Two of the most memorable events in a woman’s life will be her prom night (which is all about the dress) and her wedding day (which is all about the dress). We see a trend here, but what do you do with those two dresses once the event is over?

Typically, most women will return the prom dress and most women will save the wedding dress, but for those who choose to save both (either for posterity or to pass on to their daughters), here are a few wedding and prom dress storage ideas.

When it comes to storing wedding and prom dresses, it should involve more than just placing it on a hangar and shoving it in a closet. If you want to preserve the dress for years to come, there are a few steps you need to take to ensure that it retains its original state.

The most important thing one should do before storing wedding and prom dresses is get it cleaned. Make sure to read the cleaning label on the inside of the dress.

Depending on the fabric, this may involve washing it in a washing machine or taking it to your nearest dry cleaners. The latter would be preferable as they know how to professionally treat most types of fabrics to remove any possible stains.

Stains can come from any number of sources; drinks, food, makeup and body oils from perspiration. If not treated immediately (usually the next day), these stains can permanently set in and destroy your dress.

If you are going to store your wedding or prom dress in a box, make sure the box is constructed of strong, acid-free cardboard. Don’t use plastic.  Plastic covers are usually sealed with a zipper, this does tend to let air and moisture in, trapping it –allowing for mold and mildew to grow. Plastic also does breakdown over time. When fumes from the breakdown process remain within the closed space, the
molecules tend to adhere to the fabric, causing damage and discoloration. Lastly, (if exposed for long periods of time to a light source) CLEAR plastic allows the fabric to become faded.

Be sure to line the inside of the box with white, acid-free tissue paper. Avoid colored paper as the color can transfer onto your dress over time. Then, starting at the hem (bottom), lay the dress in the box alternately adding tissue paper in layers as you fold the dress back and forth until it is completely covered.

Be sure to fill the arms (if necessary) with tissue paper as not to lose its structure. Cover the box and place it in a dark, cool, dry area. If you are going to hang your dress, use an acid-free cardboard dress shaper and white, acid-free tissue paper also.

Cover the dress shaper with tissue. Then, slip the dress on the covered dress shaper. After, fill the bodice and sleeves with more tissue. Hang the dress on a strong hangar, cover it in muslin (cotton) material and hang it in a dark, cool, dry area away from other garments as not to wrinkle the dress.

By following the aforementioned techniques, you will ensure the integrity of your wedding and/or prom dress for many years to come, bringing back memories of the past or creating new ones in the future.

Whether it’s a ring, bracelet, pair of earrings,  or necklace, diamonds are a women’s best friend.  Regardless of how popular these items are, they are usually only worn on occasion verses everyday (unless  a wedding ring or wedding band).  Diamonds are the hardest known substance(crystallized carbon), and are very delicate.  If not stored properly, they can chip or crack if left in an unsafe environment.

To store your precious jewels for short or long-term storage, you should wrap each diamond piece in a lint free cloth (white cloth is best-to avoid dyes leaking through if near any moisture), and place preferably in its original container if you still have it.  The cloth will help keep the diamonds brilliant (along with dust free).   Most jewelry stores will supply you with a cloth bag to store your diamonds in, which is an acceptable form of storage.  Jewelry boxes can also be used, but you must be careful not to have too many pieces of jewelry with the diamonds as this can cause damage.  If you are storing diamond necklaces or bracelets, its best to hang them up verses bunching them as this can cause damage too.

For long-term diamond storage, it is best to use a safe deposit box or vault.  The dry conditions of the vault or safety box will keep your diamonds in good condition.  Again,  you want to make sure you wrap each diamond piece with a lint free cloth.  If the diamond however has other gems with it, make sure you keep them in a temperature controlled environment, as gems such as opals and emeralds are very sensitive to temperature and can get damaged.  It’s always a good idea to inspect your diamonds often and make sure they are intact.  You can use a moist cloth for cleaning. 

By following these storage tips for storing your diamonds, your precious jewels should remain intact and shine for a very long time.

