Self Storage Steps to Protect Your Furniture
Have you inherited some furniture from your loved ones or do you need to find space for your leather couch because you’re moving in with your girlfriend? No matter what the reasons are, you should take steps to protect your furniture while placing it in self storage.
Self storage is a low cost solution for keeping your furniture safe while you decide if you need a bigger space, stowing an heirloom for safekeeping, or you simply need a temporary solution for your valuables during a transition in your life.
Follow these storage steps to protect your furniture while it is in storage:
First: Clean your furniture prior to storing.
Proper cleaning and care is essential to placing furniture in storage. Dust, dirt, grime and residues can cause stains, compromise, and damage your furniture over time. Mold, mildew, rust, and rot can spread if furniture isn’t prepared for storage.
Cleaning your furniture before placing in storage protects and preserves your possessions.
- Start by using a dry soft cloth to remove dust and a damp cloth to remove stains.
- Use a gentle cleaner that will not stain or warp your wooden furniture.
- A fine grade steel wool with a cleaning solution specifically developed to remove any rust on your metal furniture helps prohibit any further rust or damage while in storage.
- Upholstered fabric furniture should be thoroughly vacuumed, then apply a color-safe fabric cleaner to remove any stains or dirt. Steam cleaning is an excellent way to clean fabric chairs and couches.
- Apply a furniture safe pesticide spray on any upholstery or wood furniture to make sure that any fabric and wood eating pests can’t damage your valuables.
- Use wood, leather conditioner, and metal polish as appropriate to protect the finish on your furniture.
- Your furniture must be completely dry after the cleaning process before it can be placed in storage.
TIP – Furniture polish or linseed oil helps protect your wood furniture from drying out and cracking. To prevent any metal furniture from oxidizing, make sure to polish them before storing.
Second: Disassemble Your Furniture To Transport & Safely Store Apart
Legs, dresser drawers, and anything that may be susceptible to damage during transport should be disassembled to ensure a safe move. This also helps to save space and smartly store your furniture while in storage.
TIP – Place all small screws and bolts in a plastic bag and tape to the furniture so you’ll have everything to put the piece back together. Create an assembly guide on index cards so that you can effortlessly put the furniture legs and other parts back together.
Next: Cover your furniture with appropropriate coverings to prevent any dust or moisture from damaging your furniture. Covering your furniture helps keep dust and other airborne debris that can damage your furniture over time.
- Fragile items like glass table-tops are best wrapped up with bubble wrap.
- For upholstered and leather items, put sheets, old blankets, or furniture covers.
- Wrap or drape furniture loosely with a cover around the furniture to ensure air can circulate underneath the covering.
TIP – Never use plastic sheets or traps over your upholstered and leather furniture (plastic traps moisture, which can result in damaging your possessions).
Finally: Organize and elevate your furniture strategically.
- Place furniture on pallets to prevent damage from flooding or moisture. Condensation on the floor can warp the legs of your furniture and lead to mold.
- Avoid stacking anything on top of your furniture because this can lead to warping.
- Leave space between each piece of furniture.
TIP – Leave a minimum of two inches of free space on every side of your furniture, to ensure good air flow. This also ensures that your valuables won’t get scratched or damaged while moving.
Self storage is a low cost solution to store furniture or to simply create more space to declutter your home without getting rid of valued possessions. Montgomery Self Storage is a family run business, our units are super clean and well maintained.
Questions? Give us a call and we will help you find the right storage solution to meet your needs.
About Montgomery Self Storage
Montgomery Self Storage is your neighborhood self storage center. Making people’s lives easier for 15 years.
Montgomery Self Storage offers indoor and outdoor units. Book a unit online or call us to rent a unit. All Units are cleaned and ready for storage.
Montgomery Self Storage follows state and federal guidelines for social distancing and sanitation. The health and safety of our customers and employees is our highest priority.
Please stay safe during your move.