Many of our customers use self storage while they are moving house to keep their personal items safe. To make sure your items are kept in pristine condition, there are a few tricks to protect your things while they are in storage.

Clean your furniture

While this will make life easier when you unload your storage unit, thoroughly cleaning your furniture is vital to make sure it stays in good condition.

Make sure each piece of furniture is completely free from dirt, crumbs, and daily life debris. If you are storing chairs or a sofa, make sure to take off the cushions and hoover in every crevice.

To clean wooden furniture, use warm soapy water, and when it is dry use furniture wax to keep it moisturised. To clean fabrics, use an upholstery cleaner (but make sure the item is completely dry before storing).

Arrange transport

When using self storage you will need to arrange how to transport your items to your storage unit.

Things to consider will be the size of the vehicle you have available, if you will need to do multiple trips, whether you can actually fit the item inside the vehicle etc.

Many customers will hire a van so they only need to make one journey and they can fit everything inside. Most removal companies can let you know what sized van will be suitable for the number and type of items you will need to transport.

Make your furniture easier to store

The easiest way to fill your storage unit is with boxes, however you may have gotten rid of the boxes your items came in, or simply have items that don’t fit in a box.

Any items that can be taken apart, such as wardrobes, beds, bookcases, chairs etc, should be dismantled and kept together (it’s often good to have a small bag of any screws etc. and tape it firmly to the inside of the item, to make sure they don’t get lost. You can even include instructions for how to rebuild the item, so you don’t forget during the moving process).

Not only will the dismantled items make it easier to transport, but it will mean you can use the space inside the storage unit more effectively.

You can also use empty space, for example putting smaller items inside drawers to provide them with extra protection. While we have trolleys onsite to help make moving your items easier, it’s best to move your smaller items into the empty space of bigger items (like drawers) when you are inside your storage unit, so the larger items remain as light as possible while moving them.

Wrap or cover your furniture

Use bubble wrap to protect delicate items, such as glass table tops and mirrors. You should also invest in some dust sheets which are available at our reception, to cover larger items, as this will prevent dust settling on them.

Make sure to avoid using very tight plastic coverings as these will trap any lingering moisture (although if you have followed these tips there shouldn’t be any to trap)! We have sofa covers, armchair covers, and mattress covers available to purchase at each of our locations which are designed to protect your furniture whilst still allowing air to circulate.

Aim for efficient furniture storage

If you won’t be needing your items during your stay at self storage, make sure all your items are organised in the best layout possible. Read our other articles about how to pack your storage unit to help you decide which layout is best for you.

If your follow the above suggestions, it will ensure your belongings are securely and properly looked after during your stay with us. If you have any questions or require additional assistance on storing specific items, speak to one of our friendly team on 01246 204677 who are happy to help with any self storage needs

How you pack your storage unit is completely up to your personal preference, but if you are looking for some extra help, here are some tips

Decide Your Access Needs

You will need to think about how you want to use your storage unit. Do you want access to all your items? Will you want access to some of your items? Or maybe you just want to close your self storage door, and not come back until you are ready to leave?

Each option will require you to layout your storage unit in a different way.

• Access to all items: With this option you will need to leave a “corridor or pathway” inside your storage unit, to allow you to reach any item. If you have a large unit, you may need to create multiple “corridors”.
• Access to a few items: The items that you need to have accessible should be stored last. This will mean they are closest to the door, and you will be able to reach them whenever you require.
• No access to items: Of course, you will be able to come and visit your storage unit as often as you would like, however this option will mean that you plan to store your items in the most efficient way to save space rather than being concerned with needing access to certain items. It also means that you can likely opt for a smaller unit size to save you some money as you will not need to allow for the “pathways” we mentioned earlier.

After you have decided which of the above ways of storing your items is best for your needs, there are also some universal tips for storing your items in a self storage unit…

Universal Storage Tips

• Start as you mean to go on: Start packing your storage unit from the furthest point from the door and work your way back towards the door.
• Store strategically: Your heaviest items should remain on the ground so that they can’t be knocked over and broken or break other things in the process of moving. It also is best practice, and the safest method to avoid heavy lifting, which means you shouldn’t strain your back while moving your items.
• Air circulation: If you are using plastic furniture covers or wraps, make sure that these are not completely sealed or too tight to allow air to circulate.
• Quality packing materials: Invest in sturdy, good quality boxes (plastic or cardboard), to make sure your items are protected and easy to transport. Also make sure to use good quality packing tape, bubble wrap and other protective materials, to ensure your items are kept safe while you store them. The Store Room has a vast range of packaging materials available to purchase on-site at each of our storage locations.
• Label boxes: Make sure all boxes are labelled, with a list of the contents inside. Also, it can be useful to make a map of where the boxes are in your storage unit. This will mean if you need to find something, you will be able to easily locate where the correct box is, rather than rifling through lots of other boxes before finding the right one.
• Disassemble furniture: Where possible, take apart furniture to make it easier to store. Keep screws, bolts etc. in a labelled bag, and tape them to the piece of furniture. With large and bulky items such as sofas, consider whether these can be stored on their end upright to save floor space.
• Consider using shelving: If you have lots of smaller items, you could use free-standing shelving inside to stack items easily, and make them easily accessible.

If you have any questions about self storage, or need any more tips, speak to one of our self storage specialists on 01246 204677 and they will be delighted to help you!