Furniture is actually one of the main reasons people put in a storage unit. Whether you’re between homes, midway through a renovation, or simply making room for a growing family, the sofa and the dining table are the things that need somewhere to go. They’re also the items most likely to come out of storage worse than they went in if they aren’t prepared properly.

The good news is that storing furniture well isn’t complicated. It just takes a little preparation before moving day and some care in how you load the unit. Here’s what we’d recommend to anyone bringing furniture into one of our Dublin facilities.

Clean everything before it goes in

It’s tempting to skip this step when you’re up against a moving deadline, but it makes a real difference. Any crumbs, dust or moisture left on furniture when it goes into storage will still be there months later, and in some cases will have caused damage in the meantime.

Give wooden pieces a wipe down and a coat of furniture polish or wax, which helps protect the finish while it’s stored. Vacuum sofas and armchairs thoroughly, getting into the crevices where crumbs like to hide. Wipe down metal frames and legs with a dry cloth. If anything is upholstered and washable, like cushion covers, launder them and make sure they’re completely dry before packing.

That last point matters more than any other. Anything that goes into storage damp, even slightly, can develop a musty smell or worse over time. Dry everything properly and you’ve avoided the most common furniture storage problem before it starts.

Take apart what you can

Dismantling furniture takes a bit of effort on the way in, but it pays off twice. Flat items are far easier to carry and much less likely to get knocked or scratched in transit, and they take up considerably less room in your unit, which might even mean you can book a smaller size.

Bed frames, dining tables and wardrobes are the usual candidates. Remove legs from tables and sofas where they unscrew, take doors off wardrobes if the hinges allow, and disassemble bed frames into their component parts. Keep all the screws, bolts and fixings for each item together in a labelled freezer bag, and tape the bag securely to the piece it belongs to. Six months from now, you’ll be very glad you did.

If you have the original assembly instructions, tape those on too. If not, take a few photos on your phone as you take each piece apart. It makes reassembly far less of a puzzle.

Wrap and protect, but let things breathe

The right wrapping protects furniture from dust, scuffs and scratches. The wrong wrapping can trap moisture against the surface and cause more harm than good.

For sofas, mattresses and anything upholstered, use breathable covers or old cotton sheets rather than sealing them tightly in plastic. For wooden furniture, soft blankets or bubble wrap around corners and edges will guard against knocks, and a dust sheet draped over the top keeps everything clean. Mirrors and glass table tops should be wrapped individually in bubble wrap, marked as fragile, and stored upright rather than flat.

If you need supplies, our box shop stocks bubble wrap, protective sheeting and covers, so you can pick everything up when you arrive rather than making a separate trip.

Load your unit with care

How you arrange furniture inside the unit matters just as much as how you wrap it. A few habits will keep everything in good condition and save you hassle later.

Place heavier, sturdier items at the bottom and towards the back, and never stack anything heavy on top of upholstered pieces. Sofas should sit on their feet as they would at home, not balanced on their arms or ends, which can warp frames over time. Mattresses are best stored flat if space allows, since standing them on their side for long periods can cause them to sag out of shape.

Resist the urge to pack the unit completely solid. Leaving small gaps between items allows air to move around, and keeping a narrow path to the back means you can retrieve something without unloading half the unit. If you know you’ll want certain items sooner, keep them near the door.

Choose the right storage environment

Even perfectly prepared furniture needs a decent place to sit. Our units are indoors, clean and dry, which is exactly what wood, fabric and leather want, since they’re sensitive to damp and to big swings in temperature. Each unit is individually alarmed, covered by 24 hour CCTV, and secured with your own lock and key, so your belongings stay exactly as you left them.

You also have 24 hour access as a customer, which is handy when you’re mid-move and realise at nine in the evening that the one thing you need is the coffee table you stored last week.

Ready to make some space?

With a bit of cleaning, some careful wrapping and a sensible loading plan, your furniture will come out of storage in the same condition it went in, whether that’s in three months or three years.

If you’re planning a move or a renovation and need somewhere for your furniture to wait it out, get in touch with the team or drop into one of our Dublin facilities. We’ll help you find the right sized unit, and our free van service can even help you get everything here.