Quick Take: How to Store Furniture the Right Way
- Disassemble large furniture pieces before storing them to reduce stress on joints and hardware.
- Wrap items in moving blankets or furniture pads instead of plastic wrap.
- Elevate furniture off the ground using pallets or boards to avoid moisture damage.
- Store wood, leather, and upholstered pieces in a climate-controlled unit whenever possible.
- Keep mattresses flat. Don’t stand them on their side for long periods.
- Leave space between items and walls so air can circulate inside the storage unit.
So many things can go wrong if you don’t store furniture properly. Sofas get moldy, wooden dressers get warped, or glass tabletops get cracked. They won’t come out the same way they went in.
Why do these things happen? It’s usually due to lack of preparation. The type of storage unit used can also be a factor.
Oz Moving has decades of experience moving and storing furniture. In this post, we’re sharing our tips on how to store furniture the right way.
Before You Store: The Prep Work
If you don’t want your furniture to get damaged while in storage, you’ll have to do some prep work. This will help prevent some of the issues we mentioned, including mold. We suggest you do three things: clean, disassemble, and wrap your furniture.
Let’s talk about how to prepare furniture for storage.
Cleaning
Did you know that dirty furniture can hold on to moisture? This can speed up mold and mildew growth. That’s why you’ll want to clean everything before putting it in storage. At the very least, it will help keep pests away.
Here’s how we recommend you clean specific types of materials.
- Upholstery: Crumbs and debris draw pests into storage units. So vacuum every cushion, seam, and crevice. Use a fabric-safe spot cleaner on any stains. Let the fabric dry completely.
- Wood: Wipe down every surface, including legs and undersides. This removes dust and oils that can eat into the finish over time. Because moisture can warp wooden furniture, you’ll want to let it dry fully.
- Metal: Clear off dust and grime. Coat any exposed metal with a light rust-inhibiting oil, especially hinges and legs. Storage units aren’t always dry, so bare metal pieces can corrode faster than you’d expect.
- Glass: Clean with a streak-free glass cleaner. Let it dry completely before storing it. Moisture left on the surface can lead to fogging or mildew forming over time.
Is your furniture not worth saving? Then it might be time to get rid of it. See: How Does Junk Removal Work?
Disassembly
There are plenty of reasons why you’d want to store furniture disassembled. Sure, it’s not the most convenient way of storing things. But disassembled furniture takes up less storage space. It also reduces stress on furniture joints, making each piece last longer.
- Bed Frames: Separate the headboard, footboard, and side rails so each piece lies flat. You don’t want them leaning against the wall at an angle for months.
- Table Legs: Remove any legs that detach to save space and to protect them from getting bumped or snapped while other items are moved around or stacked nearby.
- Shelving Units: Break down shelves and support panels so you can stack them individually.
Tip: Bag every screw, bolt, and bracket. Add labels so you know what furniture each bag belongs to.
Disassembly also applies when moving to a new house. Add it to your moving checklist. Don’t have one yet? See: The Ultimate Moving Checklist: What to Do Before, During, and After a Move
Wrapping and Protection
Wrapping your furniture adds a layer of protection. But not every type of wrap will work for every material. In fact, some types of wraps can even damage the item you’re trying to protect.
So what’s the safest type of wrap to use?
Moving blankets are the safest option for large pieces like sofas, dressers, and headboards because they don’t trap moisture. We also suggest using furniture pads at corners and edges.
Plastic wraps are acceptable in certain scenarios. Use these for metal frames or other types of materials that aren’t prone to moisture damage. You don’t want to wrap wood in plastic, though. That will trap moisture and cause warping, discoloration, and mold.
As far as glass tabletops and mirrors go, you’re better off wrapping them in moving blankets as well. Secure them in place by taping the edges. Taping the glass or mirror directly could leave a sticky residue that’s hard to get off.
You’ll also need to wrap the corners, legs, and edges of your furniture pieces. One common hack is to use pool noodles. But cardboard sleeves will also work.
