Whether planning a move or simply looking to make more space in your home, self-storage in Mansfield can be a smart place to keep your furniture. Storing furniture means you won’t have to worry about pests, damage, or theft, and you can store your favourite pieces for as long as you’d like.
Before stowing away your furniture, you’ll need to ensure it’s ready for storage. Follow these handy tips on preparing your furniture to stay safe and clean in your storage unit.
How To Prepare Your Furniture for Storage
When moving furniture into a storage facility, good preparation is key, especially if you plan to leave your items in the unit for a long time. Be sure to thoroughly clean, disassemble, and pack your furniture items so you’ll always find them in the same condition you left them.
Materials You Will Need
You’ll need a few packing materials before you get started. These items will keep your furniture safe from damage in the storage unit.
- Foam sheets: Foam sheets are great for protecting mirrors, glass tables, and other fragile items. Ensure you cut the foam sheets to match the size of your item before packing.
- Bubble wrap: Bubble wrap lessens impacts, making it another good option for delicate pieces.
- Blankets: Moving blankets are thick sheets of fabric designed to protect large pieces of furniture, such as dressers and dining tables.
- Boxes: You can store disassembled furniture in boxes for further protection. Choose thick, sturdy moving boxes to withstand impacts.
Clean Your Furniture
It can be tempting to store your furniture as-is, but cleaning it first removes dust, stains, and debris that could cause damage over time.
Cleaning a Mattress
- Strip all bedding, duvets, and mattress protectors.
- Hoover the mattress to get rid of dust, dirt, and crumbs. Make sure you get both sides, as well as the seams.
- Remove stains with upholstery cleaner or a damp cloth and a bit of baking soda. Hoover up any baking soda residue that’s left behind.
- Allow the mattress to dry fully before packing.
Cleaning a Sofa
- Check the sofa’s care tag for cleaning instructions. Some cleaning products may damage certain types of sofa fabric.
- Use a stiff bristle brush to scrape off crumbs and caked-on debris.
If your sofa is leather, apply leather cleaner according to the package instructions. Buff out scratches using a soft cloth. For fabric sofas, sprinkle with baking soda and let it sit for at least an hour to eliminate odours and stains. Wipe off any cleaning products and baking soda before packing.
Cleaning Wooden Furniture
- Wipe furniture with a damp cloth to remove dust.
- Remove debris with a soft towel and a solution of equal parts water and vinegar. You can also use mild dish soap. Avoid using harsh chemical cleaners as they can damage wood.
- Polish with furniture wax to prevent damage in storage.
Disassembly
Disassembling furniture may seem like a hassle, but it’s the best way to maximise the space in your storage unit.
Disassemble large items such as beds, chests of drawers, tables, wardrobes, and bookshelves. Pack items in marked boxes so you can easily find the pieces when it’s time to put things back together.
Wrap and Pack
Don’t leave your furniture exposed in the storage unit. If you do, moisture and heat can damage your items over time.
- Wrap mattresses in a high-quality mattress storage bag.
- Remove sofa cushions and put them in separate cloth bags. Wrap the base of the sofa with thick blankets.
- Wrap dresser drawers in sheets of plastic wrap to keep them secure.
- Wrap furniture in acid-free paper or heavy blankets, then cover it with a layer of bubble or plastic wrap. Pro tip: Never store wood furniture with plastic as the only protection. Condensation can build up between the plastic and wood, ruining your furniture.
- Protect the surfaces of picture frames and mirrors with sheets of cardboard. Alternatively, remove pictures from their frames and store them in separate boxes. Use corner protectors on all corners of your frames. Wrap each item individually in towels or blankets.
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How To Pack Furniture in Storage
Before you start packing items in your storage unit, it’s smart to have a plan so you can make the most of your space.
- Cover the floor of the unit with plastic sheeting. This will help you move heavy items around more easily.
- Don’t store furniture directly on the floor if the unit isn’t climate-controlled.
- Start packing from the back and move forward. Keep furniture you’ll want to retrieve soonest closer to the front.
- Don’t stack heavy items on top of each other in an unstable manner. Furniture can fall over and get damaged or injure you.
- Draw and label a map to know where each piece is during retrieval.
