how do you preserve new sets for investment

[wolfenn]

sorry if this has been answered before but how do you guys store sets you bought for investment to be sold in 3 or 5 years time ? Do you  put the original lego set in another box and seal it , do you bubble wrap the original box, do you use silica gels to keep moisture out, do you cover them with blankets etc. what is the best way to insure that the original box stays in near perfect condition after many year of storage ?  

[labfreak7]

I'm not the best person to take advice from, as my collection is being stored in a steel shed with no climate control. They are doing pretty well though. I know other members box up the sets in a cardboard box. A climate controlled environment is best, away from light and extreme temperatures.

[Armor]

Some larger sets will bulge at the bottom because of the bricks weight over time so you will have to rotate them over time (3 months for me). I have mine in the house so it's climate controlled. Make sure your shelves are raised so water would not harm the box with flooding. I just put a cloth over the side of the shelve for dust. 

I did the long game but the problem is that people will tend to forget the set you are trying to sell unless it's a large/ well known set.

[wolfenn]

my thinking was this store them so  that they are  lying flat  and put them on shelves inside the house so that the temperature and moisture is controlled. Also i will put the original sets into cardboard boxes , put some silica gel inside and add padding to the inside of the boxes so that the original sets don't move about.

I do have some questions and hope people with experience can  answer them and perhaps tell me if i should do anything else to preserve my investment 

Do i also need to put blankets over the cardboard boxes to prevent fading from the sun ?  

Would it also be a good idea to wrap the original lego boxes in bubble wrap ?

Do i still need to rotate them if they are stored  like in cardboard boxes lying flat  and not on the sides as they are usually displayed in lego shops ?

[marcandre]

If you lay them flat don't stack them. If your stacking you have to keep them upright on end. 

Just keep them in a dry dark place. I have sets that have been sitting on a shelf for 3 years and they are fine. 

[gregpj]

Yes you should cover the cardboard outer boxes with a blanket if you are worried about he sun fading the brown cardboard and turning them into tan cardboard.

[wolfenn]

no i was not planning on stacking them. 

ok so i need a blanket then as well

[Phil B]

13 minutes ago, wolfenn said:

no i was not planning on stacking them. 

ok so i need a blanket then as well

Pretty sure @gregpj was pulling your leg there ....

[gregpj]

no i was not planning on stacking them. 

ok so i need a blanket then as well

If you're not stacking then upright, tightly packed in rows will prevent sagging of te box contents and bulging the boxes.

I recommend painters tarps to keep out the sun. Thicker than sheets and easy to cut in half if needed.

[dcdfan]

I keep mine in the original boxes they came in and sort them as to what they are and then stack those boxes together. It's not pretty but I pretty much know where everything is when I'm looking for it. I have a couple people that help me with it, so that helps. I've uploaded a pic so you can see what I'm talking about...

 

Edited July 9, 2016 by dcdfan

[Phil B]

On ‎7‎/‎9‎/‎2016 at 6:27 PM, dcdfan said:

I keep mine in the original boxes they came in and sort them as to what they are and then stack those boxes together. It's not pretty but I pretty much know where everything is when I'm looking for it. I have a couple people that help me with it, so that helps. I've uploaded a pic so you can see what I'm talking about...

[jaylay]

I just take them out and neatly like Tetris stack them on racks. Old sets out where I can see them for selling and new sets to the back where I can't see them until I need to see them.

Of course I stack to prevent box collapse or warping when ever I can.

[wolfenn]

Do any of you guys bubble wrap sets before you store them for years ?

[jaylay]

Do any of you guys bubble wrap sets before you store them for years ?

Nope

[Guest TabbyBoy]

All I can say is that any multiples are kept in original factory boxes and single sets are wrapped in a dark waterproof bag and then bubble-wrapped/boxed/labelled indvidually ready for immediate dispatch once sold. It's critical to wrap/box sets asap as changes in temperature and humidy can loosen seals wiping £££s of the value. Also don't put anything (even a feather!) on top of an unboxed set as they are very fragile. Stack one high, no more. My valuable sets are in a climate-controlled, secure and fully-insured lock-up which I'll not open unless I take a set out for collection or sale.

In the UK, a damaged box will cost you dearly. Even the slightest ding from a retailer is now returned!

[jennifer484]

I usually keep them in the lego bag if bought from the lego store and then put them lying flat into one of those big plastic boxes with a lid. Always flat though, I never store them standing up as that could pop the seams. I also dont put too many boxes on top of each other. It all depends on the individual weight of the boxes. I am also considering renting a lock-up but I am still a long way off from that.

[jennifer484]

I also keep an Excel spreadsheet so I know what I have because the lego sets go into boxes as soon as I buy them so I dont know what I have most of the time.