Storing children’s toys can be an important part of moving, and whether you have kids that play with a large number of toys or you collect toys yourself, considering how they will be stored and moved is something to consider. Many toys have small moving parts that can be damaged if stored improperly, and for toy collections storage is even more important. Vintage toys can be subject to wear and tear or even temperature and moisture damage if they are not stored correctly. Here, we’ll go over a few basic rules for storing toys so that they are kept in good condition.

The way you will want to store toys depends on how they are being used. If you have kids that play with the toys, storing them in a large tub is perfectly fine. Storing children’s toys in tubs separated by which kid they belong to, or what type of toy they are is an easy way to stay organized during a move. For collectors of toys, you will want to keep toys in their original packaging to maintain their condition. Toys that have been removed from their packaging should be bubble wrapped and stored in small boxes, with one or two toys to a box. This will keep them from being crushed or otherwise damaged during moving.

If you are not moving, but simply want to store the toys in an area of your home, then there are a number of ways to do this. Storing children’s toys in a chest or similar central receptacle is an easy way to keep them all in one place, and makes picking them up and putting them away easier as well. For collectors, you will want to store the toys individually in a cool, dry place that does not get frequent direct sunlight. Sunlight, moisture, and temperature changes can damage toys over time, hurting their collector’s value. A common choice for toy storage is a closet, as it meets all these conditions.

Storing children’s toys can be accomplished in a number of ways, but depending on whether the toys are played with and whether they have value as collectibles should dictate how this is done. By taking stock of what type of storage is necessary for the toys, they can be kept in good condition as well as kept organized by taking the necessary steps to ensure they are stored correctly.

Many people have large collections of music, movies, video games, and other media on CDs and DVDs. While disks are a very efficient form of storage, and are much more resistant to damage and degradation over time than, say, a VHS tape, they still need to be stored properly in order to prevent them from being scratched or otherwise damaged. Here, we’ll go over a few basic tips for storing CDs and DVDs, so that you can keep your media safe from harm.

One of the most important aspects of storing CDs is to try and prevent scratches to the surface of the disk that is read. While CDs are surprisingly resistant to scratching, a severe scratch or a large enough accumulation of smaller ones can make the disk unreadable. Worse yet, a single scratch on one part of a CD or DVD can corrupt the data so badly that all of the media stored on it is damaged, meaning that entire movies can become unwatchable because a single part is damaged. The best way to prevent scratches to CDs and DVDs is to keep them stored in their original containers or in an organizer whenever they are not in use. Do not leave disks on surfaces like desks, even face up, as they can be damaged quite easily.

Many people allow music disks to float around in their cars, and tend to let movies and games pile up around their desks at home. Simply buying some sort of protection for storing CDs, whether using individual jackets or a binder, is a great way to keep them from being damaged. Storing CDs in these jackets and binders is often a great way to stay organized, as well. When taking CDs out of sleeves or readers it is important to make sure to hold the disk by the edges, rather than the faces. This will keep fingerprints from obscuring the data on the surface of the disk.

By following these simple tips for storing CDs and DVDs, you can ensure your media collection is not damaged unnecessarily. Having a large collection of music, movies, or games can be a great source of entertainment, but many of us have felt the heartbreak of putting in a disk and being slapped with a read error. The solution to this problem often consists of simply being proactive about putting the disks away when finished with them.

Many antique collectors know that silver is a notoriously finicky metal, and there are many different ways it can become tarnished or damaged. Storing silver is a tricky process, especially because there are so many different things to consider. One of the key aspects of keeping silver looking beautiful over long periods of time is knowing how to store silver correctly, and here we’ll go over some of the basic things you will need to know in order to keep your silver looking pristine for years to come.

