Tips For Storing Upholstered Furniture In A Self-Storage Unit

Posted on: 30 October 2019

Large furniture such as a sofa, recliner, and easy chair take up a lot of room in a storage unit, so it's natural to want to store things on top of them or cram them into the unit so everything fits. However, upholstered furniture can be damaged if it isn't stored properly, and the last thing you want to do is pay for storage for months and then go back and find your furniture has been ruined. Here are some tips for storing your sofa and other upholstered furniture safely.

Choose The Right Storage Unit

It's good to choose a climate-controlled storage unit for the best protection of your furniture and other items. One of these units keeps the temperature and humidity in an optimal range so the fabric, wood, and metal parts of the furniture don't rust, warp, or get musty. Also, choose the best size considering all that you'll put in the unit. You don't want to stack heavy items on the sofa and leave it for months because that could damage the fibers and foam or padding.

You'll want the furniture stored flat on a pallet that's elevated off of the floor, so rent a unit large enough to accommodate everything without crowding. It's best to allow for air circulation around upholstered furniture rather than cram everything together. You may even want to take the sofa, recliner, and other furniture apart to put them in storage and then reassemble them when you take the furniture out, so the pieces take up as little room as possible.

Prep The Furniture For Storage

Clean the furniture before you store it so there are no food odors or crumbs in the grooves that might attract mice or bugs while the furniture is in the storage unit. Vacuum the upholstery and consider having it cleaned if needed. If you wash the fabric, be sure it is completely dry before storing it, or the furniture may mildew and develop a musty odor. Everything you put in storage should be dry, so it's also good to avoid moving on a rainy day.

Protect The Furniture While It's In Storage

Place sheets over your upholstered furniture while it's in a storage unit so dust stays off the fibers. Sheets are perfect furniture covers since they block dust yet allow air circulation and don't crush the upholstery fibers. You may also want to place some pest control products in your unit that repel mice and kill insects. Try dusting diatomaceous earth around the unit after it's packed to protect against insect invasions. You don't want to kill mice in your unit or your furniture may get saturated with a foul odor. Instead, try peppermint oil or other natural repellent.

Also, choose a storage facility with well-maintained units that don't have cracks mice could squeeze through. By choosing a climate-controlled storage unit, it's likely to be sealed well, and that helps keep out rodents.

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