Are your crystals becoming faded, chipped or collecting negative energy? Or do you have a large collection and want to organise it more efficiently? This article will explain how to properly store your crystals.
Crystals are lovely to have around the house. They generate positive feelings and can make wonderful conversation starters.
But keeping your crystals on display isn’t always the best idea.
Some crystals need careful handling, whilst others need to be kept away from sunlight, water or negative influences. Your home may also have children or animals who are tempted to play with them.
In this article, I’ll talk about why you need to store your crystals carefully and the best ways to keep them safe. I’ve also included a section on how to organise a large collection.
Tip: Just getting started with crystal healing? You may want to read my guide to the best crystals for beginners.
The Quick Answer...
Sunlight, water, physical damage and negative energies can all affect a crystal’s healing energy and appearance. Proper storage is essential to avoid these problems.
My favourite way to store crystals is in a fabric lined wooden box or chest. It’s also a good idea to keep crystals out of direct sunlight, as many will fade over time.
Why Properly Storing Healing Crystals Is Important
Storing your crystals isn’t just about keeping them free from dust. There are many influences that can affect a crystal’s healing energy, effectiveness, appearance and longevity.
Here are some of the most important reasons to properly store a crystal.
To Protect From the Sun
Sunlight can be used to energise or cleanse a crystal. But there are many stones that fade, change colour or become brittle if left in direct sunlight for a long period. Some crystals may also crack due to the heat caused by intense sunlight.
Examples of crystals that should be kept away from sunlight include:
- Amethyst and Amethyst Geodes
- Citrine (although citrine is water safe)
- Carnelian
- Amber
- Coloured Agates
- Howlite
- Ametrine
- Aventurine
- Aquamarine
- Celestite
- Sapphire
- Fluorite
- Rose Quartz
- Smokey Quartz
- Kunzite
- Opal (it dries out)
- Spirit Quartz
- Chrysoprase
If you’re not sure whether a crystal can be placed in direct sunlight, it’s best to be cautious and choose a location away from windows or doors.
To Protect from Water
Many crystals enjoy a spring water bath or wash under a tap. It’s an easy way to clean them from dust, grime or fingerprints.
But some crystals are prone to rust, fracture or even dissolve when in contact with water. Make sure you check whether your crystal is waterproof before you wash it, and be wary of placing crystals in bathrooms or near kitchen sinks.
Crystals with Iron Content That May Oxidise and Rust:
- Malachite (water can affect the coating)
- Magnetite
- Lodestone
- Hematite
- Pyrite (dry after cleaning to avoid tarnishing)
- Galena
- Tangerine quartz
Crystals That Will Dissolve or Fade If They Get Wet:
- Selenite
- Halite
- Desert Rose
- Angelite
- Calcite
- Turquoise
- Ulexite
- Labradorite
Crystals That May Fracture or Flake When Exposed to Water:
- Lepidolite
- Malachite (can break in hot water)
- Mica
- Moldavite (can break in hot water)
- Opal
- Obsidian (cracks in hot water)
Crystals That Don’t like Salt Water:
- Carnelian
This list isn’t exhaustive, but shows the importance of knowing how to store your crystal.
Note: Mineral hardness (the Mohs scale) is not a rating of how a crystal will react to water. Be wary of using it to decide which crystals are suitable to have contact with water.
To Protect from Damage
Dropping a crystal isn’t the only way to damage the appearance. Storing crystals incorrectly can also lead to scratches, dullness and chips.
If you store polished crystals with raw stones, for example, the crystals are likely to get chipped or scratched – especially in bags or pouches that are moved a lot.
This can affect more than just the crystal’s lovely appearance. If a quartz crystal has chipped tips or edges, for example, it alters the energy flow and healing powers.
Some crystals are more delicate than others. Fluorite, calcite, opal, amethyst and hematite scratch easily, so it’s advisable to individually wrap them in a natural fabric or tissue paper.
Larger stones are also likely to rub against smaller ones, causing the crystals to lose their lustre, clarity and sparkle. This doesn’t necessarily affect healing powers, but they become less attractive.
Another consideration is the material used to store crystals. Organza bags, for example, offer little protection from external impact. A thicker material or box provides much more protection.
To Protect from Negative Energies in the Environment
If you value knowing why, how and when to protect yourself from negative energies, you can quickly see why this is important for crystals too.
