How to Store Furniture in a Storage Unit

If you are redecorating furniture, downsizing or moving house, you may be wondering how to store furniture in a storage unit.

Be it a few tables and chairs or a whole sofa set, proper preparation makes all the difference in storing furniture and keeping it in good condition.

With the right care and covering materials, your goods will come out of self storage looking just as good as when they went in.

Why Storing Furniture Matters

The self storage of your furniture is a good thing if you want to protect your goods while moving or getting redecorated. A clean, dry storage unit acts as a good environment and as such and enables storage of wooden furniture, leather furniture or mattresses without the risks of dirt, mould or deterioration.

A professional self storage facility offering self storage units provides a safe self storage unit with humidity control and plenty of space for you to put your furniture in the right way. This guarantees that even long term storage will be kept in good condition.

First step – Clean and Prepare your Furniture

Before you start on the furniture, give everything a good clean. Ensure everything is free from dirt, dust and stains from the surface. This will avoid possible mould or stain when in storage. Use the right cleaning products for different materials.

Wooden furniture needs proper wood polish, leather furniture needs leather conditioner and upholstered sofas or beds require the right cleaning products.

Then allow everything to dry thoroughly. Storing damp furniture can increase humidity levels causing mildew or unpleasant smells in the storage unit.

Step 2: Dismantle Where You Can

For easier transport and more room in your storage unit, dismantle large items of furniture such as wardrobes, tables and bed frames. Put screws, bolts and small parts together in a box or bag labelled so they don’t get lost.

Dismantling lessens the risk of damage in handling and allows a neater stacking of your furniture in the room. It also allows for more free air circulation, so your furniture will keep better during storage.

Step 3: Protect Each Item Properly

It is essential to add a layer of protection when putting items in self storage. Cover delicate or valuable items of furniture with blankets, moving blankets or bubble wrap. With any wooden items do not use plastic shrink wrap direct on the furniture, as this may trap moisture which will eventually help to cause the deterioration of your wooden furniture.

Choose some genteel breathable substance to wrap your items in, which will protect them from dirt and the effects of fabric. Mattresses, armchairs and settees would require wrapping in cotton sheets or specially designed covers to prevent the settling of dust on them. Use tape for securing wrapping, but don’t tape it directly to varnished and polished furniture.

Step 4: Arrange Your Storage Unit With Thought

After your furniture is prepared, think of the best way to arrange your storage unit. Put heavier items of furniture, such as tables and wardrobes at the back with easy access to lighter pieces and boxes in front of these items.

If you have bed mattresses, rest the bed frames vertically to save on space. Keep a small pathway, so you are able to easily reach everything without moving big pieces around. Leaving spaces between the furniture and the walls help to improve the circulation of air, and thus avoid mass accumulation of moisture.

Placing shelving or pallets on the ground gives another degree of protection, by elevating the furniture in the case of condensation settling on the site.

Step Five: Choose the Proper Size Units

The proper size of unit depends on how much furniture you wish to place in storage. If you want to store a few chairs and a couch, a small or medium self storage unit might be enough but if you need to store more then a bigger unit will be needed.

If you want to store the furniture of a house, a large unit would give plenty of room to store of everything in a comfortable and easy manner.

If storage is to be long term, a storage facility having humidity control is recommended to avoid mould and protect the condition of the furniture.

Climate controlled places are preferable, for the safeguarding of wooden furniture, leather goods and materials over long periods of time.

Step Six: Visit and Inspect Regularly

Even with the best of preparations, it is always a good idea to visit the storage place every few months.

This will give the real benefit of being able to view the furniture, again inspecting if everything is to be found in good condition and that no signs of mould or dampness are showing. Especially is this advisable if the furniture is to remain in storage a long time.

A short visit also gives an opportunity of rearranging the order of things that have been displaced, changing any protective material, or placing on any fresh blankets or covers, if necessary.

Regular inspections will keep the furniture in the best of condition, and the storage place in good order.