With winter on the way, it’s time to start preparing your yard for the cold and damp weather. For many people, this means protecting their lawn or patio furniture by covering it, or storing it in their basement. This method of protecting your furniture, while somewhat effective, is certainly not the ideal way to keep it protected and out of the way for the winter. The best way to save space in your home and keep your furniture protected is to put it in a storage unit. Below, you’ll find a few helpful tips on how to get started on storing your summer furniture for the winter.

Clean Furniture Lasts Longer

Before you say goodbye to the summer furniture for the season and put it away in a storage unit, now is the ideal time to give your pieces a quick clean. Over the summer food and drink can get spilled on your furniture, and moisture can build up in hard to reach places. If these are not cleaned thoroughly, they can lead to a deterioration in the furniture’s material (especially with wood and wicker) and can also lead to insect infestations in the storage unit. For most wood furniture, a quick rinse with soap and water in all the hard to reach areas should be sufficient. With other materials, you can also get away with soap and water, but it may be advisable to use specialty cleaners, especially with canvas fabrics, which can start to smell after a short period of time.

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Know Your Furniture

Many pieces of furniture require different kinds of attention in order to get the most use out of them over the years. Just like you would use a different cleaning method on wood then you would on aluminium or canvas, it is important to know how to properly store each piece of furniture. For instance, it is best to store your wood and wicker furniture in an indoor storage unit rather than an outdoor unit without climate control. Cool weather can lead to a buildup of moisture, which can damage your furniture. Metal furniture should also be stored in a dry place to avoid rust, but storing it in an outdoor storage unit shouldn’t be an issue as long as the furniture is covered with waterproof material, such as a breathable tarp or vinyl. Covering your furniture with plastic is not an ideal way to protect it, since plastic can quickly lead to a buildup of condensation that will damage your furniture or cause rust.

Go the Extra Mile

Cleaning and knowing where to properly store your summer furniture will go a long way towards making it last longer, but there are a few additional things you can do to get the most out of your pieces in the long run. You may consider oiling or varnishing wood, waxing wicker, and painting or sealing metal and plastic furniture to help it last longer and keep it protected while it sits in storage.

With the amount of nice days left in the year dwindling down, it is a good idea to get started on prepping and storing your summer furniture right away. If you are in the New Westminster area, Annacis Lockup is ready to help you take care of all of your storage needs. We have facilities to suit whatever items you have to store and protect this winter. The cold weather will be here before you know it, so give us a call or visit us online to rent your own storage unit today!