Crystals collect negative energy from the environment or people who handle them. They can even pick up the negative influence of someone nearby.
Most people can’t resist picking up crystals and stroking them, whilst deciding which they like best. Many won’t realise they’re being drawn to a crystal with an energetic vibration that can benefit them the most. As a result, the crystal will take on their energy and what they need to be healed.
As a crystal healer, you’ll want to cleanse and maybe charge your crystals before storing or placing them for maximum effect. When they’ve absorbed other people’s energies, you’ll need to cleanse them again before they can be used. This can be annoying and time consuming.
Keeping them out of general view may be the easiest way to protect your crystals from absorbing negative energies.
To Quickly Find the Right Crystal
One of the great advantages of storing your crystals is knowing where to find them (see below for examples). It doesn’t really matter how you organise them, just that you use a consistent system.
Being organised is also a good habit to get into. It feels wonderful when your crystals are coded into your chosen system. You’ll find it much easier to see the crystal you want to use, or notice a gap in your collection.
And, when you’re divining for the right healing crystal, your hand, eye or pendulum can glide easily over your collection without first needing to hunt for them all!
Different Ways to Organise the Storing of Healing Crystals
There are many ways that healing crystals can be stored, depending on your personal taste and how you want to use them.
There isn’t a right or wrong system. We all have our own preferences, so play around with different options until you find what works for you.
You could group crystals by form:
- Tumble stones
- Raw or unpolished stones
- Polished stones
- Fragile stones
- Carved crystals
Or you can organise in various other ways:
- Size
- Type of crystal
- Property
- Chakra association
- Colour
- Crystals for an alter
- Value
- Crystals that don’t require charging (such as selenite, citrine and kyanite)
- Crystals to be placed around the home, car or office
- Stones for everyday use or a specific purpose (such as travelling)
- Crystals for gifts
Once you’ve decided on a system that’s best for you and your environment, the next decision is which type of container to store them in.
Which Type of Container is Best for Storing Crystals?
There are different ways you can keep crystals safely stored.
- Some people like to use labelled plastic containers. I’m not comfortable using plastic or other non-natural material for storage though. If you need to do this, make sure you line the boxes with a natural fabric.
- My favourite material is wood. I love the way it feels, smells and protects my collection. You can choose open shelves or the old ink press trays, which have the added advantage of built-in organisation.
- If you’re not drawn to wood, stone or glass containers are excellent alternatives.
- Small chests, boxes and jewellery cases are easy to move around and provide more protection than fabric bags. You may be lucky to find one with dividers or you could make some yourself.
- Organza bags are useful for travelling with crystals, but be wary about mixing raw and polished stones. Fabric bags are also not the best choice for delicate crystals.
- Display cabinets for crystals can be a beautiful focal point in a living room. Cabinets have the obvious advantage of allowing your crystals to be visible, although this may make your collection more susceptible to other people’s negative energy.
There are some situations where you might not need a storage container. In the bedroom, for example, placing a crystal on your bedside table keeps it close when sleeping or meditating. Don’t have too many crystals out though, as a combination of energies may keep you awake!
How to Place Crystals in the Container
The final decision is how to place crystals in your container. This might sound obvious, but there are a few ways to further protect your collection.
Wrapping your crystals in a natural fabric can protect their energies. Silk and leather/suede, in particular, are said to block all transmitted and received energy. If you don’t want to use these materials due to their origin, other fabrics or even unbleached paper can have a similar effect.
If you still want to be able to see your crystals, try lining the box with fabric. This protects your collection from external energies without needing to individually wrap each stone.
The colour of the fabric can also make a difference. Black is a popular choice, as it absorbs all colours of the spectrum. Other people may choose the colour of an associated chakra or white for containing all wavelengths of visible light.
Try to avoid storing crystals near mobile phones and computers. This isn’t just for your crystal’s sake – it’s thought that hematite and lodestone can damage computer circuitry.
You can even store crystals in your garden. Some people bury their collection in flower pots or underground!
Note: I’ve read a few reports of glass dishes breaking when crystals are placed on them. I haven’t experienced this, but it’s something to keep in mind.
Summary
It’s wonderful to display your crystals around the home. But this isn’t always possible or advisable.
