Recent revelations about where and how President Joe Biden and former President Donald J. Trump stored classified government documents got us thinking about where and how to store our valuable possessions.
Much of this has to do with the possessions themselves. Paper does not react well to moisture. So a bathroom ”“ which, by the way, generally locks from the inside ”“ would not be ideal. But then neither would a garage, unless you had airtight storage cabinets.
As for jewelry, many of us might be tempted to take the approach of the British royal family during World War II when they hid the crown jewels from a possible Nazi invasion in a biscuit tin 60 feet below Windsor Castle. I know many of us, myself included, have hidden jewelry in the hopes of keeping it safe and then cannot remember where we
stashed it for safekeeping. Fortunately, this didn”™t happen to the crown jewels. But you could accidentally throw out valuables that are kept in an old shoebox.
Keep important papers and jewelry in a safe ”“ which can run you anywhere from less than $100 to upwards of $5,000, depending on its fire ratings and design. (A 10-inch-by-10-inch safety deposit box at a bank will cost about $100 a year.)
A safe at home can be set into a wall, definitely a key consideration during a new build or renovation. If that is not an option, there are many safes that can be attached to the wall or floor, with the basement being a great place to hide a safe. There are also absolutely gorgeous free-standing safes that can be considered a piece of furniture ”“ lacquered in a huge selection of colors with the interiors luxuriously outfitted and compartmentalized to hold all of your baubles and papers. With everything centralized, you can always direct a trusted friend or relative to access what you need should the circumstance arise.
If you are moving residences, it”™s important to keep all of your valuables together and give them to a friend or relation who is not involved in the move for safekeeping. Have them returned once you are settled and unpacked so that they don”™t get accidentally thrown out or misplaced after the move.
My dad, who is 89, has become incredibly concerned with keeping things safe in his safe. There is little to nothing of value in his safe, but he is convinced that he needs to keep all of his receipts, spare change, coffee filters and spare keys to old doors that are no longer part of his world in his safe. He rummages in his safe for hours, looking for things he has misplaced. I think this gives him a sense of control and comfort in a world that is receding from him. Indeed, we are all concerned with keeping ourselves and our possessions safe in an increasingly stressful world.
But having a safe or a full-proof place for your valuables not only affords you a degree of peace of mind; it also allows you to decide and organize what is truly important ”“ and what is not. Getting dressed for that special occasion will be so much easier than rummaging through closets, shoeboxes and drawers for your jewelry.
Keeping your valuables safe in a safe enables you to focus on the people, places and things that truly matter to you.
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