Whether you need to store your possessions for a short amount of time while you relocate or if you need a longer term storage solution, a lot of thought and planning is always needed. It’s not worth cutting corners in the long run, as incorrect storage can damage your personal possessions.
Photos/Books/Records
Paper, and photographs especially, tend to curl over time. Packing them flat into well-fitting boxes will keep them in good condition. Resting books on the edges or spines could save space and pack more in, but may damage them – a better way to store these is to stack them up flat on their fronts or backs. The same goes for vinyl covers, photo albums, or any other object with a paper or cardboard jacket or a delicate spine.
Vacuum Packing
You can purchase packing bags to use with your own vacuum cleaner at home. You simply stuff your fabric or soft furnishings into the bag, and then attach the nozzle of your cleaner to suck out the air that plumps up your pillows, flattening them down for easier transportation and reduce the space they take up in storage.
Duvets and other soft furnishings usually will not suffer from being vacuum packed. However, you may want to think twice before you treat expensive or precious fabrics in this way. Vacuum packing a wedding or prom dress or suit will protect it and save space, but will likely crease them quite badly. If they are delicate or dry-clean-only, then garment boxes with a rail are a much better option.
Liquids
You want to keep as much moisture as possible out of the environment to prevent mould. Bottles or jars should be securely fastened and carefully packed with scrunched paper. Things like perfume and cosmetics, you’re likely to want to keep as they’re not cheap to replace – but you have to ask yourself whether the risk of releasing moisture, smell and potentially mould from that half a jar of pickled onions smashing or spilling into your storage environment is really worth the risk!
Metal
Metal furniture or tools can degrade, discolour or rust over time, even if they are of high quality. A good way to protect these is to wipe them over with a rag that has a very tiny amount of machine oil or a similar protective substance on it. If you do decide to do this - especially important if you’re planning on storing it for a long period of time – then you absolutely must ensure that both the metal and your other items are properly covered, preferably with plastic sheets.
Newspaper
Items like mirrors, glass ornaments or crockery can often be safely stored in newspaper because any transfer of ink can be easily wiped off. However, if your items aren’t so easy to clean, like fabric, leather, wood, or paper, then it’s better to use a plain scrunch that will not transfer marks.
Choosing Storage
For ordinary household or commercial storage, a fully climate controlled environment is not necessary - choosing a storage environment that has more than one layer of protection is usually enough. Our double-skinned storage building and high quality wooden storage crates provide three layers of protection that are more than adequate to protect against the variable temperatures and moisture that can damage paper, wood, wicker or fabrics.
Choosing Storage Boxes
The quality of the packing inside the storage containers is just as important as picking the right environment. If you invest in low-quality cardboard boxes to hold your items, there is a high chance that they will collapse over time when stacked up. Spillage of your breakables or photographs will undo any care you took storing them in the first place. Unlike re-used boxes, new cardboard is also extremely unlikely to have absorbed moisture, dust or dirt. For most items a good quality cardboard box will be enough, but if you have highly delicate or sensitive items then stackable plastic boxes might be the best option.
There’s a lot to think about when it comes to storage, so if you’re looking for a trusted, experienced removal company in Chippenham or the surrounding South West area to guide you through it, contact Intransit on 01225 759200 and get some advice or a quote.