What Size Storage Unit Do You Need?
It’s best to calculate how much space your furniture takes up before renting a storage unit. That way, you won’t get a unit that’s too small or too large for your needs.
- 25-square-foot unit: Holds the contents of an average one-bedroom flat, or roughly half a transit van load
- 75-square-foot unit: Holds the contents of the average one-bedroom house, or about one and a half transit van loads
- 100-square-foot unit: Holds the contents of an average two-bedroom house or flat, or about one Luton van load
- 125-square-foot unit: Holds the contents of a small three-bedroom flat or house, or roughly one Luton van load
- 200-square-foot unit: Holds the contents of a four-bedroom house and shed, or roughly two Luton van loads
Neglecting to make the proper calculations could end up costing you, especially if you get an oversized unit when all you need is a modest option. Measure your items to determine exactly how much space you’ll need, with a little leeway for good measure.
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Benefits of Keeping Furniture in a Storage Unit
Why keep furniture in a storage unit rather than your spare bedroom or attic? The following are a few reasons to consider:
More Space in Your Home
If your home is on the smaller side, finding space for all your favourite furniture pieces can be difficult. Instead of selling or giving them away, put your furniture in storage, and you’ll have it ready when you need it.
Climate Control
Your attic can get very hot, which is bad news for furniture. Plus, the moisture in basements damages sensitive wood. The best storage facilities are climate-controlled, which means your furniture won’t be exposed to humidity and harsh temperature extremes.
Security
If you’re leaving your home for a long holiday, it’s not ideal to leave your expensive furniture there alone. Storage facilities are protected by 24/7 security and CCTV cameras for peace of mind. You can also safeguard your belongings under lock and key.
Convenience
If you want to retrieve your furniture after hours, you can. The best storage facilities are accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so you can get your furniture whenever it’s convenient for you to do so.
Affordability
There’s no need to commit to a large storage unit you’ll never fully use. Storage facilities offer units in various sizes, allowing you to rent only the space you need, nothing more.
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Why Choose Self-storage for Your Furniture?
Storing furniture is a practical solution if you want to make more space in your home. However, there are many other reasons you might want to choose a storage unit for your furniture.
Moving or Selling Your Home
If you’re moving, keeping track of all your belongings can be a big challenge. Not only that, but sometimes your new home might not have enough space to store all your favourite furniture. Instead of getting rid of it, you can store it for as long as you’d like.
Storage is a good choice if you’re selling your home, too. Keeping furniture in storage means your home looks less cluttered, which most real estate agents and buyers prefer.
Renovations
Renovating is a great way to increase the value and beauty of your home. But the renovation process can be chaotic at best, and it’s easy for furniture to get damaged or even lost in the process. Plus, renovation contractors need plenty of space to work, and bulky furniture in the way only slows them down. That’s why it’s best to keep your furniture in storage and bring it back to your home when renovations are complete.
Storing Seasonal Items
If you only pull out that antique table around the holidays, why not keep it in storage and free up valuable space in your home? Your unit can also store other seasonal items, such as bulky decorations that would otherwise clutter the attic or garage.
Business Storage
Storage units aren’t just for homeowners and renters – businesses can take advantage of the extra space, too. Try using your unit to store inventory and make more room on your sales floor.
Student Storage
If you’re headed to university and staying in the halls, sadly, you won’t be able to take all your favourite furniture with you. Pack your things into storage and retrieve them once it’s time to move into your own flat.
How Much Does Furniture Storage Cost?
The cost of a storage unit depends on two main factors: the unit’s size and how long you reserve it for.
Large units are the most expensive but may be more cost effective because of their storage capacity. Plus, you will have plenty of room if you need to add more items in the future. If you only own a few pieces of furniture, it may not be worth the cost.
Small units are the cheapest, but they can only hold one or two pieces, depending on the size. So, if you have several large pieces, you’ll need a bigger unit for storing furniture.
Protect Your Furniture With Store More Self Storage
Don’t let your furniture languish in your basement or attic – keep it safe and secure with Store More Self Storage. We offer climate-controlled units, convenient 24/7 access, and individual alarms on every storage room door. Call Store More Self Storage at 01482 24 24 88 to get help choosing the best unit for you.
