How long can you keep things in self storage?

There's no upper limit if you've packed properly. We've stored items for six days and six years. The two factors that matter are climate stability (avoid metal containers exposed to weather) and pest control. For our [self-storage at the Huddersfield depot](/self-storage/), we run monthly walk-throughs and you only pay per week for the volume you actually use, with no minimum-term commitment.

Can I store a sofa in self storage long term?

Yes, but cover it in calico (not plastic), keep it on its feet (not on edge), don't pile heavy things on top, and elevate from the floor by 10cm or more. Plastic traps moisture and leather grows mould underneath in four to six weeks. For leather sofas going into storage for three months or longer, ask about indoor climate-stable storage rather than a metal container in a yard.

What's the difference between packing for a move and packing for self storage?

Time and weight. A move takes hours; storage takes weeks or months. Boxes that hold up for three hours in a van will sag and split if stacked for three months. For storage, use double-walled boxes, tape top and bottom, never overfill, elevate off concrete, and protect against humidity. Plastic-wrap shortcuts that are fine for a same-day move become mould incubators in long-term storage.

Should I empty my fridge before putting it in storage?

Yes, completely. Defrost twenty-four hours before, drain every drop of water, wipe the interior dry, then prop the door open with a folded towel. A sealed wet fridge is a guaranteed mould problem. The same goes for washing machines: disconnect and drain the inlet and outlet hoses. We handle this as part of the loading process if you're storing white goods through us.

How to Pack for Self Storage So Nothing Gets Damaged

The most common storage damage we see isn't theft or fire. It's mould, crushed boxes, and stuff that came out warped or stained. All of it preventable, and most of it comes down to how you pack for self storage in the first place.

Storage is moving with one important difference: time. A box you pack for a move spends three hours in the back of a van. The same box in storage might sit for three months, sometimes longer. That changes how you pack.

Here's how we pack things at our Huddersfield depot, what fails most often, and what to never put into storage.

For a real price for your specific storage needs, the quickest path is a free, no-obligation quote. WhatsApp us or call 07873 405 938 with a bit of detail about what you need to store and for how long, and we'll turn a price around quickly with no sales pressure afterwards.

Why packing for self storage takes more care than packing for a move

Time and weight. Boxes that hold up for three hours in a van will sag and split if stacked for three months. Cardboard absorbs ambient moisture. Plastic wraps that are fine for one day become mould incubators in twelve weeks. Items packed loose for a same-day shuffle settle, slide, and damage each other once they sit.

The five rules that change everything for storage:

Double-walled boxes, taped top and bottom
Elevate off the floor (always)
Breathe, don't seal for fabrics and leather
Defrost and dry anything that holds water
Number every box and keep an inventory in two places

The rest of this article is the detail.

Boxes and the pallet trick

Supermarket boxes work fine for a same-day move. They will not survive six weeks of stacking. Use double-walled boxes (about £2-3 each new), and tape the bottom AND the top with two strips minimum across each seam.

Never fill a box to the top. Leave 50mm of clearance and pack loose enough that the lid sits flat. An overfilled box bulges, and a bulging box can't take any weight on top of it. Heaviest boxes go on the floor. Lightest at the top.

The single biggest difference between stuff that comes out fine and stuff that comes out musty: always elevate. Concrete floors transfer cold. Cold meets warm humid air, condensation forms underneath whatever's sitting on the floor. Three months later you've got a damp ring on the bottom of every box.

A 1m × 1.2m wooden pallet costs nothing second-hand and creates a 14cm air gap that solves it entirely. If you're using a self-storage chain that doesn't provide pallets, bring your own.

Sofas, mattresses, and dismantled furniture

Plastic on leather is a disaster. Plastic traps moisture, leather can't breathe, mould forms on the underside where you can't see it. The leather is permanently mottled in four to six weeks.

Use calico covers or breathable furniture sheets, not plastic. We supply these for storage moves. They keep dust off, let the material breathe, and stack neatly.

Mattresses store flat, not on edge. Stored on edge for more than a few weeks, the springs settle to one side and the mattress comes out lopsided. If floor space is tight, lay them flat on top of each other with a sheet between.

