Did you know that the collectibles market in the US is currently valued at $1.6B, and it’s growing steady with each year? People get started collecting a few comic books, antiques, vinyl records, etc. And over time, the interest in collecting becomes a passion, and the small few items are now a valuable collection taking up space. Of course, you need to be knowledgeable about your chosen field of collectibles, and you must ensure that they’re being kept in pristine condition. Keeping your collection safe is paramount, and self storage is one of the best ways to store your collectibles.
Follow our smart tips for storing collectibles in your storage unit.
Assess Your Collection
Before you plan what you want to store, go through your collection. Take the time to evaluate your collection and consider any pieces that you may want to sell or trade. Are there any pieces that have increased in value? This might be a great time to sell them and earn some income.
While you’re inventorying your items, consider using a mobile app to help you keep track of the various pieces in your collection. This is especially important if you are keeping an insurance policy on the valuables. We found an article that lists some of the better collection apps.
You may not want to get rid of any of the items in your collection, and that’s ok too. The point is that you put eyes on them and have a solid understanding of what you have. And now you have a mobile app to keep track of the items.
Next, it’s time to secure your items.
Safe Keeping
You may find that you need to stock up on items that will help store your collection safely. For instance, paper can be kept in a binder or plastic pages; breakable items should be placed in proper cushioning, etc. Secure storage containers properly, and carefully bubble wrap delicate items such as porcelain dishes or glass collectibles.
When selecting paper boxes or plastic, consider how these storage boxes will stack safely in your storage unit. Will you need to access them? How frequently? This can make a considerable difference in where you will place them in your unit. See our blog article, “Storage Unit Tips and Tricks,” to learn how to efficiently pack your storage unit.
Type of Storage Unit
When dealing with valuables, it’s important to note that lighting, temperature, and humidity can greatly affect and harm the quality of your items. We recommend you reach out to our on-site managers to discuss if you need a climate-controlled unit, which reduces humidity and maintains the unit at a steady mild temperature. (If you live in a humid climate, this is especially important, as mold can ruin any number of belongings … even if they don’t get wet.) If you opt for a climate-controlled unit, you might consider placing dry packs throughout the storage unit to help reduce residual moisture in the air.
This is just one more way to help keep your items safe and dry. Don’t forget about lights, either. While most storage units are void of windows, even lightbulbs that are too bright could damage items by bleaching out their colors or dimming their brightness.
Luckily, you can turn the lights off as you leave. If you’re worried about light leaking through the door cracks, however, you should keep items undercover at all times. This is just one more way to keep your collectibles safe.
Finally, it’s time to stack everything and lock it away for safekeeping.
Securing Collectables in Your Storage Unit
Items should be placed sturdily and securely so they cannot tip or fall. Use only square boxes that fix snugly atop one another. This is not the time to test your balance or Tetris skills. Place your safely packaged items slowly in short stacks. If possible or necessary, shelves will help this process, allowing you to store up the entire wall (or even across the ceiling) without testing the integrity of your boxes.
Label your boxes clearly for easy finding later. Nothing is more frustrating than digging through box after box, only to ruin your slick organization. By making sure things are labeled clearly, you can avoid this problem altogether and keep your collection readily stored in place.
Lastly, be sure to place a strong lock on your storage unit door so you have peace of mind that it’s secure. We sell heavy-duty padlocks in our front office.
For more tips for storing collectibles in your storage unit, read some of our other helpful blogs or give us a call today.