New research reveals one in five of us keep hold of items we think will be worth something in the future – but how good are we at spotting the items that are truly valuable?

The online YouGov study of 2,058 adults, commissioned by London-based self storage company Space Station, identified the public’s attitude towards vintage pieces as the trend continues to grow.

 It seems many of us enjoy a spot of ‘retro’ shopping. The research found 16% have shopped for vintage items at a charity shop and 10% each at a car boot sale, specialist vintage store or online.

 However, despite 17% of adults saying they are interested in preserving the history of items, a similar amount (18%) have never had their vintage finds valued.

 Of the vintage memorabilia we own, the study found more than a fifth (22%) of us possess a vintage book, 16% a piece of jewellery and 14% an item of vintage clothing or furniture respectively.

 Commenting on the findings of the study, Vlatka Lake, Marketing Manager at Space Station said: “Many people own items they believe to be vintage and some of those could turn out to be more valuable than originally thought.  It’s important to know how to spot a vintage piece and how to care for any you might have to avoid reducing the value or being ripped off.”

 “A good place to start is by getting your items valued to determine exactly what they’re worth, if your piece is pricier than you expected perhaps consider getting it safely stored.

 “Many of our clients use self-storage containers to keep valuable items safe, including vintage pieces, and this can be a really good way to preserve precious objects for the future.”

 According to experts, items have to fit the following criteria to be classified as vintage*:

To read Space Station’s full guide on how to spot a vintage item visit: http://www.space-station.co.uk/blog/how-to-find-great-vintage-items