Tips for Putting Your Belongings in Long-Term Storage

Ayla P.R. Representative with Moving Made Smooth, Inc. ​

Special care should always be given to items that may be sitting in storage for an extended period of time. Many hazards exist that can damage or destroy them. Moisture, dust, stains, rust, and insects, to name a few, can all be detrimental to your stored belongings. In this blog, I aim to reduce or possibly even eliminate the threat that these hazards pose to your possessions.

Items to Protect your Belongings
The short list below will help you to protect anything from clothing to furniture to appliances.
•    Desiccant/silica gel- this absorbs moisture from the air.
•    Cedar chips or balls- these repel insects.
•    tarps, old (clean) bed sheets, or furniture covers- to protect from dust.
•    motor oil- inhibits rust formation
•    packing paper- to prevent damage/dust formation.

How to Use These Items
Desiccant: Any electronic device, cloth, or paper materials placed into long-term storage should be protected with desiccant. This can be easily done by placing silica gel packets inside a box or container that has these items stored inside. It is also a good idea to place a few larger desiccant containers around the walls of the storage unit. Desiccant can be easily purchased at Walmart, many hardware stores, or online.

Cedar Chips or Balls: These are a great alternative to traditional moth balls.  They smell nice and they will not damage materials, as moth balls sometimes can. I suggest putting these inside small cloth bags, similar to what you would see used for potpourri (an example of these bags is shown on the left). Then place the bags in your containers or set them near any stored upholstered furniture.

Tarps, Old Sheets, Or Furniture Covers: It is very important to protect furniture from dust during long-term storage. Dust that is allowed to settle on your furniture can and will eventually stain it. I recommend purchasing slipcovers or covering furniture with tarps/old bedding. If you decide to use old bedding, be sure it is thoroughly washed because organic material (like your sweat or dead skin) will attract insects and other pests.

Motor Oil: First and foremost, any kitchen appliance should be thoroughly cleaned before going into storage. Leaving any food residue will cause pests to infest the storage unit. To protect your precleaned appliances from rust, use a very small amount of motor oil applied to a cloth and wipe off the exposed surfaces of the appliance. This is also a nifty way to prevent rust on yard tools, bicycles, or any other metal item.

Packing Paper: Fragile items should be wrapped in packing paper and put in boxes. Be sure to fill any empty spaces in the box with more crumpled paper to prevent items from shifting and the box from being crushed. Notice that I said packing paper and not newsprint. Newsprint's ink can often transfer to the surface of the item you are trying to pack over time. Remember to pack books flat to prevent damage to the spine. Records and plates should be packed on edge, wrapped in plenty of packing paper, and the box should also be lined with plenty of paper. Be sure to mark any fragile items as such on the outside of the box or container.

Feel free to leave comments down below, but try to keep the posts relevant to the blog. For Instance, if you have any ideas for a blog you would like to see written (on the topic of moving/relocation) or you have a question about a topic the blog has covered, leave a comment. Thank you for reading!