Several environmental factors can harm collections, but if displays are properly set up and cared for, much of that damage can be prevented. So it s important to be a little more protective of these types of items. Since humidity levels in the home can fluctuate greatly and are difficult to maintain, Carroll suggests containerizing the objects, because the humidity inside a container remains relatively uniform. The longer an object is exposed to high levels of light, the greater the damage. But if you think about placement, you can avoid that.
Pests also can be damaging to organic materials.
Mitigating pest damage is an ongoing process, he said. To avoid such damage, Carroll suggests monitoring for them, examining for infestation and keeping areas clean. The shelves will give us the freedom to better preserve our pieces. Also damaging to collections is human interaction, Carroll said. Using simple things like plastic bags and Tupperware will help with the preservation.