The Best Way to Store Furniture in Your Unit

If you’re planning on moving or just looking to make more space in your home, storing at any of The Storage Advantage‘s locations can be a convenient place to keep your furniture. Storing furniture means you won’t have to worry about pests, damage, or theft, and you can keep the unit as long as needed.

Before you can do that though, you’ve got to make sure all of your furniture is ready to be stored so it stays safe and clean. Not sure how to do that? Follow these tips and you’ll be a furniture-storing pro.

STEP 1 : Preparing to Store your Furniture

Good preparation of your items is really important, especially if you’re planning on leaving your items for a prolonged amount of time. Cleaning, disassembling, and packing your items correctly will help ensure you find them the same way to stored them. Here’s a list of things to remember to get in order to make storing a breeze.

You Will Need:

You’ll need a few packing materials before you get started. These items will keep your furniture safe from damage in the storage unit.

• Foam sheets: Be sure to cut the sheets to match the size of your item before packing. Foam sheets are good for mirrors, glass tables, and other fragile items. 
• Bubble wrap: Plastic packaging material in sheets containing numerous small air cushions designed to protect fragile goods or lessen impacts.
• Blankets: Moving blankets are large coverings made of durable fabric, and they’re used to protect furniture and other items during transit.
• Boxes: You can store disassembled furniture in boxes. Choose strong boxes and use the “H-method” to close them. For the most protection, apply tape across all of the boxes open seams. That will make an H-shape across the top and bottom of your box.

If you don’t currently have something from this list, just remember you can always grab some of these supplies at the storage facility’s office. 

STEP 2: Cleaning your Furniture

Here we’ll go over the various items that you should consider cleaning prior to storing, and how to do so.

Cleaning a Mattress

1. Strip all bedding, duvets, and mattress protectors.
2. Hoover the mattress to get rid of dust, dirt, and crumbs. Make sure you get both sides, as well as the seams.
3. Remove stains with upholstery cleaner or a damp cloth and a bit of baking soda. Hoover up any baking soda residue that’s left behind.
4. Allow the mattress to dry fully before packing.

Cleaning a Sofa

1. Check the sofa’s care tag for cleaning instructions. Some cleaning products may damage certain types of sofa fabric.
2. Use a stiff bristle brush to scrape off crumbs and caked-on debris.

If your sofa is leather, apply leather cleaner according to the package instructions. Buff out scratches using a soft cloth. For fabric sofas, sprinkle with baking soda and let it sit for at least an hour to eliminate odors and stains. Wipe off any cleaning products and baking soda before packing.

Cleaning Wooden Furniture

1. Wipe furniture with a damp cloth to remove dust.
2. Remove debris with a soft towel and a solution of equal parts water and vinegar. You can also use mild dish soap. Avoid using harsh chemical cleaners as they can damage wood.
3. Polish with furniture wax to prevent damage in storage.

STEP 3: Disassembling your Furniture

Disassembling furniture may seem like a hassle, but it’s the best way to maximize the space in your storage unit.

Disassemble large items such as beds, chests of drawers, tables, wardrobes, and bookshelves. Pack items in marked boxes so you can easily find the pieces when it’s time to put things back together.

STEP 4: Wrapping and Packaging your Furniture

Now that all of your furniture is cleaned and dissembled, don’t let all that hard work go to waste. If you plan on getting a non-climate storage unit, don’t leave your furniture exposed. Moisture and heat can ruin your items over time. At many of our facilities we offer both climate-controlled and non-climate units, just make sure you decide that prior to preparing your furniture so you take the appropriate steps. 

That being said, this step is only absolutely necessary if you get a non-climate controlled unit.

• Wrap mattresses in a high-quality mattress storage bags.
• Remove sofa cushions and put them in separate cloth bags. Wrap the base of the sofa with thick blankets.
• Wrap dresser drawers in sheets of plastic wrap to keep them secure.
• Wrap furniture in acid-free paper or heavy blankets, then cover it with a layer of bubble or plastic wrap. Pro tip: Never store wood furniture with plastic as the only protection. Condensation can build up between the plastic and wood, ruining your furniture.
• Protect the surfaces of picture frames and mirrors with sheets of cardboard. Alternatively, remove pictures from their frames and store them in separate boxes. Use corner protectors on all corners of your frames. Wrap each item individually in towels or blankets.

STEP 5: Packing Furniture in your Storage Unit

Before you start packing items in your storage unit, it’s smart to have a plan so you can make the most of your space.

• Cover the floor of the unit with plastic sheeting. This will help you move heavy items around more easily.
• Don’t store furniture directly on the floor if the unit isn’t climate-controlled.
• Start packing from the back and move forward. Keep furniture you’ll want to retrieve soonest closer to the front.
• Pack to the left and right of the unit and leave an aisle to walk in, so you always have access to your things. 
• Don’t stack heavy items on top of each other in an unstable manner. Furniture can fall over and get damaged or injure you.
• Draw and label a map to know where each piece is.