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How to store furniture for a long time without damage
Long storage is different from a few days in a store. Your furniture sits for months, and any damp, dust or pressure shows when you take it out.
The effort you put in before storage saves you a lot afterwards.
These steps help you get your furniture back the way you left it.
Clean every piece and dry it
Wipe the dust off wooden furniture. Empty the seams and pockets of sofas of crumbs and small items. Leave every piece until it is completely dry before you wrap it. Check drawers and cupboards too, because things are often forgotten in them.
Damp trapped under a cover can cause a smell and mould.
Take apart what comes apart
Remove legs, shelves and bed parts if they are made to come off. Pieces taken apart need less space, and they take fewer knocks.
- Put the screws in a small bag
- Tape the bag to the piece itself, so you never have to look for it
- Photograph the piece before you take it apart, to make rebuilding easier
Wrap it so it can breathe
Do not leave stretch film touching fabric or wood for a long time. Start with a cloth cover or a cotton sheet, then wrap the film around the outside to keep the dust off.
Protect corners and edges with pieces of cardboard.
Lift the pieces off the floor
Put them on pallets or wooden boards instead of straight on the floor, and leave a gap between pieces so air can move. Put the heaviest at the bottom, and never put heavy things on sofas or glass tops. Do not stack pieces on each other unless they are strong enough to take the weight.
Choose a dry, shaded place
Stay away from damp places, direct sunlight and any source of heat, and prefer a place where the temperature does not swing much during the day. Heat and damp are what hurt wooden and leather furniture most.
Take care with mattresses and appliances
Store a mattress lying flat inside a cover that lets it breathe, and put nothing heavy on top. If you store a fridge or a washing machine, empty out the water and leave it dry with the door a little open, so a smell does not build up inside.
Keep a record of what you stored
Write a list of the pieces and photograph them, and label boxes with the name of the room. Put what you may need first near the entrance.
One last check before you close the door
- Every piece is dry and wrapped
- Every piece has its screws with it
- Corners are protected and pieces are off the floor
- You keep the list of what is stored, and its photos
If you would like us to do the wrapping and storage for you, contact us or message us on WhatsApp.