If you have a large collection, or want to protect your healing crystals from negative energies or damage, you’ll need a safe place to store them. This ensures they remain as attractive and effective as when you first bought them.
Want to learn more about crystal healing? Visit this page for a list of all my crystal guides, including how to select the best stone or your intentions.
My little sister is really interested in crystal healing. I have been considering getting her some for her birthday later this month. It is good to know that I should get her a good box or fabric bag for her to store them in.
I’m glad you found the article useful Penelope. I’m sure your sister will love whatever crystal you get her.
Great information and website
Thanks!
Any suggestions for a beginner gemstone jewellery designer to learn about gemstones and their spiritual meaning and affects? I am overwhelmed with the many books on the internet available for purchase.
Also, I’m starting to meditate and don’t know where to begin.
Cheers!
Hi Christine, thank you for your kind comment! I agree, when you’re first starting to learn about healing crystals it can seem overwhelming.
You may find the following articles useful for getting started:
– https://angelgrotto.com/crystals-stones/beginners/ – A guide to crystals for beginners.
– https://angelgrotto.com/crystals-stones/meditation/ – An overview of crystals for meditating and some tips for using them.
So far, this has given me the clearest and simplest way to understand how to properly store my beautiful gem friends. If you have a blessed person or company you prefer, I would love to feel into them.
Side note, I am finding so little about Vogel Crystals, and so if you know more about their uses; please share. THANK YOU.
Hi Joshua, thank you for your kind comment and I’m glad you found this article to be clear and informative.
I agree, it can be difficult to find information on Vogel crystals. It’s an interesting topic so I’m hopeful of writing about it here on Angel Grotto in the future.
Thank you for this! Very informative and easy to understand ☺️ Are you able to tell me how often should we cleanse our crystals? I cleanse them under every full moon but I have a few in particular I wear around my neck. Should I cleanse them after each wear? ?
Hi Rita, thank you for your lovely comment. I like to place my crystal necklace in an amethyst geode overnight. It cleanses any negative energies that it may have accumulated, and revitalises it. If you’ve been working with crystals then I’d suggest cleansing them after every healing. You’ll find more information in my article on this topic: https://angelgrotto.com/crystals-stones/cleansing/
Hi Mary, first of all I love your website as a source for crystal healing. I am new to crystal healing. To me it has been feeling like the amount of crystals (about 8) I bought and placed in my home have been too much (my health isn’t really good at the moment). If I place the crystals in a wooden or metal container, will their effect be less or unchanged? For me, that might be a solution, as I am looking for a way to tone down a bit. Right now I placed them in a container in my storage box.
Regards, Johan
Hi Johan, thank you for your comment. If you’re finding the combination of crystals too strong, I suggest you start with just one crystal. Swap this for a different one after a few days and repeat. This way you can see if it’s a specific crystal you’re overly sensitive to. After that you can think about combinations.
Don’t sleep with them near your bed for the time being until have done this. In the meantime, you can wrap the other crystals in a natural material and pop inside a wooden box.
I appreciate your information on storing crystals. A question please. i have so very many that i use the plastic craft boxes. How can I repair the damage, did it damage them? then line the box with unbleached paper. Many are wrapped in bubble wrap. i have wondered if that damages stones. But…would the little plastic dividers be harmful if I cleanse them and then just cover the whole container in natural paper? How about newspaper…I really have a LOT of things. some are in cardboard. I use a singing bowl to cleanse them as they aren;t being used at this time for healing…I just hoard. I don’t want to ruin their vibration, I just have them in boxes in the order I bought them. each one in a separate compartment. i can;t afford to buy all new boxes. or enough silk for each one.
Hi Karuni, thank you for your comment. You cant ‘harm’ crystals by storing them in plastic, but I prefer to store them in natural materials. Intuitively it feels right, and allows crystals to be protected by a natural energy shield. However, what you are doing is great for protecting from knocks, chips or getting lost. Trust your intuition with this, but maybe over time you could change to using unbleached papers or natural materials to line the plastic boxes?
Hi can I store my crystals in a glass display unit, I was told not too
Hi Brenda, thank you for your comment. I often display crystals in a glass cabinet. It is a beautiful way to show them, keeping them free from dust and the temptation to be picked up. I’m not an advocate of plastic and no-natural materials.
Love and blessings,
Mary