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It may not be the most glamorous aspect of your planned adventure, but taking care of what you're leaving behind will help get you in the right frame of mind to enjoy the carefree days ahead. If you need to put items into storage, here are some simple and cost-effective tips to ensure their well being while you're away.
Fabrics & leather items
Pack clothes and other fabrics loosely so they can breathe. Avoid placing them against wood and check for any additional measures you may need to take for specific fabrics. Delicate fabrics, for example, should be interleaved with muslin or similar acid-free tissue. Leather too, needs to be able to breathe. Be sure to fold straps so as to avoid creasing and allowing buckles to leave an impression. Also - bubble wrap makes better stuffing than tissue paper.
Crockery and glassware
Arm yourself with plenty of paper and ask your self-storage facility for strong boxes - preferably the type with built-in supports. Individually wrap glasses, but nest bowls and cups. Plates can stand on their edge. Once boxed, fill the spaces between your items with additional packing material and place the box at the top of any stack in your unit - avoid placing anything heavy on top of crockery and glassware.
Books
The golden rule with books is to use plenty of small boxes instead of fewer large ones. Books are heavy and difficult to move around in large quantities. Another tip is to store them horizontally as opposed to vertically. This way, their spines stay in good condition.
Furniture
Wood varnish will protect wooden furniture from moisture, while dismantling flat pack items will also help to prolong their life. Remember to keep the fixings close - preferably in a small bag taped to the item - and place cloth between the individual components.
If you have a leather or micro-fibre sofa, it will be fine stored vertically. If you're moving the sofa yourself, double fold several blankets on the floor to give the sofa's weight-bearing arm a soft surface. Sofas upholstered with silkier fabrics are best placed horizontally. Either way, plastic wrapping provides a further level of protection - and will prevent any hungry pests getting access to your sofa.
Mattresses can be placed in special bags available at supermarkets and DIY stores. These bags keep mattresses dry and help them retain their shape. The controlled temperature of a modern self storage facility will help to keep the mattress in top condition.
Metal
Metal items such as filing cabinets will benefit from a rust protector or a wiping down with an oily rag. And for this purpose, even the cheapest oil is absolutely fine.
At Big Yellow Self Storage you can store things of all shapes & sizes, with room sizes from 9 sq ft up to 400 sq ft for as long as you'd like for as little as a week, month, year or as long you'd like.
