How to Put Everything in Your Bedroom Into Storage

Let’s say you’re moving, and for the time being, you need to store the entire contents of your bedroom. Or perhaps you’d like to put your kid’s bedroom furniture into storage so you can use the room as an office while they’re at college.

Most bedroom furniture has specific storage needs, which we’ll cover here, but many pieces share the same needs. For example, most things in your bedroom will require a storage unit with climate control. This will keep the storage unit (and the furniture inside of it) at a safe temperature and humidity level.

Another storage tip that applies to everything in your bedroom is the importance of cleaning before storing. For the clothes, pillow cases, blankets, and sheets, that means laundry or dry cleaning. For furniture, that means washing off any dirt, allowing ample time to dry, and treating with wood polish if applicable.

Even in a unit with climate control, it’s smart to store your items an inch or so off the ground. This protects them against the rare possibility of flooding. It also lifts them just above the coldest part of the room.

These are the most important thing to know about storing the most common bedroom items:

• Bed Frame - To store your bed frame, first disassemble the frame, and as mentioned above, clean it thoroughly. Box smaller pieces, like wheels and screws. The later parts, like the headboard, footboard, and supports can go against the wall in your storage unit, on top of the planks. Cover them with sheets or old blankets. You may be tempted to use plastic covers, but these can trap moisture underneath and damage your furniture. If the frame is wooden, treat it with furniture polish to prevent it from drying out.

• Mattresses - Storing your mattresses can be counterintuitive. To save space, people often store them on their sides. However, the structure of a mattress can shift if stored upright or on its side. Avoid this by laying your mattress flat. Also, purchase mattress bags, which cost about $25 or less, and are made to keep the mattresses dry and to prevent mold.

• Blankets and Pillows - To allow your blankets and pillows to breathe, and to protect them from moths and other bugs, we recommend storing them in cedar chests. Cedar oil repels moths and insects, and smells nice, so when you get your blankets and pillows back, they’ll have a pleasant scent.

• Clothes - Different sorts of clothing have different storage needs. For clothing that goes on hangers, make sure each piece is ironed. Do not use thin wire hangers, which can cause sharp creases; plastic and thicker wooden hangers will work better. Clothing that you fold and store, like shirts, jeans, and underwear, like blankets and pillows, are best stored in cedar chests. If you also have suitcases to store, they can work well for storing clothing.

• Shelves - If you have bookcases as part of your bedroom set, consider laying these on their sides with the shelves removed. Since they will also be on the planks, this will keep the shelves stable.

• Books - For book storage, you’ll want sturdy, acid and lignin-free boxes. Store books with the spines square with the side of the box, and face up, with larger books going on the bottom of each box.

• Lamps - Lamps are notoriously delicate, so you’ll want to store it with that in mind. It’s best to put your lamp in a lamp storage box. Use bubble wrap to protect the lamp base, and wrap the lamp shade in a cotton sheet or, also, with bubble wrap. Naturally, remove any bulb in the lamp. Put the pieces in the box, and pack the empty space with newspaper, styrofoam peanuts, bubble wrap, or cloth.

• Other Furniture - This includes chairs, dressers, desks, and nightstands. Furniture has its own storage needs. As with a wooden bed frame, treat wooden furniture with a furniture polish before storing it. Consider taking drawers out and storing them near the furniture. If the furniture has removable legs, also consider removing them and storing them in a nearby box.

• Television - Not everyone keeps a television in their room, but if you do and need to store it, you’ll want to keep it protected. Ideally, you’ll be able to store it in its original box. If you don’t have that, after cleaning it well, make sure to store it upright with the right sized television dust cover. This will help protect the fragile screen. Make sure that, when you’re done packing your storage unit, nothing is leaning against the television set.

With this information, you should have no trouble packing up your bedroom and putting it into storage. And if you have items in your bedroom not mentioned here, be sure to check the StorageFront blog for plenty of other tips.