How to Pack Furniture for Storage: A Guide

There’s no doubt about it: storage units can prove themselves very useful when you’re in a tight spot. Whether you’re a student between accommodation, moving to a new country or simply caught between buying and selling, a storage unit can be a great temporary solution.

What many people don’t know is that it’s important to take steps to prepare your items before they’re put into the storage facility. Failing to clean, pack and cover your furniture adequately could leave it damaged or unusable by the time you’re ready to collect it.

If so you're wondering how to store your furniture safely, how best to prepare furniture for movers, or how to wrap furniture for storage space, read on.

1. Give your furniture a thorough clean

The very first step is making sure all your furniture has had a good clean. This will minimise the chance of unpleasant odours settling into your items while they’re stored and will reduce the amount of cleaning required once you get them out of the unit. However, remember to make sure your furniture is completely dry before storing it - this will stop anything harmful growing on it, like mould.

2. Remember to disassemble everything you can

Although you can get storage units of varying sizes these days, it’s likely to be even a little bit of a squeeze. To maximise your space to its fullest potential, make sure you’ve taken apart as much furniture as possible. This includes removing the legs of sofas or wooden furniture and unscrewing bed frames and shelving units. Just make sure you’re careful to keep all of the screws and bolts you’ll need for when you need to reassemble the furniture.

Taking this action will also minimise the risk of damage to your items, and it should make for a smoother and easier moving day, too. Disassembled items are much easier to carry, and you’ll be able to fit more in the moving truck, which will save time.

3. Wrap, wrap, wrap!

It’s time to make use of those packing supplies you’ve bought for the big moving day. Smaller, fragile items will need to be wrapped in bubble wrap or packing paper. It’s a good idea to cover larger items, such as your mattress and sofa, with plastic wrap or moving blankets to protect them. If you’re using boxes and packing tape, you should label them, so you remember what’s in them when you get them out.

Do this before you hand your belongings over to the movers rather than once you arrive at the unit. Properly packing your items can help protect them while they’re in transit. Take a look at our packing materials page to learn more about what we can offer to make everything a little easier.

4. Take out some insurance as a precaution

Depending on what storage company you use, it’s vital to check what their policy is in terms of damage. Most

of the time, it’ll be down to you to insure your items, as there are some instances of damage that the unit won’t cover.

This might include, for example, water damage from a flood or fire damage. For peace of mind, we recommend taking out self-storage insurance.

5. Plan how you’re going to store your items

The golden rule is to be systematic in the moving process. Have a plan of where things should go before you start putting things into the unit. Will you need anything before you’re ready to take everything out? Store those items last and make sure they'll be accessible for you when you need them.

Generally speaking, it’s a good idea to put the bulkier, heavy items towards the back of the unit first and arrange the other boxes or plastic bags around them. Remember to leave a pathway amongst your belongings so you can manoeuvre between your things.

Alternatively, Hire Caledonia Removals to help you

Our removal team has extensive experience in moving items in and out of storage facilities. We know the best packing materials to use, how to use them and how to best keep your belongings safe.

If you’re looking for a professional and trustworthy company to advise you on this matter, or you’d like to simply hire us to take care of it for you, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Caledonia Removals today.