Magazines, in particular vintage magazines, are valuable items for collectors. The downside is that magazines are often made from materials that are not designed to last, meaning it can be hard to store magazines long term without them getting worn or damaged. This does not mean disintegration and damage is inevitable, however.
To store magazines long term, you can:
- Hire space in a purpose-built storage unit.
- Wrap individual magazines in protective materials.
- Seal magazines in archival plastic bags, or a similar protective case.
- Put in a box designed for paper, and separate with cardboard.
- Put in another secure box and prepare for storage.
1. Hire space in a purpose-built storage unit.
If you want to store magazines long-term, it is best to hire a purpose-built storage unit.
These storage units will, more often than not, be climate-controlled, clean, under surveillance and insured. As you might expect, climate control is crucial for magazines as they can be damaged when subject to damp conditions.
To pick a storage unit, you need to consider a few factors: cost, trustworthiness, and whether it is climate controlled. To determine whether a storage unit has these factors and is suited to store your magazines, you should turn to Google Reviews — the better the reviews, the better the service tends to be. At Falconer Removals, we have consistent 5* reviews that are indicative of the excellent service we provide – and have provided over the last 131 years.
2.Wrap individual magazines in protective materials.
Tidy House advises that you should separate your magazine’s article content with acid-free tissue paper, between any pages that you wish to preserve. In order to preserve the entire magazine, you should put it in between every page of the magazine. This will stop the pages from sticking together.
For extra protection, use packing paper to wrap around the outside of the magazine. If you seal with tape, be sure to seal just on the packing paper, not on the magazine. To save cash, you can purchase a large roll of packing paper to cover all of your magazines.
Magazines can make a fantastic addition to your coffee table, but more than a few can take up valuable space in your home! Not to mention that without the right climate, your magazines will disintegrate and fade over time. Go for long-term storage to keep your collectables safe.
3. Seal in archival plastic bags.
Once your magazine is wrapped, seal in an archival plastic (or polythene) bag. These offer protection from the effects of handling, dust, pollution, and moisture. If you have vintage magazines, these will sometimes come in an archival plastic bag or cover to begin with; you can keep this one on as long as it is in good condition.
Once your magazine is wrapped and sealed, you can add another layer of protection with bubble wrap. As with packing paper, wrap the magazine (in its archival bag) in bubble wrap, and then seal with tape. Do this tight, but not so tight that it bends the magazine or hinders the archival seal. Some removal teams will wrap them in bubble wrap for you, so find this out when you get a quote.
4. Put in a box designed for paper, and separate with cardboard.
Now your magazines are individually wrapped, you can store them in a box designed for paper, or a special magazine box. These look a bit like what you get in offices to store important files or the printer and copier paper. Some of these boxes will have metal corners, which offers extra support for the box (and magazines that are inside).
Much like records for a record player, what you don’t want to happen is for the magazines to get bent or warped in storage. To prevent this, don’t cram them in and overpack the box. Instead, keep them at a sensible distance, and separate each magazine with a piece of corrugated cardboard for extra support.
5. Put in another secure box and prepare for storage.
Your magazines are in one secure box, now it’s time to put it in another, larger box. This can be a standard cardboard box, but just make sure it is strong, secure and that your magazine box fits in well. At Falconer Removals, we use triple walled boxes to ensure your items are safe and sound when in transit. As with most furniture that goes in a box, empty space where the magazines could shift around and get damaged should be filled with protective packing materials.
And you’re done! Our last bit of advice is that when you transport your magazines, make sure it is done with great care so the magazines don’t get flung around in (or out!) of their box. And if in doubt, hire a removals team.
At Falconers we use meticulous moving techniques, passed down and perfected through generations for over 132 years, to ensure your standard and vintage magazines are moved and kept in perfect condition.
To learn more about our storage facilities, or our removals service, take a look at out our website or contact Nathan.
–
Written by Holly, for Falconer Removals.
