Looking After Your Favourite Things At Home

We all have beloved possessions at home that we want to carefully look after so that we can pass them onto the next generation in the hope that they will treasure them as much as we do, so that the family connection is maintained and passed down through the generations.

We could be talking about photos, books, musical instruments, wedding dresses, vehicles, paintings or furniture.  They all have one thing in common, they are all vulnerable to damage by the air that surrounds them.

The list above is very similar to the type of materials that you find in museums and art galleries, and although at home we do not have the same resources or skill levels as museums, there are some things we can do at home to act like a museum.

Light

Light can damage all of the above things making them fade so try to keep items out of direct sunlight and if possible keep them in the dark apart from when you want to display them or use them.

There are three elements of light to worry about, the first is the level of light itself; avoid high levels of light and think dark.  The second is the length of time that something is exposed to the light; try to minimise this.  Finally there is the ultra violet element of the light and this is what can cause the fastest damage.  Try to use lighting that gives off lower levels of ultraviolet and if you have a nice painting, think about using an ultra violet filter.

Humidity

High levels of relative humidity for extended periods of time can result in the item absorbing the moisture in the air, and the object will start to expand which can result in warping and the object losing shape.

Low levels of relative humidity can result in cracking and shrinkage.

Aim for a relative humidity of between 40-60%rh and try to avoid sudden changes in relative humidity.  Keep temperature levels consistent is a good way of avoiding rapid changes in relative humidity as relative humidity reacts to changes in temperature.  A dehumidifier with a full humidistat like the Meaco DD8L Zambezi gives you much more flexibility in selecting the right relative humidity.

If in doubt never be afraid of reaching out to your local museum for professional advice, you will be surprised at how helpful they can be.