Approximately one out of every 11 Americans currently rent some kind of storage container or space.
Whether you’re moving to a new home or need to do some decluttering, a storage container is a great tool that frees up space and gives you peace of mind. It’s especially great for furniture storage and storing other large items
If you’re getting ready to pack your furniture away in a storage container, you might be a little nervous.
Is there anything you can do to make sure your furniture stays in good condition until you’re ready to retrieve it? The short answer is that, yes, there is. In fact, there are lots of things you can do.
Listed below are nine essential furniture storage tips that will help you protect your furniture.
Why Use a Storage Container?
There are lots of perks that come with renting a storage container to hold your furniture, including the following:
- They get delivered right to your door
- There’s no assembly needed before you can use them
- They eliminate the need to load items into a truck and haul them to a storage unit
- They’re more affordable than renting a storage unit
- They’re highly secure and protect against inclement weather, as well as rodents and other pests
Storage containers can be transported just about anywhere, too. This makes them great for both short-term and long-term storage needs.
Furniture Storage Tips
Clearly, there are plenty of reasons why you might want to use a storage container to store your furniture.
If you’re worried about your furniture getting worn out or damaged while it’s in the storage container, keep these tips in mind to ensure it stays safe and in good condition:
1. Clean Everything First
Before you put your furniture in the storage container, it’s a good idea to give it a thorough cleaning first.
If there is dust or debris lingering on your furniture, it could actually scratch the surface during the moving process.
If you give your furniture a good cleaning now, you also won’t have to worry about tracking tons of dirt back in when you take the furniture out of the storage container.
2. Disassemble What You Can
Furniture will fit into a storage container much more easily if you take the time to disassemble it before loading it in. Take apart as much as you can — place a special emphasis on bulky pieces of furniture like tables and shelving.
Remove the knobs and pulls from your furniture, too (so they don’t scratch anything or get scratched themselves) and take out drawers and set them aside to lighten up heavy items.
3. Wrap it Up
Wrap up as much as you can, too.
Use moving blankets, plastic sheeting, and bubble wrap to cushion everything and prevent items from rubbing up against each other when they’re loaded into the container.
Pay special attention to the corners when you’re wrapping up your furniture — give them some extra padding. You might also want to place corrugated cardboard sheets in between pieces of wood. This adds an extra layer of protection.
4. Guard Glass Items
Be extra careful when packing up and storing glass items.
Wrap glass items in packing paper first, but be sure not to take the paper directly to the glass. Then, cover the glass in bubble wrap or place the items in a separate box (by themselves) to give them some extra protection.
5. Don’t Overfill
Avoid trying to cram too much stuff into your storage container. Storage containers can hold quite a bit, but they have their limits.
If you overfill the container, you’re going to be more likely to accidentally damage something when you move or when you decide to unload the container later.
6. Stack Items Properly
There is an art to stacking your belongings correctly. If you take the time to stack things the right way, they’ll be less likely to fall over and break while in the container.
Stack large, heavy items on the bottom of the container, then place lighter, smaller items on top. Don’t stack your belongings too high, either. This also increases the risk of them falling and breaking.
7. Store Items in Original Boxes
If you have the original boxes for things like televisions or kitchen appliances, use them for storage.
These items are more likely to stay intact if they’re stored in their original packaging. You can add some extra bubble wrap or packing paper if you want them to be extra secure.
8. Have a Storage Plan
Before you just start loading items into the storage container willy nilly, take a step back and create a plan.
Ideally, you’ll load heavy items into the container first and place them toward the back. Then, you’ll place smaller objects toward the front.
This makes the unloading process easier. It also helps you to save space.
9. Designate a Place for Spare Parts
Finally, make sure you have a special box designated to hold all the parts left over from when you disassembled your furniture.
For each piece of furniture that you disassemble, place the screw, bolts, knobs, and other small parts in a clearly labeled plastic bag.
Keep all these bags in a box labeled “Spare Parts.” This will make it much easier for you to reassemble your furniture when the time comes.
Start Storing Your Furniture Today
There are tons of benefits that come with using a storage container for furniture storage.
If you keep these tips in mind, you’ll enjoy all those benefits while also making sure your furniture remains in good condition until you’re ready to unload it. No matter what your reason is for keeping your furniture in a storage container, these tips will come in very handy.
Do you need to rent a storage container for your furniture or other belongings?
If so, we can help at A.B. Richards. We offer a variety of storage containers for residential, commercial, and industrial use, so it’ll be easy for you to find an option that fits your needs.
Contact us today to learn more about our options or to get a free quote.