For many Americans, the furniture they purchase to decorate their homes represents a substantial investment. That’s especially true of fine furniture created using wood and leather, which is expensive and relatively fragile. If you need to store wood and leather-clad furniture, storing it correctly is critical so that, after storage, it’s still in excellent condition.
If you’re looking into how to store wood and leather furniture, you’ve come to the right spot. Keep reading to learn the best tips and tricks for keeping your wood and leather items safe and looking their best.
Tip- Choose a Temperature-Controlled Storage Unit
Temperature-controlled storage units are specialized storage units that try to prevent temperature fluctuations. Extreme heat or cold can damage and even destroy fine leather and wood furniture, so preventing that from happening is a must. In a temperature-controlled storage unit, the temperature is maintained between a specific level year-round so that extreme heat or cold is usually not an issue.
Tip- Clean Your Furniture Well before Storage
You might be surprised to learn that any type of gunk, grime, food, or even body oil on furniture can be problematic when your furniture is being stored. Minor stains can quickly turn into big, ugly stains during storage. Even the smallest food stains can attract pests like bugs and rodents, destroying your fine furniture. For these reasons, thoroughly cleaning your furniture before storage is a must. Remove dust, dirt, moisture, food stains, and anything else that shouldn’t be there.
Hack- Disassemble Your Furniture when Possible
Disassembling fine furniture is recommended for several reasons. First, once disassembled, you can move larger pieces of furniture much more quickly. That’s especially true of, for example, dining room hutches and tables. Once disassembled, It’s also easier to wrap the individual parts with moving or paper pads. Yes, some wood and leather furniture won’t disassemble, so you’ll have to deal with it as it is. For anything that can be disassembled, however, it should be.
Tip- Wrap Furniture with the Correct Materials
If, for example, you’re storing your wood and leather furniture for one or two months, wrapping it with plastic would be a good idea. However, for long-term storage, you should avoid using plastic wrap as it prevents air circulation that can allow mold and mildew to form. It is better to use paper pads or moving pads instead. (Northwest sells pads and other moving supplies at most of our self-storage locations.)
Hack- Apply Leather Conditioner before Putting Furniture into Long-Term Storage
Even if you wrap and store your leather furniture perfectly, the leather itself can still dry out during long-term storage. Therefore, if long-term storage is your plan, applying leather conditioner to your leather furniture beforehand is a good choice. Consider using furniture wax or polish to wood furniture to give it an extra layer of protection and also keep it from drying out and cracking during storage. Once you apply your conditioner, wax, or polish, be sure to wrap your leather and wood furniture in breathable fabrics, as discussed earlier.
Hack- Rotate Your Furniture While It’s Being Stored
Depending on your situation, this hack might or might not be possible. For example, if you store your leather and wood furniture and go overseas for a year, it won’t be. However, if you store it close to your home and have the time and energy, rotating your furniture while it’s being stored can prevent it from being damaged.
If you store your furniture long-term, certain areas can become deformed from bearing the weight of other furniture. Some pieces can also be warped or flattened, especially leather-clad cushions. Rotating your furniture occasionally prevents this from happening and will ensure that your furniture is still in pristine condition when you take it back out of storage. (It’s a good idea to have at least one person to help you when you do this.)
Tip- Don’t Use Mothballs to Prevent Pests
Using mothballs might have worked for your grandma, but these days, it’s frowned upon. First off, mothballs smell genuinely awful. Secondly, most mothballs are made with highly toxic, unsafe chemicals that can harm your health. Better to use cedar wood shavings that you wrap in nylon stocking material or cedar wood blocks that you can place inside, for example, a wooden hope chest or your dining room hutch.
Tip – Use Cedar Blocks and Lavender Sachets
When storing leather and wood furniture in a self-storage unit, protect them from pests and vermin by placing cedar blocks or lavender sachets within the unit. Ensure the furniture is clean and dry before storage, and consider using breathable furniture covers. Periodically check the unit for any signs of pests and maintain a climate-controlled environment to deter mold and mildew, which can also attract unwanted critters.
Hack- Use large Silica gel Packets to Prevent Moisture Problems
Those tiny silica gel packs with a new pair of shoes or sneakers? You can buy those in a larger size online and put them with your wood and leather furniture to absorb moisture while stored. It’s easy, cost-effective, and can prevent the unwanted formation of mold and mildew that can damage or destroy your furniture and leave a lingering, unpleasant odor.
Let Northwest Self Storage Help You Store Your Leather and Wood Furniture Perfectly
At Northwest Self Storage, we help folks like you all over the Northwest to store their things perfectly. Whether wood or leather furniture, collections, or antiques, you can trust Northwest to store your goods safely, securely, and affordably.
You can also store things from your office, business, or retail store with Northwest. For example, overstock, essential files, and business supplies are always stored in our storage units. When you’re ready, you can reserve a storage unit online, and it will be ready to store your leather and wood furniture when you arrive!