How to Store Furniture and Other Bulky Items

Storing furniture, such as dining room tables and overstuffed chairs, is difficult due to their size and weight. You can attempt to get lighter furnishings up onto overhead platforms, but it is best to store them out of the traffic flow – in attic or basement corners and against walls – and in a compact arrangement. A rented storage locker will free up space at home, and can help solve long-term storage problems.

Protect your furniture from dust by covering it with old mattress pads or blankets; canvas or even newspaper can also help keep it free from dust. Lamps, decorations, and breakables should be stored on heavy-duty shelves.

Hooks can support lightweight objects, such as outdoor furniture and folding chairs, on garage or basement walls. You could also place these on a loft platform or overhead rack, or inside carport storage units. Bulky outdoor items are best stored in a garden shed, patio storage unit, or garage extension.

To store card or Ping-Pong tables, model train or game-boards, and suitcases during the off season, look for out-of-the-way ledges; or build enclosures specially tailored to their dimensions. Another way of storing large items is with a platform attached to a pulley system. You can even use it to pull an unwieldy table or trunk up out of the way.

Roll a rug or carpet around a pole or cardboard tube, then loosely wrap the carpet in paper of plastic, leaving some air space. Never fold a rug or carpet. Store the carpet in a space that is neither damp nor overly warm. Use mothballs or crystals to help keep insects away, but keep in mind that some fibers react adversely to these repellents. Consult a carpet expert before storing a prized carpet.

Store mattresses and box springs off the floor, and prevent them from sagging. Stand them upright against a wall on a plywood base propped up on bricks or blocks. Cover the mattress with plastic or a sheet. To prevent the mattress from falling over, support it with a sheet of plywood or its own headboard and slats. Fasten eye hooks into the wall, wrap bungee cords around the mattress and attach them to the eyes.

Save precious floor space by hanging lightweight folding lawn chairs and recliners from wall studs, ceiling joists, or rafters. For simple supports, drive long nails into framing members. Use two for each chair.