How to Properly Store Antique Furniture in a Self Storage Unit in Randburg

Antiques can be priceless, both in monetary and sentimental value. That means it’s important to store your vintage items in the correct way when they’re not on display in your home. If you’re keeping them in a storage unit, here are some of our best tips for you to ensure your beautiful furniture remains looking as elegant as ever.

It all depends on what type of furniture we’re talking about. Let’s take a look at how to store wooden furniture and cushioned furniture.

How to Store Wooden Furniture

• Safely storing wooden furniture starts weeks before you intend to move it into the storage unit. First, apply wax or rich wood oil to keep it from drying out and forming cracks.
• Then, when you’re ready to move, take it apart as far as you can. Any glass parts should be wrapped in bubble wrap. Drawers should be removed and wrapped in towels to keep dust off them.
• Once the item is in its constituent parts and you’ve moved it into storage, place breathable fabrics over it—cotton sheets work well.
• Finally, elevate it off the ground to prevent any type of damp or water seeping into the unit, damaging it.

Cushioned furniture

It’s a bit trickier to safely store cushioned antique items because they can so easily grow mould if not cared for correctly.

• Just like with wooden furniture, you’ll want to consider cleaning your cushioned items a few weeks before storing them. You can use a good anti-bacterial cleaner to wash the cushioning and, if there’s wooden parts to the item, remember to wax or oil those. You’ll want to do this a long while before storing because you want the item to dry completely first.
• If there’s leather, wax or polish it completely before moving it into a storage unit—this gives it an extra layer of defence against mould and damp.
• Resist the urge to stack your antique furniture on top of one another; a lack of airflow can create conditions for mould to grow.
• Once again, we suggest you store your pieces elevated off the ground.

Weatherproof Storage

Because antique pieces are so prone to damage like cracking and mould, the best way to keep them in tip-top shape is to opt for a storage facility that offers weatherproof units. You won’t have to worry about your antique furniture getting damaged by weather.

How Not to Store Vintage Furniture

Here are a few tips on what not to do when storing your antiques, whether it is living room furniture like an antique armchair or a piece of history like a wedding chair that has been passed down for generations.

Don’t:

• Place it into a storage unit if it’s dirty. Not only does this create the perfect conditions for mould but it can create smells that can even travel to other storage units.
• Stack your furniture on top of each other. We suggest you rather get a larger storage unit so you can adequately keep your furniture in the correct arrangement. In fact, it’s best to stand furniture the way it’s meant to stand—upright. That includes mirrors, tables, chairs, and anything else with legs.
• Store your antique furniture for too long. Even if you prep and store everything in the correct way, unless you’re using a climate-controlled unit, eventually the elements will start to destroy your pieces.
• Forget about the transport process. If you want to keep your vintage items looking good, make sure to prepare them for transport to the storage unit. At Easy Store, we drop off our storage units at your home. Then, either you can store them how you see fit, or let our experts help you to pack. We understand what it takes to safely and correctly store all types of items, from vintage to modern furniture.
• Leave items intact if parts can be removed. This leaves nooks and crannies where mould, dust and cracks can form.
• Forget to cover your furniture, or cover it with the wrong kind of material. Wooden and cushioned furniture needs to breathe—but not so much that they don’t need protection at all. As mentioned, cotton is the best fabric to cover with for an added layer of protection. Don’t use plastic wrap or heavy PU material. These create the perfect environment for moisture to form.
• Forget about weatherproofing. Many priceless pieces of history have been lost over the years due to weather damage. Don’t let your mahogany furniture or leather furniture suffer the same fate.

If you have antique items that you need to store, trust our weatherproof storage units in Randburg. Whether it’s an old wood table, a wooden cabinet, or your grandmother’s century-old dining table and chairs, we’ve got the right size and type of storage unit for you. Contact us on 086 11 00 222 or email at info@easystore.co.za.