If you are moving home, renovating, or going traveling for a while, you might be thinking about putting your belongings in storage. If you have never done this before, there are some things you should know about placing your items in a storage facility away from your home. Although selecting a storage unit and filling it with your items seems like a pretty simple action, storing your belongings outside of your house requires a little preparation and care.
Here are three key pieces of advice for putting your stuff in storage!
You should clean it before it goes away.
Even if the item you are storing seems perfectly clean, deep-cleaning everything before it is put away in storage is imperative. This is because over time, any dirt, mold, food marks or water left on the material can damage it surprisingly fast.
Before you place your items in storage, use the appropriate cleaning materials to get it squeaky clean before it goes away. For example, a hardwood piece of furniture like a bookcase or dining table should be cleaned from top to bottom with a specialist wood cleaner that will leave it treated, totally clean and ready to be stored. Similarly, a couch with removable covers should have its covers washed and dried before placing it in storage.
Cover your furniture
If you are going to be leaving the items in storage for a long time, it is wise to place appropriate covering over them while they are there. Although storage facilities are almost airtight and undisturbed, covering furniture, particularly if it is valuable, easily scratched or has fabric on it, is important for preserving it. If an item were to fall onto it and scratch it, or if dust settles there for too long, it could damage the item irreparably.
How should you cover your furniture? If it is highly fragile, it is wise to wrap it in bubble wrap and then cover it with a sheet or special furniture cover. For a non-fragile item, you could cover it with plastic sheeting that snugly fits around the shape of the item.
Raise furniture off ground level
Putting your furniture on pallets in a storage facility is very important. This is because if any water leaked through the floor of the storage unit your furniture was placed in, there would be significant and irreparable water damage to all your furniture. In addition, any dust or dirt that collects on the floor of the storage unit will not damage your furniture if it is raised.
Where can you find a pallet for a storage facility? Wooden pallets are not difficult to come by, but if you are struggling to find one, it is best to ask directly at the storage facility you are using for assistance in raising your furniture off ground level.
Putting your furniture and belongings in a storage unit keeps them safe, dry, and secure for as long as you are out of town. Use this guide to make sure your furniture comes out of storage just as perfect as when it went in!
