There are some purchases that go beyond the everyday. They offer a level of luxury that justifies a slightly (or not-so-slightly) higher price tag. Given this, they also justify a higher level of care and attention. After all, if you’re going to invest in a designer handbag, a diamond ring, or a vintage piece of memorabilia, then it makes sense to protect it.
So, what’s the best way to store those more expensive goods?
In a wardrobe
Designer clothes are made to be hung. That way you can be reasonably sure that they aren’t going to crease as the years go by. This is especially important for those items you’re only going to be wearing very rarely.
It’s best to separate your more expensive clothing from everything else in the wardrobe. Set aside a special corner of the space and use dust-bags and vacuum-packs to keep pests away.
Stuff your bags
If you’re storing bags, then be sure to stuff them so that the exterior is prevented from gradually collapsing inwards. You can do this with scrunched-up printer paper. Don’t use newspaper, as the print will tend to rub off.
Keep a Safe
A safe will provide a secure place to keep very small, high-value items like watches and jewellery. Most safes come either with combination locks or keys. Don’t reveal the combination to anyone and make it difficult to guess. Having done this, you’ll be able to stop worrying about your goods – even if an intruder does break into your house, it’s highly unlikely that they’ll try to break into your safe. Unless, of course, they know about your safe and what it contains.
Drawer Insert
Much smaller than a safe, and yet still providing enough room for your favourite luxury jewellery, a draw-insert is designed to separate your items and make them easy to pick out, much like they were when they were in the shop you bought them from.
Silica
If you’ve ever taken delivery of electronic equipment, then you might have noticed a small pouch of silica gel rattling around the bottom of the box. Hold on to these, and pack them alongside your luxury items. Their job is to act as a ‘desiccant’ – that is, a material that sucks the moisture out of the air. They’ll help to prevent harmful microbes from settling onto your stuff – which is great for leather items.
Cleaning
If you want to prevent damage to your stuff in the long-term, then treating it to the occasional clean is essential. This goes especially if you’re putting things into long-term storage, when a more thorough ‘deep’ clean becomes appropriate. The form that your cleaning and maintenance takes will depend on the item in question.