When placing items in a storage facility, your main concern will be keeping them safe from risk of damage. The way you pack your belongings as well as the conditions of the unit you are placing them into will make an impact on their safety. Combating moisture is important so items do not become rotted, mildewed, or rusted. Here are some steps you can take while preparing your items for their move to help keep your unit moisture-free.

Checking The Unit

Before you bring anything into your unit, take the time to check the space to make sure it is going to remain dry while your items are housed inside. Check the seal around your door to make sure there are no gaps which would allow water to seep inside. To test this, bring along a friend to help you observe. Have your friend stand inside the unit while the door is closed. Pour a bottle of water against the bottom of the doorway and have them check to make sure no water gets underneath. If water makes its way inside, ask for a different unit, as this one will harbor humidity, ruining several items inside.

Packing Correctly

When packing clothing, place items inside a dryer for ten or fifteen minutes before placing them into a storage container. This will remove any possibility of moisture from the fibers. Stay away from cardboard boxes and opt for plastic containers with air-tight lids instead.  Furniture should never be wrapped in plastic as moisture that may have been on the items would be trapped next to them when a plastic layer is applied. This can ruin wood and metal very quickly. Instead use cloth furniture bags to keep them protected. If you are storing items you use in water such as fishing poles, life jackets, or inflatable rafts or tubes, dry them in the sun for several hours before bringing to storage. 

Adding A Few Deterrents

Place a few pallets in your storage unit to lift vulnerable items up from the cool cement ground, which will help ward off moisture should it become prevalent in your storage unit. Set out a few bowls with charcoal briquettes inside. These will capture moisture in the air and retain it within the material of the charcoal. Other moisture-grabbers include blocks of cedar wood and cat litter. Put a bowl in each corner, as well as a few in the middle portion of your unit, to evenly remove moisture from the air.

For more information, contact Fidelity Moving & Storage Co Inc. or a similar company.