Many people choose storage as a way to keep many of the belongings that they no longer have room for. A fair amount of planning and coordination can go into the process of figuring out the best storage facility that fits your needs. For most people, once they figure out where they will store items and how they will transport their items to the location, the process stops.
A very important part of this process that you should consider is how to prepare furniture for storage. Much of this depends on the type of items that you’re storing and how much. For example, just storing boxes is typically much simpler than antique furniture. Below we’ll dive into some steps you can take to prepare your furniture for storage.
Clean Your Furniture Thoroughly
Cleaning your items thoroughly is the best first step that you can take to prepare your furniture for storage. Be sure to wipe your items down with an appropriate cleaner for the specific material(wood, glass, plastic, etc.) and make sure that all dust is removed. You’ll also want to make sure that you thoroughly dry each item that you wipe down. If your furniture is stored with any moisture on them, they can get permanently damaged over time.
Label Boxes and Containers
Many people use storage facilities for their boxes and plastic containers that they’ve filled with stuff that they either no longer have room for in their house or don’t have a need for at the current time. If you’re putting boxes/containers into storage, there are a couple of key steps to take. First off, you want to make sure that each box is properly sealed with tape and each container top is securely locked. You’ll also want to take the time to properly label each box/container. This way when it is time for items to leave storage, you’ll know exactly what’s inside. You also won’t need to spend hours sifting through boxes.
Cover Your Items
Covering the furniture that you put into storage is critical to maintain the integrity of your items. Anything from your wood dresser to your flat screen tv can be at risk if not stored with a proper cover for protection. For this, we suggest using covering like stretch wrap, moving blankets, or bubble wrap. The best way to prepare furniture for storage is to protect it for the long-term. Covering items thoroughly will prevent dust collection and the elements of the facility from impact your goods.
Don’t Stack for Failure
This problem occurs most often when people get a storage unit that isn’t big enough for the amount of stuff they need to store. A great way to prepare furniture for storage is to not pile it all on top of each other. Some items, like boxes, stack extremely well, when done properly. We suggest not cramming furniture into a space. That’s how items get scratched and broken. Also, balancing your flat-screen TV and dresser on top of your couch is probably a bad idea. Leave some space around items that you are concerned of getting damaged. Also try to leave them in a position that you’re confident won’t shift over time.
We hope we provided some helpful insight into how to prepare furniture for storage. If you’re interested in using our team for your next storage adventure, just fill out our Moving Request Form and we’ll be happy to assist!
