subject: Storage Solutions [print this page] Preparing your house for a sale Preparing your house for a sale
If you are about to put your home on the market, then you should know that it becomes all the more important for you to make the space inviting. Almost every home shows better with less furniture. Remove pieces of furniture that block or hamper paths and walkways and put them in storage. Since your bookcases are now empty, store them. Remove extra leaves from your dining room table to make the room appear larger. However, leave just enough furniture in each room to showcase the room's purpose and plenty of room to move around. You don't want buyers scratching their heads and saying, "What is this room used for?"
Size is everything
Estimating how much space you will need for your storage solution can be simple if you know what you want to store. First up, make a list of the items (this is also useful for helping to remember what's in there, though it can often be fun to go back and have your very own treasure hunt!). Next, group the items according to how you will organise them. Start by identifying items that will be packed in boxes and stacked, then prioritise boxed items you will want to access most frequently (they'll go closer to the front of the room). Divide by fragility or weight, as heavier, sturdier items should be stored on the bottom of stacked items with fragile items on top. Then consider awkwardly-sized items that won't stack well, including how often you will need to use them, and how heavy they are. Finally, take note of how these items will be packed and organised. Boxes and containers should be of uniform size, and should be stacked no more than a few boxes high (depending on the type of box you use).
Storing Sofas
It's worth taking into consideration which type of material your sofa is made from before storing. Generally, it's better to store vertically on a flat sided arm. Leather handles the pressure very well, as does micro-fibre. Silky high end fabrics are better to kept on their feet as they don't have the structural integrity to withstand the additional pressure. For transportation itself, a professional mover knows how to use furniture pads to keep the pressure off the arms. If you are doing this yourself, you'll need to stand the sofa on end with several double folded blankets to provide a soft surface for the arm. All in all, an average sofa should be fine when stored on its end in your personal self storage unit for a couple of months. Be sure that there are no wrinkles on the floor blankets or they will leave an imprint on the arm's material. Wrapping your couch in inexpensive plastic will provide extra protection for the sofa, as well as keep any pests from eating away at the material.