One of the most important aspects of storing silver is to keep it from coming in direct contact with substances that can damage it. Many materials that one would not suspect can actually cause irreparable damage to silver, such as wool, newspaper, felt, and even chamois leather. These materials and others can not only cause tarnishing, but can even strip silver plating over time. This type of damage can be quite expensive to fix, and can significantly diminish the value of a piece. If you aren’t sure how to store silver, you should start by individually wrapping each piece with non-reactive materials, like acid-free tissue paper, clean cotton or linen, or polyester. Expensive or very rare pieces should be kept, if possible, in special bags that prevent tarnish.

A good antique collector who knows how to store silver properly will place the items in a container free of moisture and drastic temperature changes. These two factors are next to reactive materials in how often they cause damage to silver, and can destroy the value of a piece over time. Silver should also not be kept on unvarnished wood, which releases vapors that can damage silver. If you are displaying or storing silver on glass shelves, keep in mind that silver is relatively heavy, and the shelves will need to be able to support a fair amount of weight.

Learning the basics of how to store silver can help you keep your pieces looking beautiful for many years, and keeping the main factors such as reactivity, moisture, temperature, and weight in mind will ensure that your silver is not damaged by common problems. A properly stored piece of silver can maintain its luster for centuries, and many antiques exist from hundreds of years ago that look brand new, thanks to the fact that they have been stored and handled with care over time.

Hope these tips on how to store silver help keep your silver pieces in excellent condition.

Depending on a few factors, it is easy to devise an effective plan to store your beer and keep its freshness and taste.  Most beers are not brewed to be aged, but there are some exceptions to this rule.  Contacting the beer brewer if often a first step when trying to determine the best option for storing your beer.  If you are moving, it is important to understand the specific variables that will keep your beer fresh and full of its original flavor.

 One of the most important factors, however, when deciding where to store your beer is finding a place that can maintain the temperature of the brew.  If you cycle brew from warm to cold and then back again continuously, it will cause cloudiness and a distinct change in taste.  Keeping your beer in a refrigerated unit is usually the safest way to store an abundance of different types of brew.  Some stouts and strong ales seem to do just fine in a warmer environment and can be stored in just a dark place, but the same rule of changing the temperature of the beer causing some taste distortion rings true.

 No matter what temperature that your beer is stored at, one rule of thumb is to keep the bottles away from any source of direct sunlight.  The hops react to the light and may cause it to stale rapidly.  This reaction is sometimes referred to “skunking”.  Even if the dark place is a little hotter than ideal, keeping the brew away from light is the most important factor.  When storing vintage beers, lambics, and imperials stouts, it is important to keep the bottles upright.  Some of this variety of beer can even be aged for a more distinct taste.

 If you keep an eye on the “consume by” date on your beer you can discern which beer will be appropriate for storage.  Most microbrews are not made for long term storage, and it is usually recommended that it is not stored for longer than six weeks.  As was mentioned before, hoppier brews have a substantially extended shelf life if stored properly.  If you have already opened a bottle of beer that you then recap, remember that this will significantly reduce the time that it will store well.  If you recap a beer, purchase a professional stopper that will keep the nitrogen in the air out the brew.  Nitrogen is the main culprit in beer that will cause it to spoil.

Remember, proper storage is necessary to keep your brew at its best.

Baseball caps take up a lot of space.  If you’re like my husband, and have over 50 baseball caps, you’ll want to have some type of baseball cap storage so they don’t occupy your whole house.

There are numerous ways to store and display your baseball caps, it just depends on which storage option best suits your needs. Let’s start with the baseball hats that you don’t use, but don’t want to part with.

PLASTIC STORAGE CONTAINERS:

When placing your baseball caps in these containers, make sure you wrap them with acid free storage paper.  It’s a good idea to keep the containers in a cool dry place.  Make sure to store these individually so the baseball caps do not lose their shapes.

HAT STORAGE BOXES:

This is a good way to store hats, wrap each hat in acid free paper (or in plastic) to protect from dust.  You can use moth balls or cedar chips to avoid insects or moths getting inside the boxes.  If you use moth balls, try to find the ones that don’t have a strong odor or your hats can end up smelling like moth balls.  Keep away from moisture, as this can ruin your hats and cause them to mold.  The downside of hat boxes is that you can’t see, which hat is inside each box, so a good way to identify is by labeling or taking a picture of the hat and pasting it on the outside of the box, so you know which hat is in each box.  These storage boxes also come as clear plastic boxes, this is good so you don’t have to mark each box.