If a piece of furniture can be sensibly dismantled, dismantle it. Stored assembled, an MDF wardrobe can warp under its own weight. Stored flat-packed with the screws taped to the panels, it's fine. Tape a small zip-lock bag of fittings to the largest panel and label which piece it belongs to. Future-you will not remember.

Electronics, TVs, and anything glass

The original cardboard box is the safest container if you have it. Most people don't. Next best is a labelled, padded box. The worst is loose on a shelf where condensation reaches it.

Remove every battery before storage. AA, AAA, button cells, anything. They will leak, and the acid will destroy whatever you stored them in.

Big TVs, monitors, and picture frames go vertical, not flat. Flat-stored screens crack from the weight pressing on the corners. Vertical, the load goes through the strongest axis. For long stays, take a phone photo of every cable plugged into a TV or sound system before unplugging. You won't remember which input was which.

White goods: defrost, drain, prop the door open

Fridges, freezers, washing machines, dishwashers. Defrost twenty-four hours before storage. Drain every drop of water. A fridge stored with even a small amount of standing water grows mould internally that's almost impossible to fully clear.

Then prop the door open with a folded towel. A sealed-shut fridge in storage is a guaranteed mould factory. The slight gap lets air circulate.

Disconnect washing-machine inlet hoses and drain them. Leave the detergent drawer open.

If you're storing white goods through us, we do all of this as part of the loading process.

Clothes, fabric, and bedding

Vacuum bags work for compressing duvets and pillows for a four-week move. They are awful for long-term clothes storage. Natural fibres need to breathe. Sealed in plastic for months, they develop a musty smell that takes a long time to wash out, and silk and wool can be permanently damaged.

Use wardrobe boxes with the bar at the top, hang the clothes on hangers, slot the box closed. Cotton sheets between heavier coats. No mothballs, the smell never fully comes out.

Anything you'd hang at home, hang in storage. Anything that'd fold (jumpers, T-shirts, jeans), fold and pack into double-walled boxes with a few small breathing holes punched in the side.

Books, art, and paper

Books store best upright, on their tails (the same orientation they'd live in on a shelf), in a box not bigger than the books. A box of books is heavier than people expect, between 18-22kg for a standard book box. Pack accordingly.

Frames and art go between rigid panels (cardboard or hardboard), wrapped in acid-free paper, vertical not flat. Climate matters most for paper. Self-storage chains are typically not climate-controlled, so for valuable paper or photographs, indoor storage at a depot is a better bet than a metal container in a yard.

What never to put in storage

The list that gets people in trouble:

Paint, petrol, white spirit, gas canisters, aerosols. Fire risk. Insurance won't cover it.
Open or sealed food. Will attract pests, spoil, or taint everything around it.
Plants, even sealed. Same issue.
Anything damp. Including towels you washed last week. Dry first.
Important paperwork in cardboard. Birth certificates, deeds, cash. Use a fireproof safe at home or a bank.

If you wouldn't put it in a hot loft for six months, don't put it in storage.

Label, inventory, and photo every box

Number every box (1, 2, 3, not "kitchen-things"), keep a master list on paper AND in your phone or cloud, and take a quick photo of the contents before you tape the lid down. Three minutes saves hours of digging later.

The number system makes the inventory work for insurance too. If box 17 is missing or box 23 is damaged, you know what was in it.

For our self-storage service, we provide a barcoded inventory as part of the move. For self-storage chains, you handle inventory yourself.

Our honest advice

For under-a-month storage of basic items, packing yourself with double-walled boxes and good tape gets the job done. For longer stays, valuable items, white goods, leather, or anything you'd be sad to lose, the difference between "stored properly" and "stored cheaply" shows up later, often months later, often at a cost that dwarfs the difference at packing time.

Whichever way you go, the rules don't change: elevate everything, breathe everything, and don't store what shouldn't be stored.

If you'd rather we handle the packing, our packing service and storage are quoted together when it makes sense. For specific advice on materials for a DIY job, our wider packing guide covers supplies in detail. Or get in touch for a quote on the full lot.