supplies for your future packaging needs, and enquire about our safe and secure self storage units today.