Storage Tips

Preparing to Move Your Belongings to Storage

Begin packing a couple of days before you plan to move your items to storage. Careful packing pays by preventing breakage and loss of small and fragile items. It is advisable to take the time to weed out old, unwanted or unneeded possessions. Keep a list of all items in storage as well as pictures and descriptions.

You will need the following to begin packing:

sturdy corrugated cartons or boxes,
packing paper,
packing foam or bubble wrap,
rope,
zip-lock bags for screws,
mattresses, sofa, and chair plastic covers,
cloth furniture covers,
If you are using your own lock, use a good quality lock on your storage unit door. Cheap locks rust.
Light plastic cover to cover the entire load with once the unit is filled,
sealing tape,
a magic marker-type pen, and
insurance for your stored goods.

Packing Your Space

Rent the smallest amount of space you need and pack the space until full.
Leave a walkway to the rear of the unit.
Place frequently retrieved items near the front.
Place valuables in the rear of the unit.
Pack to the ceiling.
A box for everything and everything in a box, is the best protection of your goods. Use uniform sizes of boxes and stack them shoulder high to maximize your total storage space.
Leave a small air space between the goods stored and the storage unit walls.
Store lightweight small items around the back of the storage unit. Move large, heavy items into storage last.
Do not place heavy or sharp objects on top of upholstered furniture.
Cover the entire load with a light plastic cover.
Hold the weight of all packing cartons under 30 pounds. With a marking pen, list contents of each carton on the side. For load sizing, multiply length x width x height of each carton if that information is not already on the carton.
Completely fill all boxes.
Pack heavy items in small boxes.
Seal boxes with masking tape.

Prohibited Goods

Common sense and State fire laws determine what may be stored. You may NOT store perishables, liquids, explosives, flammable liquids and fuels, toxic materials or other items that require a controlled environment. You MUST remember to drain the fuel from gasoline engines before storage. Throw away anything that could possibly cause fire.
Freezing can be a problem. Do not store items that might break if frozen in non-climate controlled units.
Do not store any kind of illegal or controlled substance on our premises.
Do not store food or any item, which could attract rodents or pests.

Furniture

Apply a heavy coat of furniture polish before storing wood items. Some woods can be sensitive to moisture.
Don't use plastic to cover furniture items in non-climate storage as moisture can condense under it. Consider using sheets or cotton cloth.
If you stack furniture items, place pads, blankets, or towels between them to prevent scratching.
Walls may develop condensation; therefore, it is not advised to lean items against the walls.
Store couches on end, on a pallet to save floor space
Disassemble bed frames and tie them together with rope or plastic tape. Use zip-lock bags to store screws and bolts and tape them to the items that they belong to. Lash bed rails together. As you take beds apart, mark all pieces so you know which goes with which headboard, etc. Store frames in back corner to prevent them from falling over on other items.
Place covers on mattresses to keep them clean during moving and storage.
Stand mattress on something to allow airflow and to prevent moisture from getting to them.
Take lawn furniture apart.
Take tables apart, if possible. If a table will not dissemble, place padding on the floor and place the table on its top with the legs pointing up. Wrap table legs in paper.
Use dresser tops for stacking cartons and dresser drawers for linens or small, delicate items.
Keep upholstery off the floor.
Most lightweight chairs can be stacked "seat to seat" or placed upside down on tables, which cannot be dissembled. Protect all chair legs by wrapping them in packing paper. Leave slipcovers on upholstered chairs and cover them with plastic chair covers.
Make your bureau drawers earn their passage as extra packing boxes. Fill them with a few small and fragile items. Sweaters, blankets, and towels make excellent padding.

Lamps

Wrap large lamp bases in padding, wrap smaller lamps and place them in boxes, and pack delicate lampshades separately. Lamp bases ride securely in bureau drawers, freezers and washing machines. For safety, pad them well with towels and blankets.
Do not use newsprint to wrap lampshades or any other goods that may be damaged by ink stains.
Do not store heavy items on cartons containing lamps or lamp shades.

