We all have items in our homes that are probably older than us. It would be impressive if they could see many years continuing to be functional and not just stored away in a closet or the basement. One of these days, you may think about scouring your house for old items in boxes in the hope of them being appraised highly by a reputable antique dealer in San Diego, California. Hopefully, those items were given a good amount of care before being kept for storage. Otherwise, you could be looking at something that has no value.
Why do we hold on to material things? This is something you may ask your mom or dad when you wonder why they keep old stuff. At one point, you will find yourself in the same situation and somehow understand what the fuss is all about. But now that you know about their value, you need to start taking care of them.
But Why Do We Keep Them?
Being attached to certain things always points to personal reasons. These things bring you memories whenever you see them, thus giving them immense sentimental value. The uniqueness of the items is another reason. There could be items that are no longer in production, and if you have one of these, you possibly are holding something rare. These mostly include hand-made furniture, where the most ornately designed are unique.
It’s the artisanship that you appreciate in them. On that note, that can be another reason. Paintings are known as creative works and have no function, and your attachment to them depends on the level of your admiration, which can possibly remain for the rest of your life. This will make you decide to keep them for as long as you want.
Protect
It does not matter whether your table, mirror, or any other item is made from wood or metal. Know that they will deteriorate if you do not take care of them properly. The important thing to do is to keep them away from natural elements. Being exposed for a long time to heat, humidity, and coldness will cause any material to change its characteristics. It can also lead to discoloration, erosion, or rotting.
Keep your items away from sunlight and make sure that they are in a dry place. If there’s no way hiding them from the sun, get them covered up with thick materials that have good insulating properties.
Restore
Just in case you find any imperfections or damage to the item, there are ways to restore them. These may not reclaim their full glory, but they can at least prevent further damage and put on a protective layer. For wood materials, you can use wood filler for gaps and cracks. If there is damage to the finish, you can sand down the affected area and apply the right type of varnish. Rust can be trickier, as there are items where the metal is painted on.
The best you can do is to sand down the rust until you can see that the surface is clear of it, and apply an anti-rust coating after. If there is paint, you can opt to leave it as is and just apply the protective coating to prevent the rust from spreading. You need to keep a close eye on it so that the damage will not get worse.
With all these in mind, you are on your way to seeing your favorite items for the next few decades. These things are important to your life, and it is just right to take care of them.