GLASS CONTAINERS OR GLASS COVERED DOMES:

These containers are generally used for memorabilia, not recommended for large collections; these stay sealed so you don’t have to worry about mold, moisture, or insects getting through.  Many times collectors will use the glass containers for baseball cards, or baseballs that are collector items, etc.  This is good for long-term storage options.

Now if you want to have access to your baseball caps more easily, here are some other options that may be more suitable for you.

HAT RACKS:

These come in a variety of sizes and shapes, you find ones that hang over the door, on the wall, in closets.  These are good for easy access.  Most of these are not as durable, but you can store many hats on these type of racks. There are ones that use clips and you snap the clip on the back of each baseball cap.  The downside of these they are harder to get on and off, and are exposed to dust and light (which can cause fading).

SHELVES OR CUBBY HOLES

This type of baseball hat storage is good for keeping hats off the ground, and easily accessible.  This option does not protect the hats from dust.  Each hat fits into a slot, and the system looks like furniture, or shelving units which looks nice in your room.  A good way to organize these types of shelving units is by color or team, etc.

So depending on which option you want to go with, there are a few tips to remember when storing baseball caps:

Keep out of direct sunlight for long periods of time, as this can cause your hats to fade.

Keep away from moisture and high humidity, as this can ruin your hat, or cause mold.

Keep sealed up if wanting to avoid dust.

Keep out of areas of insects or moths.  (Remember cedar will deter moths from infesting, moth balls will kill moths in all stages of life)

Do not stack to avoid your baseball caps losing their shape!

When storing coins in a coin collection (or if you own a small amount of valuable coins), be careful who knows about these valuables.  These are one of the top targeted items that puts society at risk for burglary and crime.  If coins are not stored properly, it can cause corrosion, contamination, and their value to be lost forever.  Today we are going to discuss general rules  for storing coins, and different methods to be used for your coin storage.

Coins come in many different sizes, and can range from having little value to being worth thousands of dollars depending on the coin.  These rules should be applied when storing coins.  Make sure when storing your coins, you store them in a constant, moderate temperature, with low humidity.  You should avoid storing in basements or attics that get too hot, unless they are climate controlled.  Oxidation can occur if coins are exposed to air for a long period of time.  This can cause the coins to discolor.  Placing silica gel packs near the storage area can help control the moisture. 

There are many different types of storage methods depending on your needs (long-term storage, or short-term storage). 

For high value coins, you may want to consider keeping your coins in a safe deposit box or a fireproof home safe.  For coins that are not of high value, you may use album folders, and paper envelopes to store your coins.  Coin books are also used, but are not recommended for high value coins.  It is not recommended to store your coins in bags, jars, misc containers unless you are keeping coins for saving money and are not concerned about the coins getting scratched or nicked up.  Long term storage in any of these storage methods, can cause coins to discolor and damage over time.

Tubes or Plastic containers can hold a number of coins, and are good for bulk coin storage but the coins cannot be viewed without removing.

Coin albums and flips lined with mylar are the best and most popular method for storing coins.  When it comes to  flips and albums, it is best to stay away from the soft ones as they can contain PVC (or chloride), and this can cause decomposition to the coins.  The mylar is not made of PVC but be careful when putting coins in these flips or albums and carefully handle them as if you are not this can cause nicks to the coins also. 

Slabs are a sealed hard plastic holder.  These are the safest method for your most expensive or valuable coins.  These are best used for long-term storage, and are more expensive method of storing coins.  You can use for individual coins or small sets of coins.

All of these methods can be used for coin storage, remember temperature and atmosphere is important to remember, and make sure you know the value of your coins before choosing which option storage you want to go with.

