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Step 1
Dig out the heirlooms. You can often find heirlooms in closets, basements and attics. Look for certain items that you think could be heirlooms. Some good examples of heirlooms are clothing, furniture, jewelry, silver, metalwork, books, manuscripts, toys and collectibles.
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Step 2
Assess the condition and function of the heirloom. Determine whether the item is in good condition, if it is properly stored and the purpose of the item.
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Step 3
Find out what period the heirloom was from. Determine whether it was a popular item or whether it was rare. You can discover your relative's physical size and body type by examining clothing. Furniture can reveal how financially well-off your ancestors were. Jewelry is another symbol of status, but look for engravings in the jewelry for more clues with initials, names and dates. If you are examining letter or diaries, you can find out what kind of person your ancestor was. The books they kept reveal something about their educational level as well. Any type of memorabilia will give a hint about the general attitude of the period.
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Step 4
Tell the story. After you complete your research, share it with your family and other interested parties. Identify the heirloom, record what condition it is in, take pictures of it and explain what you learned about the item and its owner.
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Step 5
Look for any names, dates or other identifiable marks on the heirlooms. You can likely trace family heritage based on items you find in a home. A diary can lead you to grandparents and great-grandparents of the individual whose work you're reading.
