Many families have heirlooms that are passed down from generation to generation. These are often precious but potentially not valuable items such as medals, ornaments, framed certificates, pieces of memorabilia, and so on. Many people will leave provision for these things in their wills, but there is also often an understanding among family members as to what is going to happen to the heirlooms when it’s time to pass them on.
If you are in receipt of an heirloom, you’ll have a few choices as to what to do with it. What you do will depend very much on your feelings and your ideas for the future, so read on to see what might suit you.
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Keep It At Home
If you are excited about having this family heirloom and it’s something you always knew you would own one day and you love it, then displaying it in your home is a great option. You can let people know the story behind it and ensure the memory of your older family members is never forgotten.
Depending on what the item is, you might frame it, hang it somewhere, put it in a cabinet, or display it on a shelf. Make sure you find a good place for it where it can be seen but where it will also be kept safe, as the last thing you’ll want is for something to happen and it becomes damaged in your care. You’ll want to pass it on someday yourself, so you need to look after it.
Store It
Perhaps you are glad to be the one to be given the heirloom, and you know you want to pass it on one day, but you don’t actually like it. You don’t like how it looks or the story behind it. You don’t want it displayed in your house.
In this case, you can store it away. You could store it in a box in your basement or attic or even in the bottom of a closet. Still, the danger here is that it will become damaged without you realizing it. The best option is to choose a climate-controlled storage unit. This way, you know it is safe and protected, but you don’t have to look at it often. If this idea appeals, you can find climate storage area here.
Also Read: How to Pick the Right Gift for a Business Occasion
Sell It
Not everyone is sentimental, and not everyone will want to keep hold of a family heirloom. Perhaps you don’t get on with your family or need some cash. Maybe you don’t have anyone to pass the heirloom on, and you know another person would value it more. There could be any reason you wouldn’t want to keep an heirloom that had been left to you, which will be a personal reason.
If you don’t want it, you can sell it – it will belong to you. Make sure you sell it in the right place, however. If it’s a relatively valuable item, you will need to sell it through an expert or perhaps at auction. Get some information before you put it up for sale.