Storing jewelry safely is a major concern for many people, especially women. Keep in mind that the safest and most effective manner to keep your jewelry depends on how much you have.
Jewelry can be kept safe at home provided it is insured. It is a good idea to segregate your jewelry into precious/semi-precious and non-precious so that you can make the best use of storage space available to you. If possible, consider things like getting hidden storage custom made or getting wall mounted safety lockers. While in storage, it is also important to keep your jewelry in good condition so that it is wearable when you take it out. Depending on the size and material of the jewelry, you’ll want to figure out the best way to keep it safe while also making it difficult for burglars to locate.
How do you keep jewelry safe at home?
Some ways to keep your jewelry secure at home are:
- Keep it in a wall mounted safe
It’s always better to spend a little more and get a better safety than to save a little and risk losing expensive jewelry worth thousands of dollars. Ensure that only you have access to your jewelry when it’s kept up in a locker and if it has a key, then hide it in a safe, secret place.
Lockers that are neither wall-mounted nor housed inside cupboards serve no purpose. That is why buying a large, sturdy safe is your best bet.
- Assigning a specific storage area for your jewels
Place your jewelry in a secure spot or somewhere you’ll remember. Keep your jewelry organized in a cloth pouch or a designated area of your jewelry box. Take your jewelry off here if you’re going somewhere where you’ll be required to do so.
- Get your jewelry insured
Any accidental damage, loss, and theft are typically covered by jewelry insurance. Jewelry and other high-value possessions can be fixed or replaced if you insure them against loss.
- Be cautious with visitors
When inviting guests or scheduling maintenance in your house, it’s always important to keep an eye on your jewelry. If you have a lot of visitors, consider installing security cameras. This is not to offend anyone, but situations may arise
STORING THE RIGHT WAY
You must store your jewelry properly under storage so that it stays in the best possible condition during storage.
How should I store my jewelry at home?
Jewelry must be stored based on how often you wear a piece. Pieces you wear often should be stored at one place and the ones that are worn on occasions must be stored away. Also, it must be stored based on the type of jewelry, e.g. pearls must always be kept safe from scratches and silver must be protected from tarnish.
Daily Wear
Daily wear jewelry must be accessible to you. If you wear expensive pieces in your everyday wear, it must be safe against theft. You can have a cabinet or drawers with key for storing such pieces. Some general guidelines are:
- Keep rings in a ring box
- Hang neckpieces after detangling them so that you just have to pick them and put them on. Storing them in boxes or drawers may cause them to tangle
- Use containers or separators in drawers if you will be storing your jewelry in a drawer. This will help sort different pieces and make it easy for you to locate them
- While many people hang bracelets, it is a good idea to lay them down. This increases the life of the bracelet as keeping them hanged may impact the elasticity or shape over time.
Pieces that are not worn on daily basis can be stored away in vaults or safes. Just package them well before you store them so that they stay in good shape.
- Wrap each piece of jewelry with anti-tarnish paper or a soft velvet cloth when keeping it. This holds true especially for silver and low carat gold jewelry.
- Silver earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and rings should be stored in an enclosed area to avoid tarnishing.
- Separately store different types of jewelry and ensure that each jewel in the jewelry box does not come into contact with one another.
- Keep your jewelry in a zip lock bag or airtight box to keep the polish looking new longer.
- Store valuable jewelry safely and neatly in multi-level jewelry boxes with drawers and separators.
- Detangle any necklaces and either lay them down nicely in a box or store them in hanging position.
Identifying the type of jewelry, such as diamond, pearl, silver, gold, or gemstone, is critical so that the appropriate measures can be taken.
Is it OK to store jewelry in plastic bags?
For short term, yes, for long term, No! Storing jewelry in plastic bags is not recommended for long term. It is not a good idea because:
- Some plastic bags may emit harmful chemicals or vapors. These may discolor or tarnish your jewelry if exposed for long time.
- Plastic bags are normally thin and susceptible to damage. If it comes in contact with a hard or sharp object, it may scratch or dent your piece.
- Some plastics decay or melt at high temperatures. These may stick to your jewelry item if stored for a long time.
- Plastic may damage gemstones faster than metals. So if your jewelry has gemstones, especially pearls, avoid storing it in plastic bags.
You can pick this option for short term storage and if you are confident that the material of the jewelry will not be harmed or spoiled.
Can you put all your jewelry together at home?
While it is a good idea to have a designated space at home for your jewelry, you must place individual jewelry items separately. From safety perspective, having a designated wall mounted cabinet for your jewelry can be a good idea. In the cabinet, you may have a separate safe or locked drawer for precious pieces. This should be joined to the wall mounted cabinet so that the thief can not just simply pick it up and walk away.
It’s not a good idea to keep all of your jewelry in the same place. This can result in spoiling your exclusive jewelry with other jewelry if they do not complement each other.
Jewelry must be stored based on:
- The type of metal: Some metals like silver, low carat gold are more susceptible to corrosion. Such metals must be kept separately in air tight containers with anti tarnish strips.
- The type of gemstones: Jewelry with gemstones must be stored separately. This is because certain gemstones like diamonds are hard enough to put scratches on jewelry items that come in their contact. At the same time, some gemstones like pearls are so soft that they can get scratched easily.
