Top tips for preparing your furniture for storage

In 2024, more than 200,000 people moved house in the UK.

No matter if you’re upsizing, downsizing, or buying your very first home after years of renting, there’s one all-important thing you need to think about.

Your furniture.

From cosy couches and beautiful bedframes to dining tables and matching chairs, all the furniture you’ve curated over the years needs someplace to go during the big move.

A self-storage unit is the perfect place, but to keep your collection in tip-top condition, there are some things you need to do beforehand to prep it for the unit.

Join our experts here at The Storage Team as we share our top tips for preparing your furniture for storage in this post.

Before moving furniture into storage

When keeping your belongings in a storage unit - be it for a short or extended period - it’s important that you retrieve them in the same condition as when you left them.

Whilst choosing a clean, dry storage unit is an absolute must, the prep you do beforehand makes a world of difference, so you should:

Clean your furniture

Not only will this make your life ten times easier when unloading your storage unit and moving furniture into your new home, but it’s also paramount if you want to keep it in the best condition whilst it’s in storage.

Any source of dampness or mould will only worsen over time, so before you get stuck in, ensure that your furniture is mud-free and completely dry.

If you suspect any of your wooden furniture has woodworm or other infestations, you should get this treated before putting it in your storage unit to prevent your other items from getting damaged.

You should also take time to remove any food crumbs and other debris. This is especially important if you’re storing your sofa, so make sure to hoover in every crevice - including under the cushions!

For wooden furniture pieces, use warm soapy water to give it a good clean and, when dry, a furniture wax to keep it moisturised.

Fabrics should be cleaned with a special upholstery cleaner, and metal objects should be polished appropriately to reduce tarnishing through oxidation later down the line.

Keep furniture items off the ground

Once all your furniture is sparkling clean and ready to be moved into your storage unit, you should keep it off the ground to prevent it from getting dirty or damaged.

To do this, all you need to do is place a protective layer on the floor - like cardboard, a plastic tarp, or pallets if you have them - to raise your furniture off ground level to further protect it before the move.

Wrap your furniture

Delicate items, like glass tabletops or mirrors, for example, should be wrapped carefully in bubble wrap. Any other items should be covered with dust sheets or old bedsheets to prevent dust from settling on them.

If you can, avoid plastic coverings at all costs, as they can trap any lingering moisture and cause damage to your pieces.

Disassemble large furniture items

You should disassemble large furniture items, like bookcases or wardrobes, before you put them into your storage unit. This will make transporting them to and from the storage facility much easier and free up some space inside your unit.

Make sure to keep screws and other fixings in a plastic bag, and draw arrows (in pencil) on the furniture to remind yourself of how to reassemble it when the time comes.

Moving your furniture into storage

Assuming you’ve already combed through the Google results for ‘self-storage near me’ and settled on a company to work with, now is the time to move all your precious furniture into a storage unit.

Choosing the right unit is vital when it comes to keeping your items safe and avoiding damage, and your storage company will have various different-sized units you can use, as we do here at The Storage Team.

If you’re unsure how much space you need, our storage experts are here to help - give us a call to discuss your needs, and we’ll happily assist in choosing the perfect storage unit.

Need more expert tips?

Moving house is stressful enough without the added headache of finding somewhere to keep your belongings.

The Storage Team is here to make it easier, with several solutions available for storing your furniture that you can use for as long as you need - be it for a few weeks or several months.

To find out more about working with us, send us an email or message us on WhatsApp and we’ll be in touch with more information, or get a price online for your local self-storage facility.