Packing for a move can be challenging, especially when you need to do a few extra things to prepare items and boxes for storage. We wanted to offer these tips to help you properly pack up your items for placement into short, or long-term storage.

Whether your belongings will be in storage for a few months, or a couple years, make sure your things are safely placed within your unit, and are packaged well for protection when being shuffled around!

 

  • If you don’t want to take risks about moisture in your unit, lay down plastic sheeting before bringing in boxes. This can help keep moisture from creeping into boxes and furniture off the concrete.
  • Use uniform boxes for easier stacking, and remember to put the heavier ones towards the bottom when placing them in your storage unit.
  • Label boxes clearly with what room they belong in, general bullet points of the major items that are in the box, and if they are fragile. Consider also creating a system to mark how heavy a box is, like +++ means very heavy, but + means it’s light enough for a child to carry.
  • Pack your books flat in the box to protect their spines, and throw in silica packets to help keep away mold spots.
  • Tape an X on large pieces of glass and mirrors to protect against shattering.
  • Individually wrap fragile items in bubble wrap or paper to prevent chipping or stress-point breakage. We recommend these fragile boxes be stacked with care on top of heavier boxes, or towards the middle of a column with much lighter boxes on top.
  • Disassemble large pieces of furniture if you can. Bedroom sets, tables, and even sofas and chairs could come apart and allow for more room in your unit.
  • Utilize drawers in the furniture you can’t disassemble for organizing things like vacuum-sealed clothing/bedding, bundled cords, and labeled baggies of hardware from other disassembled items.
  • Clean appliances from food and grease, and the drain lines from water or gasoline. (Key examples: your grill, fridge and lawnmower). This one is really important. Protect your unit from bugs and rodents, accidental spills, and fumes.
  • When you are ready to leave your unit alone for a while, take a photo of your unit before closing up for insurance purposes, in case of disturbance or theft.

A couple more tips to consider for long-term storage:

  • Think about using pallets, instead of plastic sheeting like we mentioned above, for lining the floor of your unit. Pallets will allow better air circulation around your items, however they might take up precious space.
  • Consider thoroughly cleaning, oiling/refinishing, and drying out your furniture to protect against rust, rot, and tarnishing in your unit. This is especially true for patio furniture which can carry moisture into your storage space. If you give any furniture TLC, let it dry out as much as possible before bringing it into your unit. Some woods can take a month or more to cure fully after treatment!
  • Don’t stack boxes on top of sofas, or they will sag. Instead stand couches upright. This will also help create more room in your unit.
  • Don’t leave furniture wrapped in plastic. This can retain moisture and might warp the wood. Plus, the long-term contact with plastic could ruin paint jobs and stains when you finally do unwrap your items. If you must wrap furniture, use old sheets or purchase extra packing blankets!

 

Remember that some items cannot be placed into storage units for safety reasons. For a comprehensive list of items that Sorensen Moving & Storage does not allow in storage units, please call us toll free at 1-800-926-2770. We are happy to answer any questions that you may have!

To learn more about the storage services Sorensen Moving & Storage can provide, call us today or fill out the hassle-free form on the right. Whatever your storage needs may be, our team at Sorensen is happy to help!