Pictures, Mirrors, Windows, and Screens

These items should be stored on edge, not flat.
Wrap pictures that are small and stand them on end in boxes. For larger ones, buy special picture boxes. Consider using foam or bubble wrap.

Electronic Equipment

Use the original boxes if possible, if you don't have them, pack items carefully and use cushion material. Bubble wrap, cushion foam, and even wadded up newspaper can be used a cushion material.
Pack items separately.
Tie down tone arms for record players.

Dishes and Glassware

Take your time when packing dishes and glassware.
Consider buying boxes designed for these items with dividers.
Keep dish pack cartons under 30 pounds for easy handling and safe riding.
Wrap each item with paper or foam. Add packing material to both the bottom and the top of the boxes. All glass items should be individually wrapped: nest cups and bowls and stand plates, saucers, and platters on edge. Wrapped glasses should be placed near the top of cartons. Fill all pockets with packing.
Label all boxes containing glassware and do not place heavy items on boxes containing glassware.

Clothing, Curtains, Drapes, and Bedding

Store drapes and clothing hanging on non-rusting hangers. You can buy wardrobe boxes designed for this. If hanging cartons are not available, such items should be carefully folded and stored in dresser drawers or cedar chests along with bedding and linens.
If storing wool items, use cedar chips and or mothballs to prevent moth damage.
Food crumbs or stains should be removed before storage and avoid storing anything that may attract pests.

Kitchenware

You can stack pots and pans with padding in between.
Bowls can be packed in a similar fashion.
Pack your drawer-type items in plastic bags and pack these bags in a box.
For tips on kitchen appliances, see the Appliances section.

Appliances

Always clean your appliances before moving them to storage and give utility companies a few days' notice to disconnect appliances.
You can put several small appliances in a box. Be sure to put packing material between them.
Tape doors shut while moving. Wedge doors open in storage to prevent mildew.
Refrigerators and/or freezers should be thoroughly dry and stored with doors slightly ajar.
Make sure that stoves and cooking equipment are thoroughly clean of any food residue before they are put in storage.
Secure all moveable parts with paper or wedge.
Wrap a paper pad around each item for protection.
Some goods can be stored inside large appliances and boxes can be stacked on top of stoves, refrigerators and freezers. Freezers, refrigerators, washers and dryers make excellent packing cartons for bedding, towels and clothing.

Books and Documents

Line all book cartons with plastic and fill empty spaces with packing paper. (Garbage bags work well as a liner).
Pack books together in small boxes. Big boxes of books can weigh too much to move.
Store your valuable papers in plastic bags.
Do not place cardboard boxes directly on concrete floors. Use pallets or skids to prevent any minimal moisture absorption.
Pack books flat to protect their spines.
Do not pack fragile items in the same box with books.

Holiday Decorations

Save the original cartons that contained delicate ornaments and pad the ornaments with packing paper or newsprint.
Wrap strings of lights around a piece of cardboard before placing in a carton lined with paper.

Records and CDs

Records should be stored on edge to prevent warping and use small boxes to hold down the weight.
Consider the temperature as heat can warp CDs and record albums.

Metals, Tools, and Bicycles

Wipe all metal objects including tools and bicycles with an oily rag before storing to prevent rust.
Insure that these items don't come in contact with other stored items.
Long-handled tools such as rakes, shovels and hoes should be clean, lightly oiled and tied in bundles.

DISCLAIMER: THIS INFORMATION IS PROVIDED TO HOPEFULLY HELP YOU WITH YOUR PACKING , MOVING, AND STORAGE NEEDS. IT IS OFFERED "AS IS" AND NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED IS OFFERED. THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO THE RESULTS AND PERFORMANCE OF THE TIPS IS ASSUMED BY THE USER. NO ORAL OR WRITTEN INFORMATION OR ADVICE GIVEN BY MERCER REALTY, INC., ITS AGENTS OR EMPLOYEES SHALL CREATE A WARRANTY AND YOU MAY NOT RELY ON ANY SUCH INFORMATION OR ADVICE.