When moving your furniture into storage – either temporarily or for the foreseeable future – it’s important to pack the furniture in a way that will keep it safe, clean, and easily accessible. These are our top tips for how to prepare and handle your items in the best way possible:

Clean Furniture Before Putting It Into Storage

All furniture should be wiped down and checked for damage before being packed and stored. Pay special attention to items with fabric or porous surfaces like sofas, bedding,, clothing, and kitchen items, as they are susceptible to insects, mice, and mold. Cleaning them beforehand will remove particulates and help reduce attractants for pests!

Take Inventory of the Furniture You’ll Be Storing

Make an inventory list! Number or label boxes and pieces of furniture, label the contents on the exterior of boxes, then write a more comprehensive inventory with those numbers on your inventory list. This will make organizing and unpacking your items in storage so much easier, as you can prioritize more often-needed items, protect fragile dishes and collectibles, and keep heavy items at the bottom. 

Free Up Floor Space

Want to make the most of your storage space? Where possible, disassemble bulky items like bookshelves, tables, chairs, and bed frames. Reducing the number of large, cumbersome items will free up space for boxes as well as protect the pieces from being bumped into or tripped over. PRO TIP: Seal hardware in labeled baggies and affix to the corresponding pieces for easy re-assembly later!

Protect Fragile Items for Furniture Storage

The items in your home may include fragile, delicate pieces – and many have sentimental value, too! When placing in storage, protect these collectibles and heirlooms by wrapping them in bubble wrap, packing paper, furniture pads, specialty moving boxes, or all of the above. Further prevent chips and cracks by packing them snugly in boxes between soft items like clothes and linens so that they won’t tip over or jostle.  For more details on packing, check out our blog post on safely packing fragile items!

Use Consistent Box Sizes

Packing and organization are crucial to effective furniture storage. To utilize your space the best way possible, rely on consistent box sizes –  this makes them easier to stack and arrange! Other essential packing supplies include packing tape (not duct tape or painter’s tape), packing peanuts, bubble wrap, labels, markers, and paper.

Stack Based on Fragility, Store Based on Accessibility

When putting your furniture into storage, stack (neatly-labeled!) boxes based on fragility, weight, and accessibility. Heavier, more durable items and boxes on the bottom, with things that you don’t need to use going toward the back of the unit. Fragile, long-term storage goes on top of that! As you move closer to the front of the space, consider which possessions you will need first in your next location – all while keeping the weight and fragility factors in mind. Don’t feel like moving all your furniture into storage yourself? Give the pros at Central Maine Moving & Storage a call! We also have outside self-storage units available 24/7 and secure and protected, climate-controlled furniture storage available! Request a quote now or give us a call at 207-947-4114.