Top Tips for the Collector Doing Spring Cleaning

Dear Lee,

Days are longer and, in much of the country, hints of warmer weather tease and then cruelly retreat to frigid temperatures. To hurry spring and summer, many of us turn to spring cleaning.

But for collectors—or families with a collector in their midst—there are special rules. Who wants to donate an old, stained vase only to find it was worth thousands of dollars? We’ve read the stories about these thrift store “discoveries.”

That’s not the only damage that can happen during spring cleaning. Using the wrong cleaning solution or having soapy hands and dropping delicate porcelain is equally dreadful.

You can clean and preserve collectibles by following some simple rules. Here are suggestions:

• Don’t throw away anything that isn’t yours. Your spouse or children may treasure those items.
• Be organized when decluttering. Put in groups of “Keep,” “Ask About,” “Donate” and “Throw Away.” Also have a “Sell” pile.
• Save what you still use and love.
• If you find larger decorative items or old ceramics, think of how they would look in your garden. A beautiful garden should provide the unexpected nestled in between thoughtfully planted flowers and plants.
• Do you have an old drawer full of loose pictures, or a bin of photo albums going back decades? Digitize them if you want, but don’t throw them away! Store them in a waterproof, mouse-proof container.
• Use TLC and common sense when cleaning items.
• Use warm water when cleaning pottery, ceramics and crystal. Dramatic temperature changes cause cracks or crazing.
• A few drops of vinegar in soapy water will give glassware and crystal a sparkle.
• Line the washing area—whether a sink or countertop—with a dish towel or rubber mats.
• Compressed air does more than just blow crumbs off a keyboard. It can sweep away dirt from dolls, china and delicate collectibles.

There’s nothing more satisfying than a clean, uncluttered house to welcome a new season of sun and warmth.

 

 

Spring Cleaning Tips

Dear Lee,

The weather is warming and there are more sunny days than cloudy ones. That means: time for spring cleaning.

As a collector, I always worry when I see people downsizing and doing big spring cleanings. Without caution and research, they could be getting rid of valuable collectibles and heirlooms. They may donate an old coat without checking the pockets or give away a closet full of purses and miss that old jewelry or other valuables left inside. I have a friend who threw one old, crumpled Kleenex away in the trash and then weeks later remembered she had put an engagement ring in the Kleenex to take to the jeweler to be made smaller.

Here are some spring cleaning tips to help you maximize value of your no-longer-needed items and help keep the rest organized:

1. Before donating or throwing anything away, check its value. Everything from broken toys to old newspapers can be sold.
2. Take pictures of items you plan to sell. If you are using your phone, make sure you save the pictures in the cloud or transfer them to a flash drive. If you are able, start a list that includes each pictured item, size, color, marks, condition, price paid, history and the date. Some new phones allow you to add captions to photos so you may not need to keep a list.
3. Don’t throw away labels, stickers, auction catalogs or original boxes. They add to the value, especially if you are talking about old toys, paper bills or history.
4. Set aside a pile for family and friends to look over. You never know what people want, whether it’s an old music box, illustrated sheet music or a Hummel figurine. Put a note (“save for family”) on small pieces of paper and put the paper in or on the object. If the object has history, include that with the item.
5. Keep a separate trash pile. Look over the pile once or twice or bring a family member to go over it with you. Better safe than sorry!
6. Do you have a drawer or bag full of old cords or plugs or unidentified parts? Before throwing them out, check every one of your devices, computers, phones, iPads and notebooks to see if anything matches.
7. If you find any larger decorative items or old ceramics, think of your garden. A beautiful garden provides the unexpected, both in the flowers and plants, as well as items placed around the landscape. I have many “trash” pieces in my garden, including old street signs, metalwork, large planters and a fountain. Oh, and iron gnomes, of course.
8. Remember: Keep family photos or other historical records that might be wanted by future generations. Set those aside and put in a waterproof, mouse-proof container.

Once all the work is done, you will be able to enjoy your newly cleaned house without the worry that you threw something out you should have kept or donated.

Happy Spring! 

P.S. Did you know used coffee grounds are good to use in the garden? Add them to your garden soil to increase nutrients and help repel pests.

 

Expert Tips on Spring Cleaning and Re-Assessing Your Collectibles 

The sun is shining, the weather is warming … time to throw out clutter, wash windows and, of course, do a whole-house spring cleaning. For collectors, that can be a tricky job. Inadvertently throwing out something that is valuable or loved by another family member, using the wrong cleaning solution, or having slippery, soapy hands holding delicate porcelains or pottery all can be a recipe for a disaster.

Follow simple rules and you can achieve spring goals and preserve items for future generations. First, don’t throw out anything that isn’t yours, even when it is tempting as you pull out the dusty bins of “stuff” owned by a spouse or child. We all have heard the stories about the mother who threw out now-valuable baseball cards, first-edition comics, original Barbie’s and Star Wars action figures.

With your collections: Save what you still use and love, at least until next year. Put items you are considering getting rid of out of sight and look in a few months and see if you miss them. Sort your discards into boxes or bags labeled “throw away,” “sell” and “give away to a charity or friend.” “Throw away” is trash, old packing material and broken useless things. “Sell” is anything that might earn a few dollars at a garage or church sale. “Give away” is stuff others might want but you have grown tired of.

Collectibles you are keeping might need some special TLC:

• Use warm water when cleaning, especially pottery and ceramics. Dramatic temperature changes may cause cracking or crazing.
• Add a few drops of vinegar in dishwater to give glassware and crystal extra sparkle.
• If you are washing items in the kitchen sink, line the sink with dish towel or rubber mats. It may protect items if they slip out of your hands. And watch out for that faucet — don’t chip anything by a careless movement.
• Compressed air — often used to clean electronics — is great for blowing dirt off dolls, china and other delicate collectibles.
• Wash china doll heads or hard plastic dolls with a mild soap like Ivory.
• Clean porous pottery with wig bleach. Rub it on as you would soap and rinse.

 

Hopefully the spring cleaning and pruning won’t take too long … it is, after all, the time for flea markets and shows. The perfect opportunity, of course, to replenish your collections.

Reflections on a Cleaning Binge

Spring Cleaning