Here are some different methods to use for storing your stamps to keep them in good condition.  If you’d like some general stamp handling tips read.  Tips For Storing Stamps.

Glassine Envelopes:  These come in many sizes, and are little envelopes used to store quantities of loose stamps that can be mounted into an album.  This method is best used for temporary use.  The glassine material however, can be easily bent so it is very important to keep the glassine envelopes in a proper manner to avoid bending your collection.

Stock Cards:  These cards have horizontal rows of slots in which stamps can be placed.  Newer models are made of black or white card stock with a slot of clear plastic so the stamps can be easily viewed.

Stock Books:  Stamps are stored in these books,  in a flat, fixed position in neat rows.  This allows the stamps to be moved around easily.  You should never put too many stamps in the books, as the pressure can cause the stamps to become adhesive.  Also, the books should always be stored in an upright manner.  This is the safest method and most common one used amongst stamp collectors.

 Storage Cover Boxes:  These have plenty of room to store stamps and stamp covers, and can remain closed up.  You should avoid putting in a place where the boxes will be moved around a lot, as the motion can easily cause the stamps and stamp covers to bend causing damage to your collection.  Cover boxes also should be made up of archival paper so the covers do not oxidize and stain.

Sleeves:  Sleeves come in a variety of styles.  One style that is covered are transparent sleeves. These are chemically neutral so the stamps or covers are not damaged.  The plastic is generally more firm making it harder to bend, helping keep the stamps and covers in better condition.  Another type of sleeve is a polybag sleeve used for temporary storage.  The benefit of these are that they protect your stamps from dust and handling.  However, they are easily able to be bent, (not giving the stamps much protection).

Printed and Blank Albums:  There are many types of printed albums, though they are not as popular as stock books.  You can store many stamps in these in a neat row, the higher card stock in these albums, the better quality of storage for your stamps.  Blank albums also follow the higher card stock in these, the better quality storage.  The difference between these albums is that the stamps can be stored in any order, and you can do your own write-up on the stamps.

Stamps Mounts:  This method is used to protect extremely expensive stamps.  Mounting is done in an album, and usually is a clear or black background which comes in different size strips for different heights of mounting.  Sizes can be cut to fit your needs of stamps and mount, and are licked and place into the albums; This is the most protective method for high valued stamps.

It is recommended that if you are storing on shelves or cabinets, that you utilize one with a door to avoid light, excessive temperatures, and fluctuating humidity.  Different methods of storage can be purchased through a stamp collector, or Philatelic store.

Champagne (which means sparkling wine) originates from a region of France called Champagne.  This is where “real” champagne comes from.  It is used for many occasions such as weddings, anniversaries, birthdays and other celebrations, and the one common question that has always come up is what is the proper way to store and age your champagne.  Champagne is categorized by the level of sweetness, from brut (meaning no sugar at all), to doux (the sweetest level).  In between are demi sec (which is half-dry), sec (dry), and extra sec.

Champagne is different from wine and the corks are different too.  You may have been told for many years wine and champagne should be stored on its side to avoid the cork from drying out, but this actually causes the champagne to mature faster.  Champagne corks are shaped different than wine corks and much pressure is used to get the corks into the bottles.  Even though the corks stay wet if left on their sides, the cork loses elasticity which causes air to seep in and the champagne ages much faster.  This does not happen with a dry cork, and it is recommended that when storing champagne, you should store in an upright position, allowing the gases to circulate properly and to allow your champagne to age properly.

Champagne should also be stored in a dark, cool place with no shock or movements similar to wine.  The best temperature to store champagne at is below 59°, if the temperatures are warmer than this, this will also cause the champagne to mature more quickly.  The other thing about chilling champagne is you only need to chill it for a few hours in a refrigerator, if you leave it in refrigeration for too long, this can destroy the taste and the value of your exquisite drink.

Remember, these are the general rules of thumb when it comes to storing champagne.  Always use caution when opening bottles, remember the idea is to make the cork pop and not shoot across the room.  Following these storage tips for storing champagne will help allow it to age properly.