Talk to me about long term storage please

[coffeequeenindevon]

Hi everyone,

Our entire house is going to be in storage for at least six months. Any top tips for storing rugs, sofas, appliances etc.

Also, does anybody have any experience of taking out insurance other than from the facility itself. Big Yellow’s quote is eye watering compared to third parties!

Many thanks 😊

A while back, but I got insurance from a third party, didn't have to claim but don't see why it shouldn't be valid.

Appliances: fridges and freezers need to be bone dry and clean and slightly propped open. Washing machine also needs to be bone dry with transit bars on. Think hard about whether it is worth it.

I have a permanent storage room. I used to flip houses and stored the staging furniture and accessories there. Now it is just full of Christmas stuff! Anyway I haven't stored any white goods.
Things like rugs and other soft furnishings can get mice. Unless you can put them in a sealed container I'm not sure how you can prevent that, but talk to the storage facility about their pest control.
I've never had a problem with floods, but guess that could be an issue. If on the ground floor (which I would advise if possible if you need to get things in and out) consider having a layer of pallets to lift things off the floor.
My household insurance covers the storage room.
If you are putting stuff in storage and then forgetting about it for some time - will you really want the same stuff down the line? Is the cost of storing costing more than the value of what you are storing? It's like stuff in the loft - you don't look at it until.you move again. I really recommend considering selling or giving stuff away unless you really love it. It can be liberating to starting again (though of course, there is a considerable cost to that)!

Definitely insurance. A large storage facility near me burnt to the ground a few years ago - many people were under / not insured.

I'd advise storing with a removal company if you don't need access to what's stored. The risk of damage is reduced if they bring the containers to the house and load them there, plus they'll provide insurance.

Yes ... we spent lots of cash on storing things we didn’t really need ... for over a year. Which was very expensive! Think hard about selling some of it or giving it away.

We had stuff in storage for two years while we were abroad. Paid for, insured by and sorted by DHs employer. Included a fridge freezer and a drier, but we took washing machine with us. Everything was just packed as if it was a normal house moved. Fridge freezer was unplugged for two days prior, and had moisture pads inside.

Two years later... Everything was fine. We did replace the sofa covers, but that was mainly as prior to the move we had two toddlers, so they were a bit manky before hand!

We have a storage container which is insulated and has a dehumidifier, so I don't worry about our sofas and soft items going mouldy. It is with Beyond Storage. Secure and easy to access. If you are near one of their locations I'd recommend them.

@Bluesheep8

I'd advise storing with a removal company if you don't need access to what's stored. The risk of damage is reduced if they bring the containers to the house and load them there, plus they'll provide insurance.

We did this for two months and lived out of suitcases with relatives. Yes I did miss some of what went into storage as we couldn’t access it but I was happy that it was safe and stored correctly. For six months doing it that way could still be an option if are practical about what you think you’ll need (seasonal clothes etc).

Our stuff is in storage and has been for 6 months. We got insurance through the provider. One thing I will recommend is to measure everything before you do it! I have no idea whether some of our furniture will fit in now...