Maximizing Furniture Storage in Self Storage Facilities
Furniture can be heavy and unwieldy, making storage a challenge. This guide from ClearHome will help you understand the best furniture storage practices.
As you move between apartments or reorganize your home to open more living room, a self storage unit can offer a secure, environmentally shielded space that protects your furniture and keeps it ready for use when you need it.
Whether you’re holding onto heirloom pieces, seasonal furniture, or items that don’t fit into your current living space, ClearHome’s vast selection of storage solutions is at your disposal. Starting with the basics, let’s explore the essential tips you should remember to help you maximize your furniture storage space.
Picking the Right Unit
Choosing the right unit is the first and most crucial step in maximizing your furniture storage. Everyone’s furniture storage needs are unique and depend on the quantity and variety of furniture you need to store. There are many factors to consider before choosing your unit, and some important questions to ask include:
- How much vertical room will I need?
- How wide should the doors be to fit my furniture into my unit?
- Am I able to stack certain pieces of furniture to save space, or would that be a risk to their quality?
Thankfully, our self storage size guide can help you answer these questions with a user-friendly interface that provides a visual estimate of exactly how much room you have to work with across all our unit sizes.
A few chairs may fit comfortably in a 5×5 unit, while large tables and sofas may require significantly more space. While you are ultimately the best judge of your storage needs, for general-purpose furniture storage, 10×10 storage units are a popular and highly capable choice. They offer ample space for various furniture items while still being manageable and cost-effective.
Protecting Your Furniture Properly
As you maximize the space in your storage unit, be mindful of your furniture’s fragility and make sure it’s adequately protected from bumps or scratches. When stacking tables, chairs, and other pieces of furniture atop each other, take extra care in padding the tops and sides with Bubble Wrap, moving blankets, or other protective materials. This cushioning helps prevent damage from accidental knocks and maintains the integrity of your pieces.
For larger items like sofas and mattresses, standing them on their ends can save space and reduce the risk of pressure damage. However, make sure to place them on a clean surface, preferably elevated on wooden pallets or plastic sheets, to prevent moisture absorption from the ground.
Plastic wrap or specialized furniture covers are excellent ways to protect against dust and moisture. Wooden furniture, in particular, can suffer from exposure to fluctuating temperatures and humidity levels. Keeping them covered can protect them from warping, cracking, or otherwise deteriorating as conditions change throughout the year. Reach out to ClearHome to learn about our moving and packing supplies available at your local facility.
Organizing Your Furniture Strategically
Unlike business inventory, landscaping equipment, or any other items you might store, furniture often sees the least amount of recurring use. Therefore, it can be beneficial to focus on saving space over accessibility to make the most of your unit. However, it’s still wise to keep any items you expect to remove more frequently toward the front of the unit. This minimizes the effort needed to access these pieces without disrupting your entire storage setup.
Just as you would in a moving truck, place the largest and bulkiest items toward the back of the unit and unload these items first so you can pack your other, smaller furniture around, atop, or under them. This approach helps in creating a stable base and allows for efficient use of vertical space. Items like dressers, bookshelves, and large tables should form the foundation of your storage arrangement, with lighter and smaller items filling in the gaps.
3 Tips To Remember While Organizing Your Storage Unit
Before you start packing your unit, let’s go over three of our most important furniture storage reminders to help you unload your vehicle and pack your unit efficiently.
Lift With Your Legs
Furniture, especially hardwood pieces, can be among the heaviest items stored in a unit, presenting a significant risk of injury if mishandled. To avoid strain, always remember to lift with your legs rather than your back. Bend at your knees, keep the item close to your body, and lift using your leg muscles.
Moving Blankets Are Magic
A moving blanket can reduce friction between your furniture and the ground, taking a significant weight off your shoulders. It is also an excellent method to help avoid scratches caused by sliding furniture like tables across rough surfaces such as concrete or asphalt. While any blanket could do the job, a purpose-built moving blanket is designed to carry immense weight, so you won’t have to worry about it tearing while you move. These blankets are padded and durable, providing optimal protection for your furniture during transit and storage.
Some Disassembly Required
Many pieces of furniture are designed to be collapsible or are easily reassembled after being taken apart. Wherever possible, remove legs from tables and chairs, take apart bed frames, and disassemble lamps that can be easily reassembled later. This reduces the overall volume of your furniture and makes it easier to stack and store.
Maximize Your Furniture Storage With ClearHome Self Storage
Keep your living space clear of clutter while your furniture remains in trusted hands. Let us help you make the most of your storage experience by renting a unit from a ClearHome facility near you. Find your unit online and reserve your rental from the comfort of your own home today.