Whether you are moving or just need to free up some more space in your home, long-term storage offers many advantages. However, before placing items in storage for a long time, there are a few guidelines you need to know to protect your stuff from insects, the elements, and dust.
Here are four guidelines to packing items for long-term storage:
1. Get the right packing supplies
Contact your packaging supplier to order wholesale packing supplies to store your items. At the minimum you will need strong, sturdy boxes, some filling/padding material, and packing tape.
2. Pad boxes before packing
Especially before packing delicate, fragile items, it’s important to provide adequate cushioning for your stuff. Pad boxes from the inside with newspaper, plastic bags, or ideally unprinted packing paper. This layer of padding also helps protect against moisture.
3. Use shrink wrap
This is particularly important if you are opting for an outdoor or non-climate controlled storage unit. Shrink wrapping your items and boxes can help protect them from the layers of dust and grime that will inevitably build up over the months and years. This is an absolute must for rugs and padded furniture that have porous, dust-absorbing surfaces.
4. Use moving pads
To protect your stuff from unexpected falls, shocks, and vibrations both while in storage and during the moving process, use moving pads. This gives you one more layer of protection on top of the shrink wrap you are already using.
By now you should have a solid understanding of how to prepare your stuff for long-term storage. It’s not difficult to get items ready for storage, but a few precautions upfront will ensure that when you finally take items out of storage, they’ll still be in great condition.
