There are plenty of ways to keep jewellery in storage, but did you know that some of them cause more harm than good.
In some cases, how you keep jewellery in storage is a personal choice. Do you prefer to see your jewellery on display or have it out of sight?
Regardless of your preferences, we’ve put together some top tips to help you when you put your jewellery into self storage.
Separate by Metal
Before you can think about putting stuff in storage.
First, do an inventory of your jewellery. Make a few piles that separate fine jewellery, costume jewellery and silver jewellery.
Keeping these separate helps prevent the metals from tarnishing when they interact with one another.
Make sure jewellery is clean and dry
Before you put any of your jewellery into storage, you want to make sure that it is clean and dry. Moisture will cause the metal to tarnish or degrade much quicker. You don’t want it to lose any of its value.
Most jewellery can be cleaned using the following steps:
- Mix a few drops of mild dish detergent and luke warm water
- Saturate the jewellery briefly in the solution
- Use a soft bristled toothbrush to buff away any dirt and debris.
- Pat jewellery dry with a lint-free cloth.
- Remove tarnish with a silver polishing cloth.
Store delicate jewellery in a dark, dry location
Silver Jewellery does best when it’s stored in a jewellery box, lined with felt. The felt helps to keep things dry, and keep moisture away.
Even when being properly stored, silver jewellery will require polishing at least twice a year to remove tarnish.
Fine Jewellery should be kept in a secure location so that it’s less susceptible to burglary. It’s also important to store away from direct sunlight.
Fine jewellery tips:
- Store fine-jewellery in a way that the pieces do not contact each other.
- Keep pearls inside a wooden box that has a felt lining. Never store pearls inside a plastic box because the material can do more harm than good.
- Keep fine jewellery inside a safe or another well hidden place.
Costume jewellery
Costume jewellery is generally safe to keep out in the open.
If you are planning on keeping costume jewellery in storage for an extended period of time, use the same rules as you would for fine jewellery.
Storage ideas
- Keep necklaces from getting tangled using twist ties
- Make a jewellery holder from an old frame
- Organise earrings in egg cartons
Insure fine jewellery before you store it
Although no one ever wants to think about what could happen, there is always the possibility of your jewellery being stolen.
You want to do all you can to keep your collection as protected as possible.
Take photos of your fine jewellery and create an inventory so that your collection can be insured.
To round up:
- Keep all jewellery dry: No matter the value , you want it to stay in good condition. Moisture is the main factor behind tarnishing.
- Store different types of jewellery separately. Make sure the jewellery is not touching inside the box.
Hopefully these storage tips will help you on your way in keeping your jewellery in the best condition while it is in storage.
If you want more information about storage, you can check out our units here >>
