Furniture storage tips

Furniture storage is one of the most common uses of Self Storage. Moving unused furniture out of your home and into a secure storage unit is the easiest way to free up space to live in.

But to ensure your furniture – particularly older pieces like family heirlooms and expensive feature pieces – are still in excellent condition when you need them again, there are a few rules you should follow.

Here are our top tips for storing furniture.

Preparation
Just like anything else you’re thinking of storing, it is essential that you clean and prepare your furniture first. Give everything a thorough wipe down with an appropriate cleaner to remove surface dirt. All textiles should be washed where suitable, such as fabric chair seats and so on. If you’re storing a couch, have it professionally cleaned if possible.

Make sure you do this a couple of days before you plan to move your furniture into storage to ensure everything is completely dried.

Dismantle Carefully
Moving your furniture into storage is far easier if it’s in smaller pieces. Take pieces apart as much as you can and they’ll be easier to carry and move around. And you’re less likely to drop something and damage it in transit.

Another good reason for dismantling your furniture is that you’ll also fit more into your unit. A bed, for example, can take up considerably less space when dismantled to its individual pieces, and is a whole lot easier to carry.

Prepare for transportation
The last thing you want to do is damage your furniture on the way to your storage unit. Pack and protect each piece thoroughly to protect it from damage along the way. This will also ensure nothing gets dirty (given that you just cleaned everything). Pay particular attention to corners, delicate items like mirrors and anything that has any glass parts like glass cabinet doors.

If you intend to leave your items wrapped whilst stored, it’s best to avoid any plastic wrapping, as this can keep moisture trapped inside. Stick with traditional removal blankets and sheets.

Stack Wisely
How you stack and position your items is important for a number of reasons. Jam every item on top of another and you’re likely to cause damage when you remove something. Try to leave accessible gaps between items to that you can get to things more easily.

This also ensures there’s space for air to circulate around your items, helping reduce the risk of mould or mildew and the development of any odd, stale smells.

Follow these simple tips and your furniture will come out of storage in the same condition as when it went in.

For for more details about self storage and how we can help you contact us today.