Soo practical practice are techniques that can be used and then Verifed afterwards and are actually useful in dealing with people.

What to read:
You are looking for Stable sources of energy. Things which don't change.

Now everything can contain energy and depending on the energy contained you can determine certain things. Stones hold things better usually then other things... but you can tell personal afinity for clothing. What things people like the most. Objects in a persons house are probably the most telling and can give you the longest history as they don't move.

Necklaces give alot of information as to what a person might be feeling from day to day. Especially ones that people wear often.

This though doesn't hold true for people who practice. When practitioners wear items... or people who practice subconsciously... items are more likely to tell you what they desire. Things are liekly to change more around strong willed people. People who have weaker wills with objects that they have had for longer will be probably easiest to read.
People who don't practice may have objects with layers. The energy sinks into the object and every new wave of emotions will build a new layer. Delving beneath the surface layer would be practical with things that people have had for a while. Trying to create a time frame for events might be hard and may need some talking with individuals.

The information of course can steer the topic of conversations. You can find associations between objects and other people and ask them about the people you feel the connection with. Give some descriptions of the different types of energy layered in the object. If you are confused by something state so. Use the persons explanations to help identify the type of energy that your reading.

Asking questions is important though. People themselves carry their histories. You can read more from reading a persons energy then from any object or item around them. But you don't want to assume that they can't hide something from you. People are complex they have surface emotions and deeper emotions. They hide key information and most of the things your probably reading are things they would be willing to tell you if you asked. If you go deeper... people might not be willing to own up to some of the things they feel.

In anycase making sure that you have feed back concerning the things that you read can prevent you from reading things improperly.