- Shape and size: Segregating jewelry based on size makes them easy to store. This also makes it easier to find small pieces like pendants, rings.
FIND THE RIGHT PLACE TO SECURE
The best spot to keep your jewelry at home can help you outsmart a burglar. This section provides information on the best ways to conceal your priceless jewelry to keep your home safe from burglars.
Where do burglars generally look for jewelry in homes?
Some common places burglars look for jewelry are:
- The master bedroom: It is likely to be the first place a burglar suspects to look. Keeping precious jewelry and other valuables hidden in a place like this is very typical.
- Office or study rooms: In addition to the master bedroom, the office is one of the first locations criminals go for valuables. There may be drawers where people must have kept their jeweler.
- A safe locker: This is another hotspot for the burglar. If you have a safe locker, they may come to know that you have valuables and jewelry to protect.
- Dresser drawers: A burglar will most likely rummage through dresser drawers for a shoebox or other unusual container that could contain watches, jewelry, and other valuables.
- Under the mattress: This is another popular location. One of the oldest tricks people employ is to hide a key under their mattress. However, this is no longer effective. The key to your safe or closet could be hidden under your mattress, where robbers are likely to hunt for it.
Where is the safest place to hide jewelry and valuables at home?
Some of the safest areas in your house to store your jewelry and other valuables include:
- Wall mounted safes
One traditional and safe place is to store in a wall mounted safe that cannot be removed from the wall. There are different safes with digital passwords available with ease. In such cases, you do not even have to worry about hiding the keys. Some safes come with multiple locking systems.
- Air vents
- In the kitchen
It’s becoming fashionable to conceal cash and valuables in the kitchen. No thief has time to empty each of your kitchen grain bins. Hiding valuables between cereal or grain boxes in a filled plastic bag can be a highly effective strategy.
- In the attic
The robbers are most likely to overlook the attic. As a result, storing valuables in attic storage containers is always a good option. You can even pack your products with phony labels or unclean packaging to deter criminals.
- Behind fake walls
Fake wall outlets are structures that look like conventional pillar wall outlets but are used to store little goods rather than connecting anything into them. Because burglars are in haste to search and pillage your home, any artificial wall will go unnoticed.
- Bathroom
Jewelry storage ideas include bathroom tile storage and hidden storage in your bathtub. Bathtubs with hollow storage around the bottom are great for hiding valuables like jewelry. Additionally, you can take out the bathroom tiles to create a storage niche.
- False base drawers
You may get custom drawers that have false base to hide your precious jewelry in. Your jewelry will also be easily accessible to you in this kind of storage.
Where should you not hide jewelry and other valuables in your house?
There are certain places, however safe they may seem, should never be utilized to store your jewelry. If you believe that storing your valuables in these places will keep robbers at bay, you are mistaken. Read on to know where you should never put your valuables:
- Drawers
Burglars initially search the drawers for cash and valuables. It’s a poor idea to keep crucial documents, jewelry, cash, and other valuables in an accessible drawer.
- Closets
Another thing that draws a burglar’s interest is a closet. Do not hide valuables in socks or underwear since robbers only need to touch and feel the clothing to discover what is hidden inside.
- Jewelry box
The jewelry box is a no-brainer as a first stop. Keeping your jewelry in an ox may seem posh, but it is one of the most vulnerable areas a thief will look at first. Rather, place your valuables in a secure locker that is difficult to access.
- Under the mattress
Most families have a pile of cash stashed away under their beds. Many of us continue to keep something secret in our drawers, even if we know it’s dangerous. Burglars won’t even take a few seconds to discover your valuables from here.
- Toilet tank
Toilet tanks are so common among thieves that they rarely go undetected. In most toilets, the tank lid can be removed in a matter of seconds.
What is the best room in your house to store jewelry?
The rooms in your house that are least likely to be looted and most suited to keep your valuables are:
- Kids room
A good burglar will never hunt for valuables in a child’s room. A kid’s room is filled with pointless stuff, and the thief has no time to search through a pile of toys. So, hide it somewhere that the child won’t be able to discover it. Place your valuables between your child’s toys or clothing.
- Storeroom
The storage room is overflowing with trash and unused materials. Checking out all the junk will take a long time for the thief. It’s a good idea to keep valuables hidden in the nook of your storeroom.
- Electric room
A fake electrical outlet in an electric room can hold small things like tiny jewelry or some cash. If the robber enters the electric chamber and attempts to look around, he risks suffering an electric shock. Buy a style that complements your other outlets and install it in a sensible area. Make sure it’s a good fit.
- Bathroom
Even though the toilet is a common hunting location for burglars, there are ways to keep your belongings safe inside as well. It can be used to conceal a small storage unit. You can remove one tile off the wall and cut a hole slightly smaller than the tile.
- Stair Tread
If you can furnish some space under your staircase, your valuable jewelry can stay safe! It will be difficult for a burglar to spot.
Conclusion
When it comes to keeping your valued jewelry at home, it is always better to be prepared for theft. You may use traditional or unique ways based on your preference in order to keep your pieces safe.
