How To Prepare Antique Furniture For Storage

Antique furniture is unique in that it often holds a great deal of monetary value in addition to the sentimental value. However, like all pieces of furniture, antiques can take up a great deal of living space in your room. If you want to free up some room, you may want to consider putting your collection of antique furniture in a self-storage unit. However, before you do so, it's important that you adequately prepare your furniture to ensure that it does not become damaged and lose its value while in storage.

Cleaning

First things first, you should give all of your furniture a deep clean. The type of cleaning that this entails largely depends on what type of materials your antiques are made out of. Wood should be waxed, metal should be oiled, and leather should be treated with specialized leather cleaning materials. Upholstery should most likely be cleaned by a professional to ensure a thorough cleaning and that the material does not become damaged.

Packing

Next, you should disassemble your antique furniture, if it is at all possible. This means taking off table and chair legs, armrests, and other smaller components. This makes it easier for you to pack your antiques into a moving vehicle, and that can help ensure that smaller and more delicate components do not become broken during the move or while in storage. Be sure to bag up all the screws and smaller parts and clearly label them so that you're able to reassemble your furniture once you take it out of storage. Use bubble wrap, clean blankets, or other cushioning materials to protect your antiques from scratches and minor physical damage.

Insurance

Depending on the actual value of your antique furniture, you may want to consider taking out an insurance policy on your items. While it won't prevent your antiques from actually becoming damaged, it will help ensure that you are compensated in the event that they do break.

Climate Control

While not a preparation technique for your antiques specifically, it is a good idea to consider renting a climate controlled self-storage unit. While these types of storage units represent an increased long term cost, they provide a much higher degree of protection to your antiques by regulating the humidity and temperature levels within the unit, helping to ensure that wood does not warp, metal does not rust, and leather and upholstery does not become infested with mold, pests, or other undesirable substances.

For more information and options, talk with a company that offers furniture storage, such as Allen's Transfer.

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