How to Correctly Wrap and Pack Furniture for Storage

To guarantee that your furniture stays in top condition while being stored, you'll need to take the time to carefully pack and wrap it. That way, no matter how long you're storing your furniture, you can feel secure knowing you've done everything you can to prevent damage and preserve things in good condition. At StaxUP Storage, we're experts when it comes to storing, whether it's just for a month or if you're planning on packing your furniture away long-term. Take a look at some of our top tips for wrapping and packing furniture for storage.

1. Give Your Furniture a Thorough Cleaning

Make sure your furniture is clean before you begin wrapping it up for storage. Over time, dust, filth, and grime can cause damage, particularly when they become trapped beneath wrapping materials. Clean each piece thoroughly, making sure not to neglect any details or the inside of any given piece of furniture. Apply the proper cleansers to each kind of material:

• Wood: Use a mild wood cleanser and consider using a protective finish.
• Upholstery: Vacuum fabric surfaces and use a fabric cleaner to remove stains. To avoid mold and mildew, make sure the fabric is totally dry before storing it.
• Leather: Use a lint-free cloth to catch dirt and dust before rubbing leather cleaner in with a similar cloth. To keep the leather supple and stop it from cracking, use a leather conditioner.
• Metal: To stop rust, clean metal components with a cloth dipped in warm water and soap. Make sure the metal is completely dry before storage.

2. Take Apart Big Parts

Disassembling furniture makes it easy to store and lowers the risk of damage. Take off the legs, arms, or other parts that can be detached from beds, couches, and other furniture. To make sure that small parts, nuts, and screws don't go misplaced, store them in clearly marked plastic bags and tape them to the appropriate furniture pieces.

3. Wrap and Protect Fragile Surfaces

It's essential to protect delicate surfaces from dents, scratches, and other damage:

• Glass: Use packing tape to firmly wrap glass surfaces with bubble wrap. For further protection, sandwich cardboard between layers of bubble wrap.
• Wood: To protect wooden furniture from dents and scratches, cover it with furniture protectors or moving blankets. Tape can be used to secure the coverings, but tape should not be applied directly to the wood as this may leave residue or tarnish the finish.

4. Select Appropriate Packing Supplies

To make sure that your furniture is properly secured for storage, it's essential to select the appropriate packaging materials:

• Plastic Wrap: To secure drawers, doors, and other movable components, use plastic stretch wrap. It works well for protecting upholstered furniture from moisture and dust. However, you don't want to wrap wood or leather directly in plastic for extended periods of time! This can cause moisture trapping and damage, and should be avoided.
• Furniture Covers: Think about using specialty furniture covers that are made to keep out dust and debris while still allowing air circulation. These are especially helpful for long-term storage.
• Cardboard: To keep surfaces safe and separate while storing, use cardboard sheets. To avoid scratches, place them in between stacked furniture.

5. Place Your Furniture Strategically

Plan your furniture placement in the storage unit to make the most of the available space and safeguard your belongings. You may want to measure your furniture in advance and draw up a floor plan of what goes where in your unit.

• Elevate Off the Floor: To keep your furniture off the ground and prevent floor moisture damage, place wooden pallets or blocks underneath it.
• Make Room for Airflow: Steer clear of putting furniture up against the storage unit's walls. To help ward off mold and mildew, leave a tiny opening for airflow.
• Stack Carefully: If you need to stack things, put the more delicate, lighter objects on top and the heavier, more heavy duty ones at the bottom. Use cardboard or blankets as dividers for any stacks.

6. Label and Record

Lastly, make sure to put a label on every wrapped item and make a list of everything you have stored. This way it will be easy to make sure that nothing is lost or broken when you take your furniture out of storage.

To maintain the quality of your furniture in storage, it's essential to pack and wrap it correctly. By following these steps, you can ensure that your furniture stays in great shape for years to come.