Inside the Unit: How to Organize
When we store our clients’ belongings, we organize them to optimize the storage space and make sure nothing gets damaged. You should do the same. Let us share our tips on storing furniture in a storage unit.
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Placement
Concrete floors hold moisture. So if your storage space isn’t climate-controlled, we highly recommend elevating your furniture using pallets. This will prevent the development of mold and rust.
When stacking pieces, you’ll want to place heavier objects on the bottom. Keep mattresses or chair cushions at the top of the pile.
Some people tend to cram furniture in storage units without giving any thought to accessibility. When you store your items, make sure you leave a path that allows you to pull items from the back should you need to.
Positioning
You’ll want to store your sofas in an upright position, similar to how you would when you’re using them. If you lay them on their arm or back, you could stress the frame and cause it to sag out of shape.
It’s the same with mattresses. They should lie flat. If you store them standing on their sides, the springs and padding could get pulled out of shape.
See: How to Pack a Mattress for Moving
Depending on their design, chairs can be stacked seat-to-seat or back-to-back. You don’t want to put the frames under pressure. To prevent scratches, you can add a layer of moving blanket between seats.
Climate and Environment
As discussed earlier, you really have to watch out for sudden temperature swings and humidity. These can cause so much damage. When there’s a change in temperature, your wooden furniture can crack or warp. And when there’s humidity, items made from leather and upholstery can trap moisture and develop mold.
If you have items made out of these materials, you should use climate-controlled storage units. But if there are none in your area, rent an interior storage unit.
You don’t want to store your things in a unit that’s exposed to the elements.
Long-Term vs. Short-Term: Does the Approach Change?
In some ways, yes. If you’re only storing items for less than three months, you can get away with minimum prep work. Don’t get us wrong: You’d still have to clean everything and wrap the most delicate pieces. But the risk of storing items is less significant when you’re only doing so for a short time.
Storing items for longer than three months is a different conversation. You’ll have to learn how to store furniture long term. That could mean researching climate-controlled storage facilities. You’d also want to fully disassemble furniture pieces and wrap them individually.
Ask About Oz Moving’s Furniture Moving Service
Why Oz Moving?
Oz Moving can pack, move, and store your furniture for you. Having us do all the work for you is better since you only have to coordinate with one company. Plus, we have decades of experience handling furniture.
We know all the best practices of moving and storing furniture pieces. Our storage facility is heated during the winter to maintain temperatures above freezing, helping protect your furniture while it’s in storage.
Oz Moving offers a more convenient way for you to move and store your things. And if you’re the type who wants to pack everything yourself, we can supply you with all the packing supplies you’ll need.
Ask About Our Full-Service Packing Service
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Common Mistakes to Avoid
If you don’t want anything bad to happen to your furniture, you’ll want to avoid the following.
- Wrapping Leather or Upholstery in Plastic: Plastic traps moisture against the material, leading to mold and mildew.
- Standing Mattresses on Their Side Long-Term: Gravity pulls the springs and padding out of place. This can create dips and lumps that don’t go away.
- Stacking Heavy Items on Upholstered Furniture: The weight crushes cushions and can bend or snap the frame underneath.
- Skipping Disassembly on Large Wood Pieces: Leaving pieces assembled puts constant stress on joints, leading to cracking or loosening over time.
- Using Newspaper for Padding: The ink transfers onto furniture surfaces, leaving stains that are hard to remove.
Conclusion
Before storing your furniture, you’ll want to clean, disassemble (if possible), and wrap each piece. This is even more important if you’re storing it for more than three months.
And if your furniture is made of materials that are prone to mold or warping, store it in a climate-controlled storage unit. These include leather and upholstered pieces.
You can hire a full-service moving company like Oz Moving to store your couches, mattresses, and other furniture pieces. It can pack, move, and store your items for you. You won’t have to lift a finger. Just let us know how we can help.
