How To Prepare Furniture For Storage

Posted on: 21 April 2017

There are several reasons that you may need to put your furniture in storage, such as if you're moving across the country and need a place to store your items while you find a new home. You may also want to put seasonal pieces such as wicker or rattan porch or patio furniture in a self-storage facility to make room during the fall and winter months. College kids can also store their dorm or apartment furniture in a small storage unit during the summer.

Whatever your reason to store the items, you'll want to make sure that they are safe and in the same condition coming out as they were going into the unit. Although it may take a little bit of effort to prepare the pieces for storage, it will be worth it in the long run. Also, if you live in a humid or damp location, consider renting a climate-controlled unit to protect your belongings from moisture damage, mold, and mildew.

Here are some tips for preparing your furniture for storage:

1. Clean the Items

Before packing the furniture up, make sure that all of the pieces are thoroughly cleaned. Anything left on fabric upholstered furniture may turn into deep, hard-to-remove stains while sitting in storage. 

It's especially important to remove any food or beverage spills from the furniture to prevent pests from entering your storage unit. Steam-clean couches and chairs if needed, and wipe down your kitchen and dining room tables and chairs with a disinfectant spray.

2. Cover the Items

To prevent your furniture pieces from accumulating dust while they sit in storage, cover them with either a specially designed furniture cover, a plastic tarp, or even old sheets if that's all you have on hand. The covers will also protect the items from getting dirty while being hauled in a moving van.

It's essential to cover antique wood furniture, light-colored couches, sofas and chairs, and mattresses. 

3. Disassemble the Pieces 

To make it easier to both transport and store the furniture, disassemble any items that you can. For instance, remove legs from kitchen, dining room, and coffee tables, take the headboard off of the bed frame, and the drawers out of dressers. 

Wrap the pieces using plastic wrap so that they stay together and are protected from any wear and tear during the move. You can also remove couch, sofa, and chair cushions and wrap them for safe-keeping. 

Contact a furniture storage facility to learn more.

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