4 Tips for Using a Furniture Storage Unit

Welcome back to the blog! Let’s talk furniture. Maybe grandma gifted you a tacky set of paisley love-seats, or you’re cleaning out your kid’s room to make space for your dusty workout equipment. Sometimes furniture comes into our lives, and we just can’t hack it. Luckily, the Collum family opened Lauderdale Storage in 1958, pioneering the self-storage industry. Thanks to the Patron Saints of Self-Storage, we have been blessed with the opportunity to create a furniture storage unit. However, be wary–throwing furniture in a unit willy-nilly might damage the furniture over time. Don’t do grandma dirty like that. Today, we’ll give you 4 tips to protect your furniture during long-term storage.

1. Protect from Pests

Insects like termites and cockroaches can squeeze through tiny cracks, and they always have the wood munchies. Rats can also fit through small openings, and rat fluids wreak havoc on upholstery. It doesn’t take long for insects to tear through wooden furniture. Without thinking ahead, pests can cause financial head-aches and sentimental heart-ache. But not in our furniture storage unit. You’re going to buy some simple sealing caulk and fill in all of the cracks and openings you see–even the smallest ones! I’ve seen rats fit into some unbelievably small holes. Then, get some mouse traps and sticky insect sheets and place them around the walls. Then, spear some flies on tooth picks and place them as a warning around the unit.

2. Clean all of your Furniture Before Hand

Dirt, dust, and existing stains will wear down the wood and upholstery if left alone. It doesn’t seem like much, but a furniture storage unit isn’t air tight and dust and moisture can weasel their way in. Trust me. After a few months in storage, that small amount of debris can do some slight damage.

The cleaning process is rather self-explanatory. Dust each piece thoroughly, and make sure to scrub any dirt. If there are stains on the upholstery or wood, use a light cleaning agent. It shouldn’t take long, but look over every inch of the furniture to make sure you didn’t miss anything. From there, it isn’t a bad idea to purchase some cloth covers. Avoid synthetic tarps and such, because they accumulate more moisture than a cloth cover. Finally, clean out all of the dust and dirt from the storage unit itself. Never trust the dust, unless you must.

3. Take Apart Bigger Pieces of Furniture

Dismantling is the best way to create more room in your furniture storage unit. Also, there is less chance that items will be damaged. For example, consider the table. A large table is already a pain to lug into a unit, but oftentimes you can remove the legs. Chairs, too, should be taken apart. The more you remove, the more space you’ll have and the easier it will be to move into the unit. Remove all of the drawers from cabinets from dressers so they don’t slide out.

Don’t make yourself move big ol’ tables. Moving big items is a pain, and also increases the chance you’ll scratch and scuff furniture. Not only that, but you’re risking injury. In fact, the Washington Post reported that you’re more likely to be crushed by furniture than be harmed by a terrorist!

4. Put Larger Items on Bottom, and Smaller Items on Top

Think of it like a pyramid–do you think King Tut’s tomb would be protected under an upside-down pyramid? Absolutely not. Jumbling large and small items together means 1) small items will be crushed and 2) furniture will topple, slip, and slide. With a little forethought, you can easily avoid scratched, scuffed, and broken furniture. Also, having an orderly furniture storage unit makes it easier to remove things down the road.

Couches and tables should go on bottom, and then you can use the space under the tables for dismantled chairs. A table is sturdy enough to hold a lot of weight, but put a cloth down over the top so it doesn’t get damaged. Another good idea is to put another flipped table on top of the other. Smaller and more fragile items like ottomans and tiny chairs can then be placed on the sturdy surfaces.

Move that Furniture!

Get going! Go! Move it! Now, it should be a breeze to move everything in to your furniture storage unit. Not only will you be saving money replacing broken furniture, but you’ll feel the satisfaction of doing a job well done. In the end, that makes it all worth it.

If you want to get the best possible storage unit, contact us today at Albuquerque Self-Storage and we’ll get the best deal for your needs!