When deciding to rent a safety deposit box, the first question that often comes to mind is: what should I store? While safety deposit boxes offer a secure place for many of your valuable items, it's essential to know what type of items are best suited for this type of storage and what should be kept elsewhere. Understanding this can help you safeguard your most precious possessions, ensuring they are protected against theft, damage, or loss.
Valuable Items to Store in a Safety Deposit Box
Safety deposit boxes provide a secure environment for a variety of valuable items, ensuring they are protected from theft, fire, and other potential hazards. These boxes are particularly useful for storing important legal documents such as wills, property deeds, and marriage certificates. These documents are often irreplaceable and need to be stored in a place where they can be accessed when required, yet remain safe from everyday risks.
Jewellery and precious metals also belong in a safety deposit box. These items often have significant monetary and sentimental value, making their security a top priority. By placing them in a safety deposit box, you can ensure they are kept safe from burglary and loss. Similarly, rare collectibles such as stamps, coins, and artwork can be securely stored, preserving their condition and value over time.
Additionally, backup data or electronic media containing sensitive information can be stored in safety deposit boxes. By keeping a secure copy offsite, you protect this data from potential computer failures or household disasters. These items benefit from the enhanced security measures that safety deposit boxes provide, giving you peace of mind about their safety.
Items Better Stored Elsewhere
While safety deposit boxes are highly secure, certain items are better kept elsewhere due to the nature of their required accessibility. For instance, passports and medical directives should be kept in a place where you can reach them quickly. Passports might be needed at short notice for travel purposes, and medical directives must be readily available in case of an emergency.
Day-to-day financial documents, such as bills and other frequent-use bank documents, should also remain accessible. These documents often need immediate attention and keeping them in a safety deposit box could cause unnecessary delays.
Another category to consider is items that require frequent access. Family photos or sentimental letters, while valuable, might be better stored in a home safe where you can access them whenever the need arises. This way, you can enjoy these items and keep them protected without the inconvenience of making trips to a safety deposit box.
Prohibited Items for Safety Deposit Boxes
While safety deposit boxes offer a secure space for many valuables, certain items are strictly prohibited. Items that are illegal, hazardous, or perishable should never be stored in a safety deposit box. For instance, firearms, explosives, and any materials classified as dangerous by law cannot be kept in these boxes. These items pose a risk to safety and violate legal regulations.
Similarly, storing perishable goods or items that can degrade over time is not advisable. Food, plants, and liquids are examples of things that should not be placed in a safety deposit box. These items can spoil, cause damage, and attract pests, which could compromise the integrity of the storage environment and affect other clients' belongings.
How to Decide What to Store in Your Safety Deposit Box
Deciding what to store in your safety deposit box calls for careful consideration of the item’s value, necessity, and accessibility. To start, assess the value of the item, both in monetary terms and sentimental importance. Items like family heirlooms, rare collectibles, and important legal documents should be top candidates for storage.
Next, think about how often you will need to access the item. Items that you need frequently, such as your passport during travel seasons or medical prescriptions, should remain easily accessible in your home. Safety deposit boxes are best utilised for items that you do not need on a regular basis but still require a high level of security.
Also, consider the legal and safety implications of storing certain items. Ensure that everything you plan to store is legal and complies with the terms and conditions of the service. When in doubt, review the guidelines provided when you sign your agreement to make sure your items are allowed.
When choosing a safety deposit box, it’s essential to make informed decisions about what to store to optimise safety and accessibility. Vintage Vaults offers a secure and private environment tailored to your storage needs, providing peace of mind that your valuable items are well-protected. Consider reaching out to us today to find the perfect safety deposit box for your valuables and ensure their security today.