Many people have older trophies and plaques from their childhood or from family members and are not sure what to do with them.
- Should they be displayed? If so, what is the best way?
- How can I safely store old trophies or certificates?
- What should I do if I want to dispose of any?
Here are a few tips for dealing with older trophies or plaques.
Ideas for displaying old trophies
Displaying older trophies or plaques – Many people cherish the memories that come with older awards. Sometimes these are sports trophies or ribbons. Sometimes they are awards for spelling bees or other events. They may be plaques from civic groups, awards from previous employers or trophies for a wide range of occasions.
The first thing you want to do is to decide which trophies and plaques have the most meaning to you or your family. You want to highlight those awards. A good start is to frame any certificates you may have and then properly clean any of the other awards. Metal trophies and plaques really highlight any dust or gunk on them so start by taking care of that. This is especially true for custom or engraved trophies as the dust can get right into the lettering and look rather off putting. With the awards cleaned, you can then go on to decide how you can put them on display.
Depending on the size of your home, you may be able to display trophies on bookcases, shelves and even in shadow boxes. One fun idea is to put up shelves around the perimeter of a room above the top of the window. Many people use these for children’s rooms, but they can be used for a wide range of purposes. You can read more about this idea and other suggestions for displaying trophies and awards at the Interior Design Info website.
Storing old trophies and awards safely
Storing trophies, certificates and awards – If you have old certificates for your achievements that you want to store, it’s best to keep them in a file folder if possible. You want to organize them and keep them in good shape. Another option would be custom framing for them. Even something cheaper to protect them in storage is an option, but if you want to keep safe frames will be your best bet. Many people also like to scan in their certificates and save them on the computer.
If you are storing trophies or plaques, make sure they are protected from other items placing too much weight on them. Try to also keep them organized and away from moisture. Wooden bases, cheaper metal engravings or some old trophy finishes may not do well in a humid environment without care. One additional idea is to save the photos from when you or your family members received the trophies or awards. If you don’t have photos, consider taking new photos with the awards.
What to do with old awards you do not want
If you have old sports trophies or other awards that don’t carry much meaning anymore, you may want to dispose of them. If so, you should know that most old trophies are not eligible for recycling. You can, however, donate them to organizations that refurbish old awards. Be sure to take the name plate off, if possible, before donating. You can also donate them to local consignment shops that may be able to resell them. This article from Home Storage Solutions provides additional tips and information.
