How To Store Vintage Collections

With the winter holidays right around the corner, it is time to begin putting away my vintage Halloween collections. I love these little Halloween goodies and honestly I am always a little sad to see them go. However, I know that with the proper care and a little effort, these pieces will remain safe and will be ready to go again next year! With that in mind, I am sharing a few of the techniques that I use to store my very favorite vintage collections. These tips will work for all of your seasonal holiday decor, from Vintage Valentines to Vintage Christmas. While I know that some of these tips are just common sense, I am sharing all of my steps below!

Find The Proper Location

The very first thing to do is to find a proper location inside your home to store these delicate items. Because I live in the south, I try to avoid storing things in the heat, in the humidity, and in the direct sunlight. I recommend finding a cool, dry, dark environment inside your home. It is best to keep collectables at a room temperature between 68 to 75 degrees. You also want to avoid humid areas as well. Humidity levels should rest between 35% and 65%. I do not recommend storing valuable collections in the attic, basement, or garage. I keep my most precious vintage collections in a closet inside our home.

As I well know, sometimes you can run out of room in your home to store things – especially if you like antiques and vintage. If you choose to rent a storage unit to store valuable collections, make sure that the unit is climate controlled. Outdoor storage units are great for most items, but vintage collections should be in a climate controlled unit to adjust for humidity and temperature.

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Use The Proper Materials

You must use care when packing vintage collections away for the next season. I always try to protect my pieces as best I can – from the elements and from each other. Over the years, I have had items get damaged while simply sitting in the closet. (For example, I had a candle melt – yes inside the house- onto a very special greeting card.) In order to avoid accident like this from happening again, I take great care in packing away my pieces individually.

Things that I use to pack individual items away include:

• Bubble wrap
• Small boxes
• Tissue Paper
• Paper Towels
• Cloths/Rags
• Plastic Sleeves
• Cardboard
• Egg Cartons
• Zip Lock Bags
  
  *it is important to note that you shouldn’t wrap wooden pieces tightly. Like vintage clothing, wood needs to breath.

TIP:

Over time, these things can collect dust. I like to clean off my items before I pack them away. I have found that even just a damp cloth on most things work well. I also like to use these pointed cosmetic swabs to get into ‘tight corners.’

Stay Organized

Pack Like Items Together

After I have carefully wrapped up each item, I then pack things away in groupings. I like to use really sturdy containers such as plastic totes, plastic tubs, and cardboard moving boxes. I have even used banana boxes! (While I do use cardboard boxes, I prefer using plastic totes and bins because they seal up tightly). These boxes help to keep things organized and offer a lot of protection as well. I pack similar items together inside these boxes and when I am putting them into the closet, I try to put the lightest ones on top!

TIP:

I like to leave a little extra space in each of my collections so that I can add to them as I shop throughout the year. That way, when it is time to decorate for a specific holiday, all of the items – both old purchases and new purchases – are all together and ready to go!

Lable Boxes

Because I wrap most everything individually, I have found that labeling each box helps a lot. It is so nice to go into my closet and immediately be able to tell what is inside of each of them. I also number my boxes. For example, if I have three boxes of Gurley candles, then I will write ‘BOX 1 OF 3, etc…”.

TIP:

Over the years I have taken a photo of that year’s ‘display.’ I then print off the picture and put it inside the box. This makes it very easy for me to “recreate the look” the next season if I chose.

How The Elements Can Damage Your Vintage Collections

• Sunlight can fade, dry out, discolor and melt items
• Humidity can cause mild to grow
• Heat can warp items
• Cold can make things crack
• Water and dissolve items such as paper and cardboard

Recap: How To Store Your Vintage Collections – Do’s and Don’ts

• Do add extra layers of protections between items.
  
• Do check on your items throughout the year.
  
• Do keep things in sturdy boxes and totes.
  
• Do include sufficient descriptions on the outside of each box.
  
• Don’t stack your boxes too high.
  
• Don’t forget to individually wrap your items as needed.
  
• Don’t rush – take your time to pack things with care.
  
• Don’t over pack your boxes – this could crush valuable items