When your house is overflowing with clutter, extra furniture can be neatly tucked away in a storage unit until you’re ready to use or sell it. However, you need to be careful about how you arrange it. To prevent damage, use the following do’s and don’ts of furniture storage.

Do:

Break it down.

From bed frames to bookcases, you likely had to assemble plenty of furniture pieces before using them. Before you pack them in your storage unit, disassemble the parts, and put screws, nuts, and bolts in plastic bags before taping them to their respective pieces. You can then stand planks, legs, and headboards up against each other to save space.

Wrap them up.

If you keep multiple pieces of furniture in close quarters, protect their delicate surfaces from scratches and nicks. Wrap wood tables and desks in padding or blankets, and secure the fabric with tape. If any pieces of furniture have sharp edges, add extra bubble wrap to these areas to prevent them from causing damage on the way to the unit.

Don’t:

Balance items on top of one another.

Unlike boxes filled with clothes or books, most of your furniture won’t be stackable. To save space, some people try to balance differently shaped items on top of one other. While it might earn you a few more feet, there’s a greater risk of items toppling down, resulting in damage.

Overfill the storage unit.

Whether you’re downsizing or moving in with a significant other, you may have lots of furniture to store. However, don’t overpack your unit and risk ruining high-quality pieces. To ensure you have enough room to move around, leave an aisle in the middle of your unit, or two on either side. If furniture pieces bump into each other, they’re too close.  

If you’re searching for a storage facility in which to keep your furniture, turn to the locally owned and operated Ohana Self Storage of Honolulu, HI. Since 2000, they have provided secure units with 24-hour monitoring and generous access, hours, so you can get to your belongings whenever you need them. They also offer discounts for military personnel, students, and seniors, as well as complimentary onsite estimates for residential storage. To learn more about their units, visit the website or call (808) 841-6799.