Furniture is one of the most common items people put into self-storage, which means it’s one of the most important things you should know how to store!
Whether you’re storing furniture in the middle of a move, to keep for your children, or because you don’t have space right now, good long-term storage is important.
Here’s what you need to know to protect your furniture in storage.
Top Tips For Storing Your Furniture
Here are our top tips for storing furniture to keep it safe, in good condition, and to avoid accidents. Follow these tips to help make sure your furniture is safe in the long term and to avoid accidental storage damage.
Clean All Your Furniture Before Storage
Cleaning your furniture before storage is important to keep the finish high quality and to prevent the buildup of dust and contaminants that can attract pests or cause odors.
Wipe down hard surfaces, and vacuum or scrub fabrics and cushions. Check for signs of dry wood that needs oiling, or cracks that need to be sealed or sanded before storage.
Remember that even in climate-controlled environments your furniture will still age, so it needs to be in good condition before you pack it away. After all, you probably won’t be there to check on it and do repairs when it needs them.
If It Comes Apart, Take It Apart
One of the ways you can maximize your storage space is by taking apart any furniture that can be taken apart. The pieces of your furniture are usually smaller than the assembled version.
You can also usually protect your furniture better once it’s taken apart since you can wrap all the individual pieces and protect them on their own.
Clean Your Storage Unit First
A lot of people know that they should clean things before they store them but forget that you should clean your storage unit too. While the storage place might offer cleaning between tenants, not all do, and you don’t know how long a storage unit has been sitting empty.
Sweep the floor and deal with any dust or spiderwebs in the space. You might even want to mop or scrub the walls if you notice any signs of pests in the unit. That will help make sure pests don’t get into your furniture while it’s in storage.
Always Protect Glass and Delicate Pieces
Glass furniture can often be more durable than other kinds of glass, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t protect it. Always wrap and protect anything made of glass and any delicate corners or ornamentation on your other furniture. That will help when you put your furniture in storage or take it back out.
You can use a combination of paper, fabric, bubble wrap, and other protective moving supplies to keep your more delicate furniture safe.
It’s also a good idea to protect lacquered areas, any furniture with inlays, and carved sections, even if they don’t seem delicate.
Wrap For Long-Term Storage
All of your furniture can benefit from a good plastic or fabric wrap if you’re expecting to store it for more than a month or two.
You can usually get furniture covers directly from your storage place, but it’s a good idea to buy them in advance to make sure you have the right sizes and to make sure they fit on your furniture ahead of storage.
Use Wooden Pallets And Cinderblocks
For long-term storage, it’s also a good idea to lift your furniture off the storage unit floor. That’s because a lot of storage units use moisture-permeable cement flooring, which means that some moisture can get into your storage unit from normal weather and rainstorms, even without flooding.
Using pallets and cinderblocks to lift your furniture helps improve airflow and protects the bottom of your furniture from moisture damage.
Give Yourself A Walking Path To Everything
Even though storage units are about keeping things out of the way for long periods, it’s a good idea to give yourself a path to all of your furniture. Try to arrange things so that almost everything is accessible at any time.
That way if you need to get one or two things out of storage you won’t have to rearrange everything to do it.
Think About What’s Worth Storing
Not all furniture is worth storing, especially long term. Think about the value of your furniture, both in monetary and sentimental terms. Is the furniture still in good condition? Will it be difficult to store safely? Do you have a use for this furniture in the future?
If your furniture is already in bad condition, has serious damage, or would be difficult to store safely, you might be better off getting rid of it and buying new when/if you need it.
Make Sure You Don’t Leave Food Or Beverages Behind
One of the common mistakes storage units see is people leaving snacks and beverages in their storage units on accident. Food and water invite pests and can cause damage and mold. Always double-check to make sure you’ve removed all water and moving snacks before you close up your storage unit on the way out.
Get Your Storage Reservation in Bend, Oregon
Do you have furniture you aren’t using, but don’t want to lose? Just moved to a smaller space, but want to keep your existing furniture for the future? It’s time to get a storage unit.
If you’re looking for furniture storage in Bend, Oregon, contact us to make your unit reservation as soon as possible. And take a look at our moving supplies shop for storage supplied to make protecting your furniture easier!