20 Simple & Easy Tips & Tricks On How To Store Furniture

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Major life transitions like downsizing or moving can be stressful and overwhelming, particularly if you aren’t able to bring all your furniture with you. Storing your furniture can alleviate some of your stress by keeping family heirlooms, sentimental pieces, or items that will be used in the future safe and secure. Follow these tips as you prepare to store your furniture to streamline the process and keep your items in good condition.


Before you start packing, take an honest assessment of your furniture and decide what is most important to keep. If an item will be used by you again in the next few years, or has sentimental or monetary value, write it down on a list for keeping in storage. If an item doesn’t meet those standards, sell or donate it so you’re only storing the items you really need or love.


Use your list to keep track of exactly what has gone into storage and any notes on condition and placement within the unit. This makes retrieving a piece easier.


Pick the right size storage space. Now that you’ve minimized your furniture, have an itemized list of what you want to store ready, and pick the smallest unit that meets those needs. Smaller units will save you money and might have more options for climate control to protect your furniture. 


Wooden furniture can be easily cracked or damaged from having too much weight on top over time. If you can, get a unit that is large enough to allow wooden pieces to stand alone, and use other furniture for stacking. If you must stack on wood, choose lighter boxes, like linens over books or side tables. When in doubt, it’s better to get a larger unit than to risk damaging an item that is precious to you.


Stock up on the packing materials you need before you start moving. Helpful items to prepare are packing paper or newspaper, plastic wrap, moving blankets or pads, zip lock bags, masking tape and a sharpie for labeling, and tools like screwdrivers or a wrench to take furniture apart.


Large furniture pieces are easier to move and store safely if you break them down into the smallest forms. This means breaking down bed frames and removing table legs, and separating sections of a sofa wherever possible. We recommend Fired Up Assemblers, if you’re in the Houston area, to help with this. 


storage furnitureAny furniture you disassemble should be kept organized and contained. Bolts, screws, and other hardware can go in a labeled zip lock bag during the disassembly process so nothing is lost. Tape the bag and any directions or notes on assembly directly to the underside of the furniture using masking tape or put it in a drawer.

Cover or wrap your furniture to protect from scratches or tears before putting them in storage. Use a layer of cloth such as moving blankets or pads, and secure them with masking tape or plastic wrap. If the storage unit does not have climate control, plastic sheeting or double layers of plastic wrap might help protect against moisture damage, but make sure there is adequate padding underneath to protect the furniture.


Metal furniture should be well polished before storing to prevent oxidation. Plastic bags or wrap can protect them from the air. Wrap and pad corners, legs and any decorative flourishes on metal furniture so that they don’t accidentally scratch or chip other, less sturdy items.


If you plan to store a mattress, protect the fabric by wrapping it in a mattress cover or bag. These are available at any one of our retail stores (reserve them online here) and offer superior coverage compared to trying to wrap them in plastic or cardboard.


Consider how to use your furniture to store other items. Dresser drawers and buffet cabinets can keep smaller personal items safe and maximize the use of your storage space. Arrange items strategically to protect fragile keepsakes, picture frames, or dishware using pillows or soft toys.


You can place small, fragile items in drawers as well, wrapped in towels. Larger fragile items could use crates. A chest of drawers is also appropriate for small and light items like pictures, clothes, souvenirs, etc.


Organize your items top to bottom. This may sound obvious, but in the flurry of packing, it can be easy to overlook- always put heavier items on the bottom and fragile, light items on top.


Furniture with doors should be stored with the drawers and door closed. It is not necessary to tape or secure the drawers closed in storage, especially if you may need to access items inside later. However, you may want to shrink wrap or tape furniture closed if it will be handled by movers, especially if you stored keepsakes inside.


When storing a table and chairs, separate the legs of the table. Wrap each piece separately, then bundle them using plastic wrap or tape. This saves space and gives you more options for storing the items safely. Chairs can be stacked seat-to-seat, with one flipped upside down on another. You can use the space between the legs on top and underneath to store other boxes or small items.


Couches can be stored on end to save space. Wrap the couch in a protective sofa cover and consider using a dust cover on the ground to minimize any exposure to dirt and dust during the move. All Amazing Spaces units have painted & sealed floors, which also help minimize dust and dirt exposure, keeping your items clean & secure.


We highly recommend using the expandable picture box for medium sized mirrors. This is the easiest way to move and store a majority of mirror sizes. Small mirrors can also be wrapped and protected in standard cardboard boxes, but larger mirrors may require special crates that cost more.   Avoid storing mirrors behind other big pieces where they can’t be seen; someone might move the bigger piece later without supporting the mirror leading to a crash. 


Protect wood furniture from moisture. If you choose a unit that is not climate controlled, give wood furniture a coat of wax before putting it in storage. In humid regions, store drawers separately from dressers to let air circulate and keep wooden furniture away from the moisture that condenses near the unit entrance when temperatures change.


Storing cloth furniture can lead to mildew, but you can protect your sofa, chairs, and mattress by cleaning them thoroughly with an antimicrobial spray or wipe before storage. Make sure any fabric furniture is totally dry before putting it in storage and try not store anything that has any type of moisture with cloth furniture whenever possible.


With the right space and the right preparation, putting furniture in storage can keep it safe for generations to come. Follow these tips to protect your most important furnishings with the least amount of cost and hassle resulting in peace of mind for you and your family.


Amazing Spaces Self-StorageAbout Amazing Spaces Storage Centers

Amazing Spaces is Houston, Spring, and The Woodlands areas premier provider of self-storage and moving supplies.  Amazing Spaces aims to provide everyone with the most remarkable storage experience possible. The properties offer highly secured storage spaces, fully climatized units, and a customer service experience unlike any other.

Amazing Spaces will be opening its 6th property in the Springwoods ~ Exxon Campus neighborhood in 2018. Learn more about Amazing Spaces and Discover all the Amazing Differences at Amazing Spaces Storage Centers by visiting AmazingSpaces.net.

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