Whether you’re downsizing, staging a home for sale, moving an office, or you need to store things while you wait for the closing on a new home, putting your furniture into storage can be a useful option at some point in the process.
Unfortunately, because they don’t regularly store things, when people choose the temporary storage option they very often don’t use ‘best storage practices’. Many people simply put their belongings into the unit, lock the door and leave.
But, from the wear and tear of gathering and moving your furniture, to what can happen inside a unit during storage, unless you take the right steps to protect your furniture, you might be in for a sad surprise when you return later to take it out of storage.
Use some of the following tips to make sure you come back to find your stored furniture in the same condition you left it.
1. Disassemble it as Much as Possible
When you move something like a table with its legs still attached, chances are higher that those legs will be damaged during the move, or when packing and unpacking the storage unit. Pack all the parts your remove a piece of furniture in a box and/or bubble wrap, label it and/or attach it to the piece it belongs to. Wrap individual wooden furniture legs in bubble wrap.
2. Protect Glass
Wrap glass in paper and/or cloths, and then surround the wrapped glass in solid cardboard. Make sure it is clearly labeled as “GLASS – FRAGILE” on all sides of the finished packaging.
3. Cover Fabric Furniture
Couches, mattresses and any other furniture that’s even partially covered in fabric should be wrapped with a heavy plastic sheet to protect against dust and damage to the material.
4. Wrap Everything
Any other pieces should be wrapped, even if it’s just paper wrap, to protect against dust.
5. Not on a Bare Floor
Make sure there is a blanket, sheet, towel or carpet remnant under your stored furniture to protect it against abrasive concrete floors.
6. Use a Climate-Controlled Unit
The high moisture content that can happen in a non-climate-controlled unit can damage your furniture in two ways. First, it can warp wood. Second, considering that wood and many fabrics are organic, moisture adds the final piece of the puzzle that mold needs to grow.
If you’re looking for a clean, secure, climate-controlled storage unit for your furniture, give us a call here at Vault Self Storage.
