Finding the perfect rubber stamp storage system for your home or office collection can actually improve how long your stamps will last. Developing the proper storing and maintenance habits can minimize weathering and aging to retain consistent impressions in your favorite designs for years to come. Improving the longevity of your beloved collection and avoiding damage over time only takes a few simple practices that you may already have in place.
Why Change My Stamp Storage Now?
Even if you have a very organized setup to store your precious designs, adjusting a few key principles could make your stamps last even longer. Protecting your rubber stamps during your organizational process is essential to extending the longevity of their crisp impressions. No matter what current system you use, covering, cleaning, and adapting the spatial setup makes a huge difference to the lasting precision of your stamp collection. A strong storage system not only helps with the durability of your stamps, but helps save time in finding exactly what you need for every project. Without the right organization in place you will be left with dry, damaged, and even lost items making your favorite crafts or everyday paperwork impossible. Caring for your stamps
should be as much a priority as sorting them for relevance because they are both a crucial step toward the success of your every project.
What Does a Good Organizational System Look Like?
While everyone creates their own preferred method of convenience or theme for their rubber stamp storage, a few essential practices for the care of your stamps should apply without exception. Here are a few basic principles on how to store rubber stamps:
Basic Storage Principles to Follow:
Keep out of sunlight: Natural light or overexposure can break down the rubber after a while, so storing your stamps in a shady, cool place is highly important to their consistency.
Clean after every use: Dust, debris, and old ink buildup can seriously ruin the images on your rubber stamps. To keep your favorite designs for longer make sure to wipe down, wash, and remove buildup before putting them into their storage bins.
Avoid stacking stamps: Prevent breakage and deformities by storing heavier items on the bottom and never stacking too many stamps on top of each other. Use the size, shape, and type of stamp to indicate the beast storage technique to avoid bending, twisting, or adding too much pressure on the images.
Use storage containers: You don't want your stamps to twist, bend, or break so it is best to store them in boxes and be mindful of the amount of space you are providing for each item. Plastic containers, sturdy envelopes, binders, or protective sheets are all good materials to use for stamp storage. The type of structured material that will work best for your stamps entirely depends on the type of stamp you are trying to store.
How to Store Rubber Stamps by Style
To best avoid potential damages to your stamps, storing them by their variety can help with finding the best surfaces to keep them safe.
Mounted Stamps
Rubber stamps with wooden handles, pre-inked stamps, or any mounted stamps are best stored with the image facing down in a protective bin. Finding a box with a lid that fits the depth of your mounted stamps may be a hard feat, but following the basic storage tips will be enough to make them last. Keeping a smooth surface that lines all your stamps in a cool dry area can be done with cardboard boxes, plastic bins, or even protective shelf liners.
Unmounted Stamps
Always store unmounted stamps in a structured container or durable envelope to ensure they won't twist, bend, or break. Be careful with how many items you stack in one bin and make sure all items are laying flat when stored together.
Cling Stamps
Smaller stamps are easier to store in craft boxes, go bags, or even small plastic cd cases without taking up too much space. Although they may not take up as much room, they are more prone to being ruined by outside elements of dust or sunlight. Particularly cling stamps become difficult to use when dirt or other debris build on them.
Craft boxes, go bags, sturdy envelopes or shelf liners are all great options to keep your items clean and cared for when storing your rubber stamps.
What Stamps Last the Longest?
After all this talk about extending the longevity of your best stamps, another highly important key is having the best stamp options to begin with.
Natural rubbers will last much longer than synthetic options even when all the appropriate maintenance seems to be the same. The synthetic rubbers break down much faster, so always look for high quality materials when buying your stamps. Finding the best natural rubber version of your favorite design offers you longer usability and better results with your new storage and maintenance habits.
Learning how to store rubber stamps with these maintenance, organization, and container recommendations will help you keep your collection in pristine condition for as long as possible. While your current system may work for ease, be mindful of how you care for your stamps beyond their being readily available for your next task.