Whether you are moving to a new place or need extra room to store the belongings that don’t fit in your home, long-term storage solutions are a frequent need for people everywhere. Packing and storing your belongings incorrectly is a major concern. In this article, we’ve pinpointed the best ways to pack your items for safety. Learn how to pack for storing your items indefinitely.

Use Strong Materials

Packing with care means using materials that are durable enough to withstand the natural wear and tear that occurs over time. Always wrap your fragile items in durable papers like newsprint or even parchment paper to prevent potential breakage. Covering your belongings will also avoid the accumulation of dust and dirt. For extra support, wrap your belongings in duct tape. Doing so will allow for more coverage and ensure that the paper will not tear to the extent that the items underneath are exposed. For more extensive materials, use tarps and drop cloths for maximum coverage. These methods are most effective at withstanding conditions that deteriorate objects over time. You want to mimic the paper and duct tape used for smaller items with durable materials like heavy-duty cloth and plastic. From here, use rope and saran wrap to keep your oversized items secure.

Organize By Weight

When you make piles, pile boxes according to weight, with the heaviest items on the bottom. A bad habit newbie organizers get into is piling more pressure onto lighter boxes. This can cause the heavier items to fall and potentially break what you have stored underneath. You’ll want to extend this principle to items that sit to the side as well. Anything that is being propped up by other boxes is still vulnerable to fall if the weight holding it up is not heavy enough. You want to organize your boxes and materials as if they were one unit altogether—place items in their most effective spots to avoid breakage.

Always line your boxes with newspaper. Cardboard boxes generally hold up for an extended period of time in storage, but to take extra precaution, line the bottoms with layers of newspapers. When it comes time to pick up the boxes again, the newspaper will catch any items that may drop from the box. For containers that work even better, look at portable storage units to keep your items secure.

Use Heavy Blankets

Electric blankets, flannel blankets, and other weighted blankets are all excellent options to keep your storage items safe. The thick layers of protection will prevent breakage and limit the amount of movement the items endure when transported from one place to another. You can rent or purchase these blankets at any moving or storage facility near you. Adding these blankets essentially instills toughness onto your items, allowing them to outlast harsh conditions.

Storage Trunks and Rubbermaid

For smaller items, use storage trunks and Rubbermaid containers to keep contents free of damage. These are durable materials that keep fragile contents out of harm’s way. Easily damaged contents like paper, glass, and silver will have a better chance of lasting if placed in boxes of durable material. A metal trunk or a Rubbermaid box are sturdy options. Think of your storage containers as the roof of your home, only your home is your belongings. Pick the most effective materials for the job.

The Bottom Line

Packing for long-term storage requires consideration into the factors that bring harm to belongings. You want to do all you can to safeguard against the risks so that your items stay in top condition. Follow these guidelines to ensure just that!