How To Store Furniture In A Storage Unit Or A Garage The Right Way
Reading Time: 7 minutes Proper keeping of furniture in a garage or a self-storage unit is not common knowledge. Not everyone has an idea of the dos and don’ts of furniture storing to preserve the current condition of their belongings. So, here’s a few easy-to-follow tips that will help you protect your furniture for years.
Do research on what options are available for you
Keeping furniture in a self-storage unit can cost you a lot of money. Ask yourself this vital question: should you keep it for a long time and pay for a storage unit or just sell it and get a brand new replacement by the time you need it? The average amount for renting a self-storage unit differs, but most of the time, choosing to keep furniture is understandable if you are in the midst of a move.
When it comes to storing furniture, one of your top priorities should be keeping your belongings protected. It’s worth taking the time to do thorough research on all your possible options. If you are looking to keep the condition of your furniture at its best, consider getting a unit with a climate control feature.
Having climate control will make sure your precious furniture pieces will remain protected from changing temperatures and moisture, not to mention keeping the temperature comfortable when you come to visit. Objects like instruments, sofas with fragile textures, wooden furniture, and antiques will benefit the most from this feature.
Make sure everything is completely clean
Keep your furniture preserved by only storing clean items in your garage or self-storage unit. Cleaning everything before storing them will lessen the chance of dust and mold accumulate. It will also prevent the pungent smell from sticking to your items.
Tips and hacks for furniture cleaning before storage:
- Use gentle soap and lukewarm water for plastic and wooden furniture. For wooden items specifically, most especially precious antiques, you can use a mild chemical exclusively made for wood to preserve the finish on the wood.
- For items made of fabric like cushions and couches, you can clean them with an upholstery or fabric cleaner. Make sure everything is totally dry before packing it up.
- Metal pieces can be polished with a metal cleaner and a polishing cloth. This process will aid in removing existing oxidation and postpone tarnish build-up.
Disassemble everything
Before relocating furniture, take everything apart as much as possible. This includes bookshelves, chairs, tables, desks, and more. Taking this extra precautionary measure will make your moving truck, and eventually your self-storage unit or garage, more convenient to pack. Not to mention how it will lessen the chance of your belongings scratching or breaking in the process of the move.
Keep all bolts, screws, and other tiny parts in a baggie, then put a label on it. Make sure it stays with the piece of furniture to which it belongs.
For long-term storage, preserve your furniture by wrapping it
Ensure all your belongings are covered completely, including the floor. Before you put your things inside the self-storage unit or garage, cover the floor with a durable plastic sheet to avoid floor moisture from getting into your stuff. This is a crucial step if you are renting a self-storage unit without a climate control feature.
Another thing, never keep furniture in a storage space without covering it first. You can use blankets, old sheets, plastic wrap, or drop cloths as a makeshift cover to protect them from moisture build-up and dust. Just remember not to use an especially thick cover made of plastic because that can seal moisture in and create condensation leading to eventual swelling of your furniture. Wrap your items in a way that they can still breathe. Draping the covering material over them loosely should do the trick.
Add additional protection for items made of glass
Naturally, objects like mirrors and glass tabletops need an extra layer of protection. The first step is to wrap the glass item with packing paper. Do not tape the paper to the glass directly if you do not want to deal with a sticky residue later.
Then, you can cover the item in bubble wrap or place it in a secure box for added security. Choose a wide, long, and generally flat box. Find one that is somehow similar to the length, width, and shape of the glass itself.
Keep your things off the floor
If you are storing your things in a storage space with no climate control feature, do not place your furniture or anything that you do not want to be ruined directly on the floor. You can use cinder blocks or pallets to raise them a little bit as an added layer of precaution against flooding. If you don’t have any cinder blocks or pallets, you can settle with a drop cloth or cardboard. Anything is better than nothing.
Do not store anything that may perish or rot
Regardless if you are only storing your items for a short period of time, never keep perishable goods in your self-storage unit or garage. It will eventually attract critters and various types of creepy crawlies. This also applies to the cardboard boxes that you might use, do not utilize anything that originally came from a supermarket or anything that is potentially soiled. Even though storage facilities are regularly maintained with pest control, it is better to be safe than sorry.
Do not cram the unit with too many items
The optimal method of storing furniture in a storage space is by not going overboard with it. Shoving one too many things in your self-storage unit or garage is a guaranteed way of breaking something important. Take the time to make sure your storage space is organized and can be easily accessed. Methodically pack your items by arranging everything by size. You can start with the biggest pieces and work your way through to the small pieces towards the end.
Don’t forget to leave space to create an aisle that you can use to get around your storage space. Maintain cleanliness in your self-storage unit or garage, keep the space free of clutter to prevent any disaster from happening to your things. The more you cram in your unit, the more you increase the risk of knocking items over, causing damage, and possibly even unknowingly bending some pieces.
How do I maximize space in my storage unit?
Organize all your stuff to make sure that you are making the most of your self-storage unit or garage. Here are a few tips to make it easier for you:
Avoid storing things horizontally
Stop thinking that your storage space is a horizontal area that you can fill with your belongings. Plan how you will store your stuff vertically. There are various ways of storing your belongings vertically to make the most of your storage space, including:
- Hang things: Use a free-standing rack so you can hang the clothes that you will store in your unit or garage.
- Go for shelves: The wonderful thing about shelving is how they can give you different stages to work with. This is something you should take advantage of! Put them around your storage space in a manner that creates a path so you can conveniently walk around your space and effortlessly gain access to the things that are on the shelves.
- Use the space in or on your furniture, if there is any: Make use of the piece of furniture that, for some reason, you cannot disassemble-something like a bedside table, bookcases, or a dresser. You can put delicate items that cannot be easily packed away. It will not just make it easier for you to grab them when you need them. It will also help you maximize your storage space.
Use a vacuum seal
All the things that can be vacuum-sealed should be. Things with fabric material like towels, comforters, sheets, blankets, pillows, winter clothing, etc., can be vacuum-sealed. You would be surprised how much space you can save when they shrink down. After that, you can easily pack away the items in boxes.
Choose the correct type of plastic bins
Something many has forgotten to consider is that most, if not all, plastic bins have rounded edges. Rounded edges, as well all know, use up space. Plastic bins also have the tendency to have tapered edges instead of straight-angled edges.
If you will store a plastic bin, see if there is any way you can stack them. This will help you avoid waste space.
Keeping furniture in a self-storage unit or a garage does not need to stressful or complicated. Just remember not to make the mistake of spending more than you have to for a storage space that is too big or not big enough for what you need. Make sure you go for the most suitable storage space based on the number of things you are planning to keep.
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