How to pack for storage, room by room

Short answer: Pack everything clean and dry, use sturdy cartons of a few sizes, keep heavy items in small boxes, label every carton on two sides with its room and contents, wrap furniture in breathable material rather than airtight plastic, and defrost and drain appliances before pickup.

Good packing decides how your things come out of storage. Most storage damage starts with things that went in damp, overpacked or unprotected, not with the storage itself.

The basic kit

• Cartons in three sizes: small for books and crockery, medium for kitchen and toys, large for light bulky things like pillows and quilts.
• Packing tape (brown or clear), and a marker.
• Bubble wrap for glass and electronics; old newspapers or packing paper for crockery.
• Stretch film for keeping drawers and doors shut, not for covering whole pieces of furniture.
• Moisture absorbers or silica packets for cartons of clothes and documents.
• Zip bags for screws and fittings from anything you dismantle.

Which box for what

Labelling that saves you later

Write on two sides of every carton, not the top, because tops get hidden when boxes are stacked:

• A carton number (1, 2, 3 …)
• The room it came from
• A few words about what is inside (“Kitchen – steel utensils”)
• “FRAGILE” or “THIS SIDE UP” where needed

Keep a simple list on your phone with carton numbers and contents. When you need one thing back in four months, you will thank yourself.

Room by room

Living room

• Remove cushions and pack them in large cartons or bags.
• Glass table tops come off and are wrapped separately with corner protectors.
• TVs travel upright, in the original box if you still have it.
• Wrap sofa legs and corners. Cover the sofa in a breathable cover.

Bedrooms

• Dismantle beds; bag and label the screws and tape the bag to the headboard.
• Mattresses go into mattress covers and are stored flat or on their edge, never folded.
• Empty wardrobes completely and tape doors shut with stretch film.
• Clothes go into suitcases or cartons, clean and dry, with a moisture absorber.

Kitchen

• Wrap every plate and glass individually; stand plates on their edge, not flat.
• Heavy steel utensils go in small cartons so they stay liftable.
• No food at all, not even sealed packets. Food attracts pests.
• Gas cylinders cannot go into storage. Return or hand them over separately.

Appliances

• Fridge: switch off and defrost 24 hours before pickup, wipe dry and leave the door open.
• Washing machine: drain fully, dry the drum and secure the drum if your model has transit bolts.
• AC: have a technician uninstall it. Keep the indoor and outdoor units together.
• Microwave and small appliances: clean, dry and in cartons with padding.

Books and documents

• Small cartons only; books get heavy fast.
• Pack flat or spine-down, never spine-up.
• Original documents, passports and property papers should go to a bank locker, not storage.

Mistakes that cause damage

1. Storing anything damp. Wait until everything is completely dry, especially in the monsoon.
2. Airtight plastic over wood or fabric. It traps moisture.
3. Overloading big cartons. They split, and the heavy one ends up at the bottom of a stack.
4. Half-empty cartons. They collapse when something is stacked on top. Fill gaps with paper or soft items.
5. Unlabelled boxes. You will end up opening ten to find one thing.

On the day

Set aside everything that is not going into storage in one room and close the door. Walk the crew through what goes, check the item list before the vehicle leaves, and keep a copy.

If you would rather not pack at all, our crew wraps furniture and packs loose items on site. See how it works.

More questions about packing for storage