It’s important to look after your luxury goods – whether you’re just protecting expensive investment pieces that you’re keeping in storage or you’re looking to keep them looking their best when they’re on show.
As well as having the correct home insurance in case of an emergency, it pays to think carefully about where and how to house your luxury goods. Here we look at three key luxury categories – classic cars, shoes and bags and jewellery – with some top tips and how to keep each of them in tip top condition.
Classic cars
Whether you have one car or five, you want to keep them in a fit state to drive. If you own a classic car that you only want to take for a spin on a rare occasion, then you’ll want to keep this safely locked away in a garage. Collectors with more than one vehicle might even wany to purchase a new steel garage to protect their precious motors.
The correct conditions are crucial for your collectable car storage. Ideally, you need to store them at temperatures below 70 degrees, with humidity between 40 to 50 per cent. Install a thermostat in your garage to ensure you’re getting this right.
Also, install a good security system that includes locks, window guards, a camera system, motions sensors, of course, an alarm.
Store your bags and shoes correctly
Luxury bags and shoes are expensive items – and need to be treated with the right level of care. Don’t leave them lying around waiting to be kicked or scuffed – find a dedicated space to store them.
If you can, store them upright. If not, lay them flat but do not pile them up together or place any weight on top of the leather.
Our biggest tip here is to tuck in your handles or straps where possible and stuff your bags full with soft items such as tissue paper, clothing or packaging – this stops them from bending out of shape.
Be sure to keep these items in a dry and odour free environment and avoid placing them in cardboard or plastic storage containers. Keeping them away from moisture is important too.
When it comes to your shoes, store them in their original boxes, or dust bags. If you stuff the toe ends with tissue paper it will preserve their shape. Most shoes can be cared for with a soft cloth and mild soap if necessary.
Jewellery
With the cost of precious metals on the increase, key jewellery items become even more sought after. All items of valuable jewellery should be insured separately and it’s advised the at you write an inventory containing descriptions with measurements, inscriptions and any other noteworthy features.
Keeping your jewellery at home means you will need to invest in a jewellery safe. There are many different models on the market that come equipped with keys or are digitally operated, so spend time looking for one that best suits you. Never leave these items out on show – and keep delicate pieces in their original padded boxes if you can.
