Declutter
Unless you get the builders in, you can’t easily increase the size of your property. But you can make it look bigger. How? By decluttering. Decluttering is easier than you may think and it’s amazing how much more attractive it will make a holiday apartment.
1 – Size the job up
Your first step to freeing up space in your property is to decide what you’re going to remove – and how and where you’ll store it. The more items you can get into uniformly sized boxes the better, as this makes it easier to stack and store in a storage room. Similarly, ensure that the heavier, more robust items are placed on the floor with lighter, more fragile items and anything of awkward shape placed at the top. In terms of stacking – three to four boxes high is ideal. Think too about the things you’ll need regular access to – and leave these near the front of your room.
2 – Storing wooden furniture
If you’re storing any wooden furniture, take steps to protect it from moisture and damage. First, give it a thorough waxing with wood varnish. If you can flat-pack it, do so as this will prolong its life. (Remember to bag up the fixings and tape them to the item). Finally, cover and separate the components of each piece of furniture with thick cloth or old carpet to prevent scratching.
3 – Storing Sofas
The best way to store a sofa depends on its upholstery. Leather and micro-fibre, for example, will cope well with the pressure of vertical storage, while the silky, more expensive fabrics, being more delicate, are best kept in the horizontal position. Either way, keep sofas wrapped in plastic sheeting for extra protection. For transportation, stand the sofa on several layers of folded blankets – flattened out to ensure that no imprints from creases are left. If you’re unsure about moving your sofas yourself, use a professional mover.
4 – Mattress storage
When storing mattresses, moisture is the biggest concern. Confront this danger head on by equipping yourself with special mattress bags available at your local supermarket or DIY store. These will also help to prevent your mattresses becoming misshapen. It’s a good idea to make regular checks on the mattress during its time in storage and in any case, change the bag annually if you’re storing it for an extended period.
5 – Metal items
Metal, unfortunately, can rust. So, if you’re storing metal items such as filing cabinets, white goods or lawn mowers etc, give them a wipe over with an oily rag before placing them in your room. Any oil will do. Alternatively, you can buy a rust protection treatment from your local hardware or DIY store.
For our UK and London readers, at Big Yellow Self Storage you can store just about anything. Room sizes range from 9 sq ft up to 400 sq ft and can be rented for as long as you like.
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