Your designer handbags are some of your most prized possessions. Items in your collection likely have a lot of sentimental value (not to mention cash value). Taking care of your handbags correctly is essential, and that starts with how you store them.
We put together this handy guide to help you understand the best ways to store your handbags and what to avoid to keep your bags in pristine condition.
DO Keep Them Climate Controlled
An essential aspect of safe handbag storage is keeping your bags in a consistent climate. The luxury materials and delicate construction of these high-end masterpieces must be in an environment that preserves their beauty. Cold, arid conditions can cause leather to dry and crack, making woven fabrics brittle. On the other hand, warm and moist environments can create issues with mold that can wreak havoc on your investment pieces.
Generally speaking, you should keep your handbags in an area of your home that maintains an even temperature. Fluctuations can cause the materials of your bag to expand and contract too much, leading to signs of aging. If you live in a humid area, keeping a dehumidifier in the space you store your bags is a good idea to prevent dampness. You can also buy those little gel silica packets you tend to throw away when you get a new purse to keep things fresh.
DO Give Them Room to Breath
Your closet is not a budget airline, so there is no need to squish your handbags against one another. However, it is crucial to the structural integrity of your designer handbags that they have room in their storage space.
When bags are stacked on top of one another or crammed into a small space, creases can form, fabrics can snag on hardware, and colors can transfer onto one another. All these things can ruin the appearance of your beloved handbags and tank their resale value.
DO Store in Dust Bags
Most handbags come with a dust bag. These fabric sacs are not just for aesthetic packaging purposes; they are also for storage. As the name suggests, the primary purpose of dust bags is to keep dirt and dust away from bags when you store them. If you buy pre-owned designer bags and haven’t got a dust bag with them or have lost your original, you can buy spare ones to keep on hand.
DO Stuff Your Bags
Structured handbags need their shape kept intact. Like sleeping on your neck wrong, leaving a bag in an odd shape on the shelf can ruin your morning.
To ensure that your bag stays in shape, it is a good strategy to stuff it before storing it. Socks, old T-shirts, and scarves can all be put in your bags to save storage space and their shape. You can also ball up sheets of tissue paper to stuff your purses, but be sure to use white paper so that dyes do not transfer.
Never use newspapers, as dyes and smells can transfer, and never overstuff your bag, as it can unnecessarily stretch the interior.
DON’T Forget to Empty Them Out
When you go to store your handbag, it is incredibly easy to just throw the purse on its shelf and walk away. However, you may forget what is in the bag. Remove items like food, wrappers, receipts, and makeup from your bag before they go into storage, especially if they will be there for a long time.
Not only will you find yourself scrambling for your lipstick before work with no hope of finding it, but it can also melt, leak out, and stain your purse. The quality of a handbag's interior fabrics can be the difference between a decent price and a great one on the resale market.
DON’T Keep Them in Sunlight
Authentic, pre-loved designer bags are a lot like vampires. They should never be around garlic, can live a lifetime or two with proper care, and should never be in the sun for too long.
When choosing a home for your designer handbags, you should choose somewhere away from direct sunlight or harsh overhead lighting. UV rays and direct light can cause the dyes in the fabrics and leathers of handbags to fade. Leather bags can also dry out and crack with enough exposure to UV rays.
DON’T Skip Leather Conditioners
You should not skip out on leather conditioners if you have fine leather goods in your collection. Leather, like our skin, needs to be moisturized, and leather conditioners are like that silky body lotion you love. Treat your handbags to a hydrating moisturizer at least once a year to keep them in top-notch condition.
DO Love Your Purse
You already love your purse.
Show it all the love by taking care of it, even when it’s out of sight.
When you store your luxury purses properly and maintain them well, your collection can last a lifetime and become an heirloom piece your posterity will be proud of.