The Art of Packing for Self Storage
The use of packing accessories such as cartons, tissue paper, tape, bubble-wrap and stretch film will maintain and protect your goods whilst in storage. Packing and labelling cartons makes unpacking much easier, and, if you need to find something in storage, you will have some idea of which carton to look for; especially if you make a separate list of the contents of all of the cartons as a reference.
As a general rule...
- Place large, heavy items that you can stack upon at the rear of the space. Then work forward and upward with lighter, fragile items.
- Place those items that you may need to access often in the front of the space.
- Depending on the goods you have stored, you may need to allow for walkways.
- Packing in professional storage cartons will make the storing and unpacking easier and safer, saving you time and worry.
- Professional packing and storage accessories will provide your goods with the preparation they need for storage and maintain their condition for the term of storage.
Fridges & Freezers
- Fridges and freezers should be thoroughly CLEAN and DRY before storing. While in storage, doors should be secured slightly ajar to stop condensation forming and help ward off bad odours.
- Make sure you defrost your fridge and freezer thoroughly before storing otherwise you will be leaving yourself open to water damage.
- Placing a deodoriser inside fridges or freezers is also a good idea to maintain freshness.
- Don't place items inside fridges or freezers as the shelves and linings can easily be marked or damaged.
Washing Machines
Drain washing machines before storing them and tie down hoses etc. Appliances should be CLEAN and DRY before storing. It will be worthwhile wiping the insides over with bicarbonate of soda before you store them.
Furniture & Upholstered Products
- Empty the contents of wardrobes, drawers, and cupboards to protect their shelving and structure.
- Where possible, remove the legs from items of furniture, e.g. bed bases, tables etc. to avoid damage and save space.
- Chairs can be stacked to save space. Cover chair legs with protective wrapping for extra protection.
- Clothing and personal goods should be packed in strong, secure cartons (e.g. wardrobe or clothes boxes) with mothballs or a similar product to protect them and maintain their condition.
- It’s not wise to place your clothes in bin liners as moisture can get trapped inside when they’re sealed and your clothes could be ruined. Similarly don’t pack items into sealed plastic bags as humidity can cause mildew.
- Vacuum food crumbs from lounge suites to prevent attracting vermin.
Invest in covers, bags or sheeting when storing upholstered products such as mattresses and sofas to give them additional protection.
- Mattresses are best stored on the long end and should be ideally raised above floor level or laid on protective sheeting.
Dishes & Glassware
- Place a layer of packing (e.g. scrunched paper or linen) inside the bottom and top of cartons containing breakables.
- Protect fragile items by wrapping them individually in packing paper (newsprint can be very messy and can stain). Nest cups and bowls. Stand plates, sauce platters, casserole dishes etc. on their edges. Bubble wrap is a good investment for fragile items and breakables.
- Fill any gaps in the cartons with packing. This will keep your fragile items well protected and prevent them from moving around in the cartons while in transit.
- Label all cartons containing fragile items and avoid storing heavy items on top of these cartons.
Mirrors, Windows, Lamps & Paintings
These items should be protected by packing material (e.g. bubble-wrap) or stored upright in a flat-pack carton (not lying flat). Separate lamp bases and lampshades before wrapping them for protection.
Photographs
Photographs can be heat-sensitive and may suffer temperature damage as the storage unit is not climate controlled.
Place loose photographs between pieces of clean cardboard and tape them together to avoid curling.
Metal Items
Wrapping silver in NON-ACID tissue paper or plastic bags can help reduce tarnishing. Wiping chrome or cast iron with a little machine oil will help to prevent rust.
Computer & Electrical Items
- Electrical equipment, which is very delicate and sensitive, should be handled with care. The original boxes are ideal to repack them in. However, wrapping items individually in bubble-wrap, packing them in cartons, and sealing the top will offer good protection for your electrical items.
- Remember to pack out any gaps in the cartons. Pack pictures, vinyl records etc on their edges to prevent warping.
- Computers, like your other electrical items, need special care. The original boxes are highly recommended for packing. However, bubble-wrap and high quality packing cartons will do the job.
- Remember to use some packing or linen in the bottom and top of cartons. This provides extra protection to the contents. Again, pack out any gaps.
- Modern computers have automatic "self-parking heads” for the hard drive. If you are unsure about your computer, refer to the manufacturer's manual, or consult your retailer or a computer expert, especially if storing for long periods of time.
Battery Operated Appliances & Toys
To avoid damage, we recommend the removal of batteries in your battery operated appliances and toys as batteries can leak.
Mowers & Other Machineries
Drain fuel and oil from all machinery. This will reduce the risk of leakage, spillage and damage to other goods in your space. Petrol and oil left in your machinery are also a fire hazard.
Moisture
Although our storage containers protect the contents from outside moisture, we cannot be responsible for any moisture already present in the contents that you store. This can then transfer to other items in the container and cause damage over prolonged periods.
We recommend Absorpole. Absorpole is based on the proven ability of calcium chloride to aggressively remove moisture from the air. Absorpole is easy to use and is designed to hang within a corrugation recess of the container side panel. Minimal space is occupied and accidental damage from forklifts during stuffing and un-stuffing is avoided. For your own peace of mind, when storing items that need to be kept 'bone dry' we strongly advise that you use two Absorpoles in your storage container they are not expensive and can last for up to six months.