If you haven’t found a new place to live on the other end of your move, or need a little extra time, one option to consider is storing your furniture in a storage unit or pod. This may require hiring movers for your furniture on 2 separate occasions, but it can be very convenient when you’re not quite ready to move into a new home. But like loading a moving truck, there are many tips to packing a storage unit properly that will save you all kinds of time and, potentially, heartache, later.
1. Do Your Research
Look into the available options. If you’re going with a traditional storage unit, is it air-tight? Clean? Dry? Even climate-controlled? Does it have any history of water damage or flooding? The more you know going in, the safer your belongings will be. Moisture is the enemy of almost all types of materials (leather, fabric, wood), so you want to make sure your furniture will be safe for as long as it’s in the unit. If you can’t be certain the furniture will stand up to the time in the unit, you might be better off selling the furniture instead of putting it in storage.
2. Clean Everything Before Loading
You may think your stuff is clean but is it? Take a close look before loading. There’s nothing nastier than receiving your belongings back months after your move, only to find out they’re greasy, sticky, or stained. It’s much easier to wipe everything down before it goes in, so you’re happy to have it back months later. For wooden pieces, especially antiques, use a wood cleaner like Murphy Oil Soap to protect the finish on the wood. Be sure to clean fabric items like couches or seat cushions with upholstery cleaner. And if you’re completely fastidious, polish any metal sections with a metal cleaner to prevent tarnishing.
3. Wrap Everything Well
Many people are in a rush when they’re loading a storage unit and don’t bother to wrap their furniture properly. Make sure that everything is completely covered, including the floor so if there is any moisture, it won’t seep into your furniture. Use old sheets, blankets, drop cloths, or furniture blankets to cover the pieces and protect them from dust and moisture. Don’t wrap too tightly. Make sure that everything can breathe by loosely draping the material over the furniture.
4. Protect Anything Glass
If your furniture is being transported and stored in a pod, the contents can easily shift, breaking the glass on items such as mirrors, wall art, coffee tables, and desks. And if your furniture is going into a storage unit, the simple act of packing the space might be enough to destroy delicate pieces that haven’t been wrapped properly. Prevent breakage by wrapping the glass with packing paper (don’t tape the paper directly to the glass, as it will leave a sticky residue). Then, either cover the glass in bubble wrap or put the entire item into a long box for added security.
5. Don’t Stuff It to the Gills
And finally, the best advice we can offer is, don’t try to cram too much stuff into your storage unit. The best way to break things is to shove too much in. Take a minute to plan and organize. Pack furniture methodically by starting with the largest pieces and then adding boxes and smaller items at the end. Make sure there is always an aisle to access the back and sides of your unit in case you need to retrieve items along the way. And give everything lots of room so you can easily locate and identify all your belongings.
Does all this talk of furniture moving leave you feeling exhausted? If you’d rather leave the hard work to the professionals, we can help! Great Guys Moving helps you find furniture moving companies who offer exceptional furniture delivery and shipping services at affordable rates. Click “Get Started” to request your free furniture shipping quotes and find a cheaper way to move your furniture.