Storing wooden furniture: dos and don’ts

If you’re wondering how to protect the furniture in storage, we’re here to help. Don’t worry – it’s easy. Start off by taking the time to store your items correctly. But stay realistic because storing wooden furniture takes a little bit of work. But whatever type of furniture you need to store, ensuring that it stays in peak condition does require proper preparation. With our premium warehouse for rent in Jeddah, as well as our furniture-specific storage tips, you’ll be able to protect any furniture piece. Regardless of its material, you’ll keep it all intact. From tables and desks to chairs and couches, whether they are priceless family heirlooms or cheap and/or old pieces. Keep reading to learn how to store wooden furniture in a storage unit or garage, depending on whether or not that space is climate controlled.

1. Investigate your storage options.

• Storing wooden furniture in a professional unit can be a costly decision. Will you keep it for the long term or do you sell the pieces and buy new when the time comes? The average cost of a storage unit varies depending on many factors. However, in many cases, opting to store furniture makes sense if you’re in the middle of a move or going through a transitional time.
• When renting a storage unit, protection from the elements is paramount. Consider all of your options before deciding on air conditioned warehouse. If you’re serious about keeping this furniture in a unit over the long haul, it might be best to find a climate-controlled storage unit.
• Keeping wooden furniture in a climate control unit, you ensure your valuable furniture pieces stay safe from moisture and changing temperatures. Also, these units keep the temperature pleasant when you visit. Items like wooden furniture, instruments, antiques, and sofas with delicate fabrics are best maintained in this type of unit.
• However, there are steps you can take to protect your wooden furniture while storing it, even if climate control isn’t an option. Making sure everything is clean, dry, and well protected is an essential step.

2. Clean everything thoroughly before storing wooden furniture

Protect your furniture by never putting dirty items inside the same storage unit. Remember, offensive odors always travel to nearby units. Clean your unit before storing wooden furniture and you will significantly cut down on the chance of mold and the amount of dust in your storage space. Some tips for cleaning your furniture before storage:

• When cleaning wooden or plastic furniture, use mild soap and water. For wooden pieces specifically, and especially antiques, use a wood cleaner like Murphy Oil Soap to protect the existing finish on the wood.
• Make sure to also clean fabric items like couches or seat cushions with fabric or upholstery cleaner. Check that everything is completely dry before you start packing it up.
• Polish the metal sections with a polishing cloth and metal cleaner. This step will help remove any existing oxidation and delay the build-up of tarnish.

3. Take everything apart as much as possible.

• Before moving furniture into your unit (or when moving it in general), disassemble anything you can. This includes desks, bookshelves, tables, chairs, and more. This extra step will make your truck, and your storage unit, much easier to pack. And it will also reduce the challenges of packing, as well as the likelihood of breaking or scratching anything.
• Put all screws, bolts, wrenches, and other miscellaneous items in a labeled baggie. Store it alongside the furniture piece to which it belongs.

4. Wrap wooden furniture when storing it long-term.

Make sure you have completely covered each item in your unit, but also include the floor. Before putting any of your wooden furniture inside your storage space, lay down thick plastic sheeting on the floor. This will prevent moisture from getting trapped and seeping into your furniture. Which is especially important if you are not renting a climate-controlled space.

Additionally, never put furniture into your self-storage unit if you haven’t covered it. Use old sheets, blankets, drop cloths, or plastic wrapping to cover the pieces and protect them from dust and moisture. Take care not to wrap furniture with anything plastic that will seal in moisture. That will always create condensation and the furniture will eventually swell. Wrap furniture by loosely draping the material over the furniture so that it can breathe.

5. Raise everything off the floor when storing wooden furniture.

Whenever you’re storing wooden furniture without climate control, avoid putting anything directly on the floor. Use pallets or cinder blocks to raise the furniture off the floor. This adds an extra layer of protection against flooding. Even some cardboard or drop cloth is better than nothing.

6. Don’t cram too much inside.

When you need to store furniture in a storage unit don’t overdo it. A surefire way to damage something valuable is by shoving too many items into your self-storage unit. Take the time to organize your storage unit for easy access. Pack your storage unit methodically by starting with the largest pieces and working in boxes and small items in at the end.

In summary:

1. Investigate your storage options.
2. Clean everything thoroughly before storing wooden furniture.
3. Take everything apart as much as possible.
4. Wrap wooden furniture when storing it long-term.
5. Raise furniture off the floor.
6. Don’t cram too much inside.

As you can see, putting wooden furniture in a storage unit doesn’t need to be complicated or stressful. In conclusion, one of the biggest mistakes people make is not contacting professionals, and they end up spending too much on too large of a unit or not purchasing one that’s large enough. Call us and we will make sure you pick out the appropriate size storage unit for the amount of stuff you have.