You can store almost anything in a storage unit, including furniture, tools, and appliances. By using storage units, you free up space in your home or business and keep your belongings safe.
Most of the time, you can store items without worrying too much — but not always. Certain sensitive items, like fragile glassware, antiques, and important documents, might require more care.
Storing sensitive items requires careful preparation and packing. How do you decide what you should store and what you shouldn’t? And what do you do to keep your belongings safe?
The prospect of storing sensitive items might seem a little intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. With the right tools, you can safely store just about anything.
At Store More Self Storage, we’ve come up with five tips to help you protect your sensitive items. This guide will help you protect your belongings and worry less.
1. Know What to Store — And What Not To
You don’t always need to think too hard about whether to store something. Furniture, sports supplies, and gardening tools — among other things — can easily survive in storage. But some items might not fare quite as well.
Say you have an old wedding dress. It’s taking up space in your closet, but you don’t want to get rid of it. Storage might seem like a good option — but that’s not necessarily the case. What if pests get in and chew holes in it? What if it sustains water damage? What if someone manages to break in and steal it?
Sometimes, items are just too precious to put into storage. You’ll want to keep your most important belongings with you, even if they take up a lot of space.
Antiques are in a category all their own. Sometimes, storing antiques is a great way to keep them safe and free up space; other times, however, it might be a mistake. You’ll want to get your antiques appraised to determine how much they’re worth. If they’re particularly valuable, then it might be better not to put them in storage.
2. Prepare Your Items Correctly
Once you’ve decided you can store an item, it’s time to figure out how to store it.
The first thing you should do is clean anything that’s going in your unit. Grime might not be a big issue when you can see and clean it regularly — but it can be a problem if it’s left to build. Carefully clean your belongings and make sure they’re free of dust, dirt, and other grime to protect them from long-term damage.
Dirt’s not the only thing that can cause problems. Moisture and excess humidity can dampen documents and lead to rust damage. Carefully dry your belongings and check for any water that may have gotten inside before storing them.
Small cracks and dents might not seem like big issues, but if left unaddressed, the damage can grow. In worst-case scenarios, your belongings might even break. Look over each item and assess any damage. If you’re uncertain about whether something’s in good condition, then seek a professional opinion. If you want to play it safe, leave the item out of storage altogether.
3. Protect Your Belongings with Careful Packaging
Preparing your sensitive items is only half the battle. Once you’ve carefully cleaned and inspected each item, it’s time for packing.
Proper packing is one of the most important ways to avoid damage. By using the right materials and techniques, you can prevent potential damage and keep your belongings safe.
Choosing the right packing material for each item is a must; different options work better for different items, so familiarise yourself with what’s available.
Bubble wrap is a perennially popular option for a good reason — it cushions your belongings and protects them should they fall (or should something fall on them). Cheap and versatile, it’s a great option for many delicate items.
If you want another affordable option, then consider moving boxes. These sturdy boxes come in a range of sizes and can store all sorts of items, from antiques to cookware. If you’d like something a little more waterproof — but still relatively affordable — then plastic totes are a good alternative.
Add an extra layer of protection by utilizing foam sheets. Foam sheets act as buffers between items, wrap safely around delicate pieces, and otherwise help keep your belongings safe.
Still stuck on how best to store your items? Here are some examples of how to safely store certain sensitive items:
- Glass: Many people love gorgeous glass cups and figurines but don’t always have the space for them in their homes. Storing these items can be a great alternative to selling them, but you’ll need to be careful because of glass’s delicacy. Wrapping glass items in bubble wrap provides a solid cushion and protects them from damage.
- Electronics: Electronics like televisions, old computers, and gaming systems need special care to keep them safe — you don’t want moisture getting inside them, after all. Wrapping them in fabric and placing them in sturdy, water-tight plastic bins can keep the water out.
- Documents: Documents aren’t necessarily the best items to put into storage, but sometimes you may simply not have a choice. If you need to store documents, then wrapping them in plastic is the best way to protect them.
4. Understand Environmental Conditions
You’ve prepared all of your items for storage, you’ve packed them carefully, and now you’re ready to put them into storage — or so you think. The reality is that these aren’t the only factors to consider, and environmental conditions also play a huge role in the condition of your belongings.
You’ll want to pay attention to two major concerns:
- Temperature: Neither extreme heat nor freezing cold is good for fragile items. Both can cause potential damage — or worsen the damage that already exists. You’ll need to store items in a carefully climate-controlled area without a lot of temperature fluctuations. Some self-storage units have climate control, and others don’t, so you’ll want to pay attention to what units you’re using and what items you’re putting in them.
- Humidity: High humidity plays a huge factor in whether certain items can survive in storage. Excess moisture can damage metal, instruments, and some furniture, among other things; make sure to carefully wrap and protect your items, and use products like silica gel packs to remove excess humidity.
5. Know How to Organize Your Sensitive Items
Once you’ve taken as many precautions as possible, it’s time to actually put your items into storage.
First things first: try to keep fragile items off the ground. Setting items directly on the ground may invite pests, water damage, and other problems. Put them on top of larger items if possible; if not, put a layer between them and the ground to keep them safe.
Next, put the heaviest items on the bottom. They will provide a solid foundation for everything else and prevent damage to more delicate items.
You should place the most fragile items at the top to protect them from damage. With this strategic placement, you can worry less about your belongings.
Keep Your Sensitive Items Safe with Store More Self Storage in Hull
Storing sensitive items is an art that takes careful preparation and thought. With the right strategies, however, you can safely store just about anything.
At Store More Self Storage, we know how precious your sensitive items are. We offer some of the best self-storage in Hull, providing solid units, extensive security measures, and more to protect your belongings. Whether you want to store antiques or furniture, we have the solutions for you. Rent a unit and find out more by reaching out to our company online for an instant quote; we’d be happy to talk to you about our storage options.
