If you have to leave your current home, but no new accommodation is available yet, you may be able to temporarily live with friends or relatives. But what do you do with all your household goods in the meantime? In that case, our moving company offers you the solution of a safe, temporary furniture storage. As with all kinds of other things in life, when using a storage, good preparation is half the work. That is why we would like to present you with 7 tips in this article, so that you will get the most benefit from the storage of your things.
Tip 1: Use sturdy packaging material
You can, of course, raid the box office of your local supermarket before moving your belongings, but chances are that you will only end up with mediocre quality cardboard boxes. Instead, buy a series of special moving boxes from a hardware store. These boxes are made of extra thick and sturdy cardboard, so that you can also effortlessly transport heavier items. Separately, DIY stores also have moving boxes for special purposes, such as transporting books and clothing. In this way, all your household goods reach the storage in the safest possible way.
Tip 2: don't save on protection material
It goes without saying that you are careful with your possessions. Especially when it comes to fragile things, extra good packing is a must. You can use old newspapers or wrapping paper for this. However, do you want even more security? Then invest in one or more rolls of bubble wrap. Whichever method you choose, avoid packing your fragile items too tightly. This can lead to damage due to possible pressure on the box during transport. If you transport several fragile items in one box, fill that box with a layer of wads of paper before you put the fragile items in it. When packing, also avoid stacking too many fragile items on top of each other. The weight of the top items could therefore cause damage to the items below. To be on the safe side, always put a few wads of paper on top of your fragile belongings before closing the box.
Tip 3: Stick one or more clear labels on all boxes
It may sound obvious, but there are plenty of people who forget to do this. By sticking labels on all your moving boxes with a brief description of the contents, you can prevent a lot of hassle. If you store your things for a few weeks or months, there is a good chance that you will need something in one of those boxes in the meantime. Without labels on the boxes, that can be quite a search. You can be even more careful by sticking a red, yellow or orange colored label on boxes with a fragile content, so that you can immediately see which boxes you need to handle with extra care when entering the storage facility.
Tip 4: disassemble your furniture
This tip probably doesn't apply to all your furniture, but for the items where it is possible, disassembling it can save you a lot of storage space. And if certain pieces of furniture are not easy to take apart, you may be able to use them in another smart way in storage. For example, you can offer boxes with fragile items extra protection by placing them under a table, and the empty spaces of non-removable cabinets offer you practical storage options. Always clean your furniture thoroughly before transporting it to storage. This often also means an extra deep cleaning of your sofa and your mattress(es).
If you really want to be absolutely sure that the hygienic condition of your furniture remains optimal during storage, wrap it in plastic. Special covers are also available for mattresses. To ensure that the lying comfort of your mattress remains optimal even after some time of storage, it is advisable to store your mattress flat - and therefore not upright.
Tip 5: Remove oil and batteries
If you are also planning to store a motorcycle (lawn) mower or a scooter for a longer period of time, it is wise to remove the oil and/or petrol beforehand. This way you prevent problems with leaks. The same also applies to devices that run on batteries. Remove the batteries first before packing these types of items in a moving box. If you don't, there is a chance that these batteries will also leak, causing damage to the device in question and possibly even making it completely unusable.
Tip 6: extra protection for clothing
Of course it is possible to simply fold all your clothes neatly in a standard moving box. But if you require extra care, it is better to opt for one or more so-called wardrobe boxes. Assuming that you have cleaned and dried your garments optimally, these types of boxes offer you perfect protection against moisture and moths. In that case, you don't have to worry that your clothes will start to smell musty during storage. Instead of wardrobe boxes, you can also choose to hide a few sheets of moth paper between your items of clothing in a regular moving box. You can also maintain the optimum quality of your garments by using special plastic bags that have a valve, so that you can vacuum them - for example with a vacuum cleaner.
Tip 7: store white goods in a smart way
All the white goods in your house are equipped with rubbers. Make sure that all those rubbers are properly cleaned before you transport these devices to storage. To prevent the rubber from drying out and cracking during storage, sprinkle it with talcum powder after cleaning and drying. During storage, always make sure that the door of, for example, the refrigerator and washing machine remains open. This also helps to prevent damage to the rubber.
