In this guide
Almost all the damage that happens to furniture in storage happens before it arrives. A scratch from a loose screw, a cracked glass top, a mattress that went in damp. The unit itself is the safe part. So if you want your things to come back the way they left, it's worth knowing how to pack furniture for storage properly, and it isn't complicated once you know what goes wrong.
This is the checklist we'd follow for our own house.
Before you pack anything
Three small jobs make everything after them easier.
- Clean it. Wipe every surface and vacuum the sofas. Crumbs and dust attract insects, and a sticky ring on a table becomes a permanent mark after a few months.
- Dry it. Nothing goes in damp. Not a washed rug, not a fridge that was switched off this morning, not a mattress after a rainy collection. Damp is the cause of most mould we see.
- Photograph it. A quick photo of each large piece gives you a record of its condition and helps you remember what's in which box.
How to pack furniture for storage, piece by piece
Beds and wardrobes
Take bed frames apart. Put the screws and bolts in a zip bag, label it, and tape it to the largest part of the frame so it can't wander off. Wardrobes with removable doors should have them removed and wrapped separately, because a door hanging on its hinges in a moving vehicle is the commonest way a wardrobe gets damaged.
Sofas and chairs
Wrap fabric sofas in breathable furniture covers or old bedsheets, not plastic. Plastic wrap is fine for the drive, but left on for months it traps moisture against the fabric. Leather needs the same treatment and a wipe with a conditioner before it goes in. Never stand a sofa on its end for long periods; it strains the frame.
Tables
Remove the legs if they come off. Glass tops travel and store separately, wrapped in thick blankets and stood on their edge, never laid flat with things on top. Wooden tops get a blanket and corner protectors.
Mattresses
Use a proper mattress bag, store it flat or on its long side, and keep it off the floor if you can. Nothing heavy goes on top of a mattress, ever. A box of books left on one for six months leaves a dent that doesn't come out.
Fridges, freezers and washing machines
Defrost the fridge at least a day before collection and dry it completely inside. Leave the doors slightly open in storage, wedged with a folded cloth, so air moves and nothing grows. Drain every hose on the washing machine. Water left in a pipe for months will smell when you open it, and in winter it can damage the valve.
Mirrors, frames and artwork
Tape an X across the glass so a crack stays in one piece, then wrap in bubble wrap and cardboard. Store them standing up, like books on a shelf, never stacked flat.
Electronics
Original boxes are best. Failing that, wrap screens in a soft blanket and stand them upright. Take batteries out of remotes and anything else that has them, because batteries leak over a long stay.
Boxes: the part everyone rushes
Boxes are where most of the hours go, and where most of the breakage happens.
- Use a few standard sizes. Boxes of the same size stack safely. A tower of mismatched cartons leans and falls.
- Heavy things in small boxes. Books and crockery go in small boxes so nobody has to lift something they can't carry.
- Fill every box. A half empty box collapses when something is stacked on it. Fill gaps with towels, linen or crumpled paper.
- Plates on their edge. Wrapped plates stood upright like records survive far better than plates laid flat.
- Label two sides and the top. Write the room and a short list of what's inside. "Kitchen, glasses, fragile" is far more useful than "misc".
Loading the unit
How things go into the unit matters as much as how they're wrapped.
- Large, heavy furniture at the back and along the walls.
- Heavy boxes at the bottom, light boxes on top, nothing stacked above head height.
- A narrow walkway down one side, so you can reach the back without unloading the front.
- Things you might need during the storage period near the door.
- Pallets or boards under anything that could be harmed by contact with the floor.
If we collect for you, our crew wraps and loads the furniture and lists every item that goes into your unit. If you're bringing things yourself, the size guide will help you plan the layout before you arrive.
What not to pack
Some things can't go into a storage unit at all: food, plants, gas cylinders, fuel, paint and anything hazardous. We've written a full list in what can you store in a storage unit. Check it before collection day so nothing has to be pulled out on the doorstep.
Packing questions we hear a lot
What packing materials do I actually need?
Fewer than the shops would like to sell you. A stack of strong boxes in two or three sizes, packing tape, a marker, bubble wrap for glass and screens, a few old blankets for furniture, mattress bags, and zip bags for screws. Bedsheets and towels make excellent padding and save buying paper.
Should I wrap everything in plastic?
Only for the journey. Plastic stretch wrap keeps dust off and stops scratches in the truck, but over months it traps moisture. For a long stay, swap it for breathable covers once things are in the unit, or ask us to wrap in a way that suits a long stay.
How long does packing a house take?
Longer than anyone expects. A two bedroom house packed by a family in the evenings usually takes a week or more, and the kitchen alone can take a full day. Start with the rooms you use least, and leave the kitchen and one bedroom until the last two days.
Can you pack for us?
Yes. If we're collecting, we can wrap the furniture and pack the boxes too. Mention it when you ask for a price, because it changes how long the collection takes and how big the crew needs to be.
A last check
Walk round once more before the doors close. Is everything dry? Are the fridge doors open? Are the bolts taped to the bed frames? Is the box with the kettle and the chargers near the front? Ten minutes now saves a lot of searching later.
For a longer stay, especially through the monsoon, read our guide on how to protect furniture from humidity and termites. And if you'd like us to do the packing, ask for a price and mention it in the notes.
Ready when you are
Your own locked unit from PKR 5,000 a month
Tell us roughly what you're storing and we'll send back the unit size and the monthly price. 1 month minimum, then month by month. No visit needed.
Get a price for your storage
It takes about a minute. We reply with the unit and the monthly figure, usually the same day.
