Storage Tips

Get some tips on how to store your stuff in the correct way!

To ensure maximum protection of your possessions during storage, make sure that you use good quality packaging materials such as durable cardboard packing cartons, thick bubble-wrap, strong sticky tape and stretch film. These are all available for sale in our box shop.

Planning your packing and accurately labeling storage boxes makes unpacking much easier. Also if you need to find something urgently, you just need to read your labels!

As a general rule

01 Place large, heavy items that you can stack upon at the rear of the space. Then work forward and upward with lighter, fragile items.

02 Place those items that you may need to access often in the front of the space.

03 Depending on the goods you have stored, you may need to allow for walkways.

04 Packing in professional storage cartons will make the storing and unpacking easier and safer, saving you time and worry.

05 High quality packing and storage materials will provide your belongings with the protection they need to maintain their condition during storage

Fridges & Freezers

01 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.

02 Make sure you defrost your fridge and freezer thoroughly before storing otherwise you will be leaving yourself open to water damage

03 Placing a deodoriser inside fridges or freezers is also a good idea to maintain freshness.

04 Don't place items inside fridges or freezers as the shelves and linings can easily be marked or damaged.

Washing Machines

01 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

01 Empty the contents of wardrobes, drawers, and cupboards to protect their shelving and structure.

02 Where possible, remove the legs from items of furniture, e.g. bed bases, tables etc. to avoid damage and save space.

03 Chairs can be stacked seat to seat to save space. Cover chair legs with protective wrapping for extra protection.

04 Clothing and personal goods should be packed in strong, secure cartons (e.g. wardrobe or clothes boxes) with some naphthalene, mothballs, or similar product to protect them and maintain their condition.

05 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.

06 Vacuum food crumbs from lounges to prevent attracting vermin.

07 Invest in covers, bags or sheeting when storing upholstered products such as mattresses and sofas to give them additional protection.

08 Mattresses are best stored on the long end and should be ideally raised above floor level or laid on protective sheeting.

Dishes & Glassware

01 Place a layer of packing (e.g. scrunched paper or linen) inside the bottom and top of cartons containing breakables.

02 Protect fragile items by wrapping them individually in packing paper (newsprint can be very messy and can possibly 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.

03 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.

04 Label all cartons containing fragile items and avoid storing heavy items on top of these cartons.

Mirrors, Windows, Lamps & Paintings

01 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

01 Place loose photographs between pieces of clean cardboard and tape them together to avoid curling. Photographs are heat-sensitive and will suffer temperature damage if the storage is not climate controlled.

Metal Items

01 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 retard rust.

Computers & Electrical Equipment

01 Electrical equipment, which is very delicate and sensitive, should be handled with care. The original boxes are ideal to repack in. However, wrapping items individually in bubble-wrap, packing them in cartons, and sealing the top will offer good protection for your electrical items.

02 Remember to pack out any gaps in the cartons. Pack pictures, vinyl records etc on their edges to prevent warping.

03 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.

04 Remember to use some packing or linen in the bottom and top of cartons. This provides extra protection to the contents. Pack out any gaps.

Battery Operated Appliances & Toys

01 We recommend the removal of batteries in your battery operated appliances and toys to avoid any damage, as batteries can leak.

Machinery

01 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 is also a fire hazard.