1.
Appliances and Large Furniture
First, if you plan on storing wood furniture for
long time and are subject to extremes in humidity
and temperature, consider climate control. Wood is
hygroscopic, meaning it gives up moisture in a dry
atmosphere and takes on moisture in a damp one. A
good coat of wax or furniture oil is the very best
thing you can do for your furniture before exiling
it into storage.
HOT
TIP
:
use furniture and large
appliances as extra storage space for linens,
clothing and blankets etc. Just make sure that that
washing machine or dryer is thoroughly dry. You don’t
want mold and mildew greeting you next time in. Leave doors cracked.
Store sofas as they would normally sit, and you can
always use them for storing lighter items such as
fluffy pillows. Leaving a space between the walls of
the storage unit and furniture to avoid moisture
damage from condensation.
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2.
Arts, Crystal, Fine China
Accept it. You’re going to forget… what is what
and… what is where… in your mountain of
boxes, so pack it carefully and mark it plainly with
"Fragile" in large letters, and on more
than one side. If you have to, restack so that
lighter items end up on top and don’t get crushed.
Picture boxes ($4-5) can be used for artwork. Paper
pads work just as well. The trick is to store
artwork upright and off the ground to protect
against mold.
There are special boxes with dividers for china and
crystal. Don’t cheap out here. Use them.
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3.
Books, Photos, Documents
Here’s a way to save your back and keep
your friends. Pack books in small boxes.
Also: pack books flat. Packing them upright can
damage the spines.
HOT
TIP:
Consider lining book boxes with plastic or
placing boxes on pallets in case of water
leakage. One damaged box can make what was a
handsome law library worthless.
Plastic storage baggies (Zip Locks) are ideal for
valuable documents. Photographs curl up over time,
so place them flat between sheets of cardboard and
tape shut.
HOT
TIP:
For priceless photos, keep negatives in a safe
deposit box (they don’t take up that much
space), or scan the photos and burn them onto a
CD.
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4.
Clothing and Linens
For as little as $11 you can store your clothes in
a wardrobe box. Plastic ones with metal frames
cost more, but not a lot more. Whichever
you choose, use plastic hangers and toss in some
mothballs or cedar chips for sweaters and wools.
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5.
Computers and Electronics
Store electronics in separate boxes and use plenty
of padding. Back up all computer files and either
keep the disk with you or put it in a safe deposit
box.
HOT
TIP:
Remove toner cartridges and fax film from
copiers and fax machines. If you have a high
volume business copier, call your leasing
company or manufacturer and ask if you are
required to notify them prior to moving the
machine. You could be invalidating your
warranty.
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6.
Vehicles, Boats and RVs
Put antifreeze in the cooling system or drain water
lines to prevent freezing.
Tires must be inflated and gas tank must be
completely full or completely empty. All glass must
be in tact. Current tags and insurance are a must
for all motorized vehicles.
HOT
TIP:
Is there an outlet available so that you can hook
up a trickle charger for dead batteries?
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7.
More Hot Tips…
Map out how you will place everything within the
unit so that you can access
all of your items.
See… storage tips…
for an illustration.
The StorageWorks has all the packing supplies you
need.
Check
out what we have in stock.
