There are several reasons you may opt to store furniture. Whether you’re moving, decluttering, or downsizing, placing furniture items in a storage unit is a practical choice. Home furnishings hold up well in ambient conditions. However, they’re also sensitive to humidity, temperature fluctuations, condensation, and dirt, so it’s important to do some pre-work before storing in order to limit exposure to the elements. Looking to protect the furniture in a storage facility over several weeks or months? We’ve got you covered. Here are some storage tips to help keep your furniture in good condition during storage.
Choose Climate-Controlled Storage
Furniture pieces may be prone to damage because of extreme temperatures and varying humidity levels. Renting a climate-controlled storage unit is a good option when storing furniture. Extreme heat and frigid cold can both lead to warping, cracking, or melting of your home goods. High humidity may encourage the growth of mold or mildew on mattresses and other pieces, leading to rotting or swelling.
Climate-controlled storage helps to prevent these issues by maintaining the self storage unit at an ambient temperature — between 55 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit to limit the effects of extreme swings in temperature. CubeSmart offers climate-controlled storage at facilities across the country, and they can help protect furniture from temperature-related damage. If you’re seeking long-term furniture storage, climate-controlled self-storage units are an ideal option.
Clean All Items Thoroughly
Dirt, debris, and food particles can stain upholstery or mattresses, attract pests, and promote the growth of mold. Cut down on all these risks and prevent potential damage by cleaning all items before moving them to storage.
Wood Furniture
Dust off wooden furniture like tables, chairs, or dressers with a soft cloth or a duster to remove all traces of dirt. You can also use a specialty wood cleaning solution or a damp towel to remove stains. Make sure all your pieces are completely dry before storing them. As a final step, use wood polish to ensure the pieces keep their sheen and color throughout their time in storage.
Upholstered Pieces
Be sure to vacuum fabric-lined items like couches and sofas to remove dust and dirt. A steam cleaner also works well for upholstered pieces, but everything must be completely dry before you pack them up.
Leather Items
Wipe down leather furnishings with leather wipes or a leather-safe solution and allow them to dry before moving to storage.
Disassemble Furniture
Before moving furniture, disassemble all the bulky items you can. This allows for easy transport and makes storage and organization more convenient in the unit, not to mention it can leave you with more room for air circulation and to store more items. Here are some ideas:
- Detach legs from sofas, chairs, and tables
- Remove drawers from chests and dressers
- Separate headboards, mattresses, box springs, and footboards from beds
Remember, each item must have a corresponding bag of nuts, bolts, and screws attached to it, so you don’t end up losing any hardware.
Wrap Your Furniture
After cleaning and disassembling furniture goods, it’s time to wrap them right. Bear in mind when packaging furniture for storage:
- Place no furniture uncovered in storage.
- Loose blankets, old sheets, and soft fabric coverings are the best for wrapping all types of furniture since they help to protect them from dust and moisture.
- Thick plastic wrap may seal in any traces of moisture and create condensation that may lead to long-term problems like mold, mildew and swelling. It’s a good idea to avoid thick plastic packaging.
Packaging Fragile Pieces
Glass tabletops, mirrors, metal furniture, and other fragile items require extra care while packing to protect them from breaking or cracking. Use packaging paper as the first layer, but be sure not to stick tape directly on the glass, as this can leave unwanted stains. Next, cover with bubble wrap. Place mirrors or glass tabletops in a flat and wide box for extra protection.
Moving to Storage
Once you’re all done with prepping and packaging the furniture, it’s now time to move it into your storage unit. Before placing items in the unit, prep the storage space by cleaning it, and raising the floor using pallets or cinder blocks. This promotes better air circulation within the unit.
Don’t cram too many items together; instead, make a plan to store and organize methodically. Stack correctly — with larger and heavier items at the bottom and smaller things at the top. Stacking goods very high can cause things to fall and get damaged, so avoid this. Never place sharp items over upholstered furnishings, mattresses, or delicate wood furniture.
Leave aisles so you can move around freely and retrieve items without having to shift heavy boxes or furniture. Having small gaps around the goods ensures better air circulation. This is especially important if your unit is not climate controlled.
Storing furniture is easy and convenient if done right.These tips can help! What furniture storage tips do you have?
