Whether you’re upsizing, downsizing, right-sizing, or helping out one of your children, there are plenty of reasons why you might want to save a sofa—but not have the space in your own home to do so.
And if you’re going to save something, you’ll want to make sure it stays in good shape. Here’s how to get the job done.
Clean Your Couch First
Sure, your sofa might not look dirty, but unless it’s brand new, your couch needs to be cleaned before it’s stored. First, check the tag on the bottom of your sofa. If it says “W” or “WS” that means you can wash the sofa with a water-based soap. If it says “S” that means you can only use a non-water based detergent. If the tag says “X” you should have the piece professionally cleaned. Note that all sofas can, at a minimum, be vacuumed. Make sure you let your furniture dry completely before storing it.
Cover Your Couch
You’ll want to protect your furniture from dust, but also give it room to breathe. You can accomplish that by avoiding plastic and, instead, use drop cloths, blankets or specially made furniture covers to protect your investment.
Give Your Couch Room
When storage space is tight, it can be tempting to pile things on top of a couch—or even turn it on its side to store it. Both of these moves can damage the piece. In general, you’ll want to give your couch a little breathing room.
Avoid Humidity and Water
If you’re keeping your couch in a basement, make sure to store it on blocks to avoid any water damage. You’ll also want to avoid storing your sofa in a humid environment.
Self Storage for Couches and Furniture
If you’ve run out of room in your own home, self storage can be the ideal place to keep your couch or other upholstered pieces. Ideally, you’ll want to choose a unit that’s climate-controlled to protect your couch from humidity (this is obviously more important for a treasured heirloom than an Ikea piece).
At StorageMart, we offer affordable self-storage units that can be rented on a month-by-month basis and are always clean and well lit. Check out our storage unit guide to determine what size works best for you—or rent a unit online today.
A good couch can easily cost more than $1,000, which makes it an item worth saving—the right way.