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Disaster management

Ideally, items should not be stored where there is a risk of flooding. However, this may not always be possible. In a flood-prone area, you can minimise the risk by ensuring that memorabilia items are stored higher than historic flood levels. If your climate is normally fairly dry, items could be stored in a sealed archival quality plastic bag. However, care should be taken in areas of high humidity, such as the tropics, where sealing in plastic bags may lead to mould growth.

Small fire-resistant boxes, available from larger department stores or locksmiths, can provide protection to your memorabilia items in the event of a house fire or bushfire.

In an emergency such as flood or bushfire, you should be conscious of which artefacts are truly irreplaceable (which are the ones you should grab first) along side others that may have monetary value but could be replaced if necessary.

You may wish to consider storing valuable or irreplaceable items in a safety deposit box at your local bank. Most banks accept small packages for a low fee and provide easy access to your items when you need them. Inquire at your bank for details.