Whether you have a storage room in your building or rent a furniture repository, changes in temperature, humidity or insects can wreak havoc on everything you store. They can even lead to dangerous situations. Take a look at this list and review that what you have in the storage room is stored as good as possible so that your things are not damaged and safe.
IMPORTANT DOCUMENTATION
Your house deeds, employment contract, official documentation, etc. they deserve a place inside your house. The humidity of a storage room can deteriorate them, but it is also documentation that you may need at any time and it is much better to have it on hand than to have to dive between boxes to find what you are looking for. We leave you some practical and nice tips to organize your papers.
OLD PHOTOGRAPHS
Like important papers, they can suffer the consequences of changes in temperature and humidity that a storage room can suffer. And these do not have a substitute. Our advice is that, in addition to digitizing them, put them in a nice album or frame them. They are relics!
JEWELS AND THINGS OF VALUE
The doors of the storage rooms, both in neighboring communities and in furniture repository, do not offer the same security as a safe. If you do not want to have your jewelry and valuables at home, it is best to keep them in a bank safe or look for a specialized company.
CANVAS AND PAINTINGS
Moisture and temperature changes can cause the paint on your paintings to flake and consequently crack. To prevent this from happening, make sure that the temperature in your storage room is stable and there are no insects. Store floor paints and protect them with foam or Styrofoam. Also, never store them in plastic boxes, better if they are made of wood. Mar Casals sofa, wooden table at Catalina House, golden lamp by La Madison, floor lamp by Carolina Blue and round table by I’d design.
WOODEN INSTRUMENTS
In these cases, both excess and lack of moisture can be harmful. Wood is a living material, which expands and contracts with changes in temperature. So the absence of moisture can cause wood and strings to crack and weaken. Meanwhile, an excess could trigger mold or mildew. If you are going to store them in the storage room, ensure good ventilation, keep them in their original box – protected from dust – and check that the humidity level is between 50 and 60%.
YOUR CHILDREN’S TOYS
If they are made of wood, fungi and mold are again a risk. But it is also that battery or electronic toys can explode due to very high or very low temperatures. If your children have grown up, the best thing you can do with their toys is donated them.
WOOL, SILK OR LINEN THINGS
Neither are down comforters or leather or fur coats. Natural fabrics are moths’ favorites. This is because the larvae feed on keratin, a protein produced in animals and present in fabrics such as wool, silk, fur or feathers. To avoid this, keep clothes clean, dry and in an airtight plastic container. Also add a few balls of cedar wood, lavender leaves or black pepper to keep moths at bay.
WET OR SLIGHTLY DAMP THINGS
If you need to store clothes in the storage room – from another season, costumes, etc. – it is best to make sure that you keep it very dry. The minimum humidity could spoil the rest of the things and cause the appearance of fungi and insects.
BOTTLES OF WINE
So that the wine does not spoil, the storage room has to have minimum conditions. The first thing is to avoid that the bottles are placed in direct light (both natural and artificial), they must be kept horizontal so that the wine does not oxidize, and they must be at a constant temperature –the ideal is between 12º and 15º– and humidity around 70%. You should also avoid storing it with things that give off a lot of odor, which could get into the wine and spoil it.
OLD WOODEN FURNITURE
It happens the same as with instruments. Sudden changes in temperature and humidity can cause the wood to either crack or rust. Better donate it, sell it or restore it. See what a change these pieces of furniture have made ! You can do the same.
FLAMMABLE PRODUCTS
A short circuit can be the source of a scare or a much more serious accident if you store butane cylinders, drums, flammable products or pyrotechnics in your storage room. In fact, furniture storage and storage companies are prohibited.
OLD BOOKS AND NOTES
Besides, they can get damaged, seriously, why do you save them? If you are interested in having the notes, you can digitize them – although depending on the subject they will be a bit out of date. But what about the books? If they are in boxes in the storage room, it is as if you did not have them. Selling them or donating them to a library is the best option.
YOUR PET’S FOOD
Feed bags take up a lot at home and the storage room may seem like a good place to store them. But, over time, this food spoils and is the perfect claim for rodents and insects. The only type of food that can be stored in a storage room is canned or canned food that does not need refrigerant.
PLANTS
To stay vigorous and strong, in addition to water, plants need large doses of light – albeit indirectly. If they don’t fit you at home or you don’t want it, give it to someone who can take care of it.
BIRDS, PETS OR ANY OTHER ANIMAL
In addition to being illegal, it is cruel and irresponsible. We know that saying it is a no-brainer, we cannot help remembering that locking live animals in a closed space is animal abuse and can lead to unhealthy situations. If, for specific reasons, you cannot take care of your pet, ask a friend or family member to take care of or contract a service for their care.
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