How to Store Furniture in a Storage Unit the Right Way

Are you trying to close your business temporary? If so, you may have a good amount of furniture to place in temporary storage. To ensure your furniture remains in good condition, you will need to know a few tips and tricks before getting started. These can help protect any furniture you might have, regardless of the material or how much it might have cost in the first place. Who knows, educating yourself might just save your family’s precious heirloom! Here are a few tips on how to store your furniture in a unit the right way.

What Are Your Options?

The decision of whether or not to keep your furniture in storage or to sell everything and start completely over needs to be weighed based on cost. To put your items in a storage unit can be very pricey, but it is often the most practical means of moving from one place to another. All storage units vary in cost, so estimating your fees is important when making your decision. Keeping your furniture and belongings safe from weather and other climate changes is also another thing to consider. If you know you will be needing to using storage over the hot months of the summer, or for a long period of time, it might be best to consider looking into the storage unit that has climate control. Choosing climate control will keep your items safe from humidity or other moisture sneaking in, as well as the extreme hot or cold temperatures. Another added benefit of using a climate controlled unit is that you will be comfortable when you go in to check on your things or unload belongings when it is time to move in. If you are storing a musical instrument, family heirloom, wood furniture, sofas, etc., this type of unit might be the best choice for protecting your items. If you are not close to a climate-controlled unit facility, make sure all of your items are clean and dry before putting them inside the unit for however long you will be in transition.

Make Sure Everything Is Clean

A great way to keep your items in great condition is to make sure they are clean before they are put in the unit. If something is placed inside that has not been cleaned, the odor could be very pungent the next time you pick up your things, or to others who are storing things close by. The cleaner your items are, the less likely they are to develop mold or develop a stench. If you are storing wooden furniture, use a gentle soap and water and wash down all of the surfaces. Using a wood cleaner will help seal in the finish of your piece and ensure that it stays in the condition you want it to. Use a fabric cleaner to wipe down your fabric-covered furniture. Again, make sure it has plenty of time to dry before placing it in the storage unit. Taking the time to get any hidden stains or smells out of the furniture will be worth it in the long run. If you have metal items, use a polishing cloth and cleaner to make sure you get them clean and avoid tarnishing while they sit in storage.

Disassemble Your Furniture

Take the time to disassemble your tables, desks, chairs, or any other piece of furniture that can be taken apart before you take it to the unit. Doing so will provide more room on the truck as you drive from your previous location and will also create more space in the unit itself. When you take the items apart, place a blanket or other protective layer between pieces to ensure that nothing gets broken or scratched. Take all of the small hardware associated with each piece of furniture and place it in a baggie. Label the baggie so you know exactly where it goes and tape it to the furniture pieces to ensure nothing gets lost in transit.

Cover Your Furniture

When you first get to your unit, put a layer of plastic down on the ground. This might seem like a random thing to do, but it will help keep all moisture out of your personal items. Protecting the floor is important in any unit, but even more so if you are using one that is not climate controlled. The best way to protect your things is to cover everything completely. Whatever you are placing in storage needs to be covered with a sheet or other plastic layer to keep dust, moisture, and bugs out. You don’t want to tightly wrap your furniture in plastic, because moisture can sneak in and damage the item underneath. The best thing to do is to place a sheet over the furniture so it has the capability to breathe and keep moisture out.

Label Your Breakables

If you have any glass tabletops, be sure to wrap them in a layer of packing paper, keeping the tape off the surface of the table (this will save you from having to clean residue off once you unpack it and use it again). Place the tabletop in a layer of bubble wrap or in another box for another layer of safety and security. Any item that is breakable needs to be protected using towels or sheets and labelled “fragile” on the outside of the box where everyone can see. Clearly labelling all of your boxes is one of the best pieces of advice for using a unit. The boxes with breakables inside should be marked as fragile to help keep people from throwing it or treating it in a rough manner.

Keep Things Off The Floor

There are a lot of suggestions on how to store furniture, but a good rule of thumb is to never place anything directly on the floor. Using palettes or cinder blocks will help keep your items from potentially getting damaged from flood waters or other unforeseen things. If you do not have access to either of these items, a blanket or layer of plastic will suffice, as long as nothing touches the floor of the unit.

Keep Food Out

Any amount of food left in or on your furniture will attract bugs and cause a huge headache for you later on. Most storage facilities are sprayed for bug prevention regularly, but you need to do your part in keeping food out for your protection and for the unit’s protection as well. Double check your desk drawers or couch cushions to make sure there isn’t any food that got trapped inside.

Pack Lightly

If you shove all of your items inside a unit without taking the time to strategically place it all inside, you are asking for something to be damaged. Try to not overpack your unit and keep it organized along the way for your convenience. If you know where everything is, it will help when it comes time to unpack and move into your new location. Placing the largest items at the back and the smaller items towards the front will help make sure nothing is damaged or broken along the way. Being educated on how to store your items could potentially make your move a lot less stressful and more enjoyable. Make sure you know exactly how much space you will need in your unit before you start loading things in, as it is more of a headache to have to relocate to a bigger unit once you have already started. source: jiffystorage.com