If you are like most of us, you have a box of mementos, collectables or keepsakes somewhere in your house. We move these boxes from our childhood homes to our first apartment. Then to our first home. After children, the boxes move from closet to closet and house to house. After a while, we don’t even know what is in those boxes. If you know what I’m talking about, I want to challenge you to bring out those boxes and reacquaint yourself with what you are storing.
As a professional organizer, I have seen too many mementos, collections or keepsakes ruined because they were not stored properly. Old newspaper clippings, trinkets or favorite articles of clothing will not survive the aging process. Most of these items were once seen as valuable yet they remain in boxes. The next generation will throw these items out because they have deteriorated or mildewed or they just plain don’t care about the collection.
If you are thinking – great, I already have too much to deal with – when will I have time? But if you value these possessions and want to keep them safe, you should make the time. You might even make some money in the process or find more room for stuff you actually use!
Here are some suggestions that might help.
- Take out one box out at a time and look through it (bring it upstairs out of the dusty basement or attic).
- Involve your kids. Let them help you look through it. If you have too much on your plate right now, pencil in a time on your calendar to do this in the next several months.
- After you get the boxes out, please throw away (or recycle) anything that does not mean anything to you anymore or if it is already ruined.
- If you don’t know what to do with it right away, set it out and think about it.
- Is there anything in the box you can display or use? Hobby shops have inexpensive shadow boxes for award ribbons, scout patches, army uniforms etc.
- If you have a collection that you don’t want on display, consider why you are keeping it. If you believe the collection has value, have it appraised or look on e-bay to see what similar collections are making. You might find out it really is not worth as much as you thought … or it might be a real money maker!
I have had valuable items appraised by Patricia Doyle & Associates Auction & Realty House and then sold them via their consignment process. You can list items for free on Craig’s List. If you have unique items to donate, you can list them on www.freecycle.org.
If you want to keep newspaper clippings or old letters, purchase storage safe boxes for these items. Check out www.archival.com for products designed to store newspaper clippings, photos and clothing.
All items should be stored in an interior closet, inside archive safe boxes with 40-50% humidity. Basements and attics are terrible places to store these kinds of items.
If this is too much to tackle on your own, consider hiring a professional organizer to help you with the process or ask a friend or relative who is gifted in the area of purging and sorting.
Submitted by Springfield Moms reader Amy Peterson who is mother of three.
