Storing Valuables in Outside Storage

Published on 1/10/2023
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Appalachian Storage is a non-climate-controlled storage facility. Our units are exposed to all four weather seasons, meaning we have fluctuating temperatures and possible extreme weather conditions. This type of storage is similar to storing your furniture in your garage. Here are a few things to keep in mind and some preventive tips that might save your items from damage.    

·    Wooden Furniture: Wooden furniture is highly susceptible to cracking, warping, splitting, and breaking when exposed to extreme changes in temperature and humidity.

·    Upholstered Items: Depending on the fabric, furniture like couches, chairs, and other upholstered pieces tend to attract insects and unwanted pests. 

·    Electronics: Especially if you live in a cold area, it’s never a good idea to store electronics like flat-screen TVs, gaming systems, or computers in a storage unit. Extreme coldness and humidity can cause the metal to contract, ruin internal circuit boards, and more.

Steps to Prepare Your Items for Storage:

  1. Clean and dry everything thoroughly. Any moisture or grime can attract mold.
  2. Take everything apart. Disassemble anything you can for individual packing.
  3. Wrap furniture for long-term storage. Whether with plastic sheeting or a moving blanket, ensure everything is covered in your storage unit. Use old sheets, blankets, drop cloths, or plastic wrap to cover the pieces and protect them from dust and moisture. Take care not to wrap furniture with thick plastic covers that will seal in moisture. This can create condensation, leading the furniture to swell eventually. But don’t wrap items too tight! Make sure your items can breathe by loosely draping the material over the furniture.
  4. Cover the floor. This step is crucial for non-climate-controlled storage. This can be done by placing plastic sheeting on the floor under your items. This prevents moisture from seeping into your items. Placing items on pallets can also achieve this goal. Do not put blankets on the floor, as this will attract moisture and transfer it to your items.
  5. Raise furniture off the floor. Use pallets or cinder blocks to raise off the floor.