Storing furniture in a storage unit can be a great way to get more space in your home. Storage units can also be useful when you are moving or finding a new place. But placing furniture in storage doesn’t just involve the act of putting the item in the unit. It involves preparation.

You wouldn’t want to check on your furniture in the future and see that they are no longer in the same condition as when you first stored them. So, to avoid scratches, dents, or any other damage to your furniture, make sure to store them properly.

Here’s a guide on how to protect and store furniture in a storage unit:

Clean Your Furniture Thoroughly

It is important to clean your furniture before placing it into storage to remove dirt and dust and avoid foul odors. For wooden furniture, use mild soap and water solution to clean. Make sure to wipe the furniture dry. You can also use a wood cleaner to protect the finish.

Fabric items such as sofas or couches should be cleaned with fabric or upholstery cleaner. If you have furniture with metal parts, wipe them clean with a metal polisher to delay the accumulation of tarnish.

Always make sure that all your furniture is completely dry to avoid mold or mildew and that there are no more food crumbs left to avoid attracting pests.

By cleaning and drying your furniture before storing them, you can preserve its condition while in storage.

Take Everything Apart: Dismantle Furniture Parts

It’s important to disassemble your furniture to protect them. Remove legs from chairs and tables, television from their built-in stands, and drawers from a dresser. Basically, you should break down anything that originated in pieces.

Disassembling furniture will keep them safe both in storage and in transit. You can prevent scratches and damage to your furniture by doing so. Additionally, you can also save up space in your storage unit if you dismantle furniture parts.

While disassembling furniture might take time, it will be worth it in the long run because it will become easier for you to carry or transport your furniture when you plan on using them again. Just remember to keep all the screws and small parts.

Make sure not to lose them by storing them in labeled bags. You can then store these bags alongside the furniture piece to make things easier when it’s time to reassemble.

Cover All Your Furniture

Never put your furniture in your storage unit if you have not covered it yet. Cover all your furniture to protect them from dust, dirt, moisture, and bugs. Use protective covering such as blankets, old sheets, drop cloths, or plastic wrapping.

Make sure not to wrap your furniture too tightly or thickly to avoid sealing moisture in your furniture. Instead, loosely wrap your furniture so that they can breathe.

Covering your furniture will prevent scratches, dents, and other damages. Covered furniture will also protect you from sharp edges when transporting them to the storage unit. So, make sure to cover everything.

Dealing With Glass Furniture

You have to be extra careful when handling glass furniture. Mirrors and tabletops must be handled with care to avoid breakage and damage. To protect glass furniture, you can start by wrapping it with packing paper. Be careful not to stick tape directly on the glass, as this will be difficult to remove later on.

After that, cover it with bubble wrap. You can then place the furniture in a flat, wide box for added protection, but do not forget to label. Mark the boxes as “Fragile” or “Breakable” on visible sides. Doing all this will keep your glass furniture safe both in your storage unit and during transportation.

Don’t Put Furniture Directly on the Floor

When storing furniture in your storage unit, make sure not to place them directly on the floor. Add a layer of protection by using wooden pallets or cinder blocks to raise the furniture off the floor. This could help protect your furniture from any moisture that could be on the floor.

Raising furniture off the floor can also come in handy during unexpected weather. Heavy rainfalls can occur, which could lead to flooding. But if you keep your furniture off the ground, they will be protected against water damage or fortuitous events.

Don’t Store Food in Your Unit

To protect your future, make sure not to store food in your storage unit. This is not just about leaving food crumbs behind. You should not store any perishable food items in your unit.

Remember that food can decay, which will then release an unpleasant odor that can spread throughout your unit. But most importantly, food invites insects, bugs, and pests, and you wouldn’t want them living in your storage unit.

These unwanted visitors can cause damage to your furniture and even other precious items you may have in your unit, so make sure to keep them away. Another thing that you could do is to avoid using cardboard boxes that have been previously used to store food. Boxes coming from grocery stores are an example.

While storage facilities have pest control measures, it is still recommended that you do your part to prevent pests from entering your unit.

Avoid Overcrowding: Make Room for Your Furniture

When storing furniture, make sure not to put them in a unit that is already very full. Overcrowding can result in damages, and you wouldn’t want that. There should be a lot of room for your furniture. You shouldn’t put them too close together. Allow space and distance so that they can breathe, or they might become moldy.

Take measurements of your furniture and assess the amount of space needed for each of them. Make sure to organize your unit by placing large furniture at the back and the smaller ones in the front.

Choose a Climate-Controlled Storage Unit

There are some items that require climate-controlled storage, and furniture is one of them. Wooden furniture can be impacted by extreme temperatures, which could lead to cracking and warping. Leather furniture too is sensitive to drastic changes in temperature and humidity.

So, to protect your furniture and keep them in good condition, you should go for a climate-controlled storage unit. Climate-controlled storage units have regulated temperature and humidity, and this helps protect your belongings like furniture from being affected by extreme weather conditions.

Are you in need of storage solutions? Are you looking for a storage unit for your furniture? Contact us today!