Guide to packing your patio furniture for storage

With the warm summer days long gone, the opportunities for lounging outside are getting fewer. That means you’ll need to come up with a solution to keep your outdoor furniture safe and protected until next summer. It could as well be that you’re moving and you’re transferring these items to your new home. Either way, it’s time to look for your best storage options. You can count on Master Moving Guide to help you on that quest. Besides, today our specialists will share a few pro tips to help you with packing your patio furniture for storage, or eventually, moving. Hence, take your lead and ensure your items remain free from damages, so they look their best and serve you for the years to come.

The basics of packing your patio furniture for storage

No matter if your patio furniture is metal, wicker, wood, or plastic, you need to ensure it’s well protected during the off-season. Although most of these items are designed for outdoor use, prolonged exposure to the elements is sure to cause irreversible damages. Hence, you’ll need to stock up on adequate packing materials, and figure the best techniques to pack your outdoor furniture and stash it in a safe and clean place.

Alternatively, assess your self-moving options vs hiring pro-moving help. In both cases, you’d like to consider if you need to move all of your patio pieces, or you’ll be better off parting ways with some of them. If you have outdoor furniture that you’ve been using for many years, determine if it will be better to purchase a new set at your new place. Of course, good care goes a long way when it comes to outdoor items. With some effort on your side, you’ll keep these items in pristine condition and enjoy the comfort they provide for many years to come. If this is your intention nevertheless, the following tips will guide you to packing your outdoor furniture for storage, and ensure optimal care in doing so.

• Inspect your items
• Give it a good clean
• Disassembling
• Packing materials
• A step-by-step packing guide

Thoroughly check your outdoor furniture items

Although patio items are made of durable materials, they are the perfect hiding spots for insects. So, before anything else, put on some thick gloves you possibly wear to do some work in the garden. Check for wasps, spiders, and other insects.

Once you’re sure there isn’t any danger to get bitten, have a closer inspection of your lawn furniture for potential damages. This is not only a crucial step to effectively winterize your outdoor furniture, but it’s an important step to ensure your cost-effective and stress-free move as well. Once you tick this off the list, you can proceed with the rest of the steps for preparing your deck furniture for storage.

Before packing your patio furniture for storage, clean it well

While indoors furniture isn’t immune to common dust, your garden pieces are likely soiled by mud, leaves, and other dirt. Hence, ensure they are clean before packing them for storage, or transfer. Here’s a brief reminder on how to go about it:

• Fabric – this includes pads, cushions, pillows, and umbrella fabrics. Most lawn furniture contains at least one of these. Naturally, you’ll need to clean them separately from other hard materials. It’s best to wash the covers with laundry detergent. Then, leave them to dry completely. And finally, they’ll be ready for packing.
• Metal – packing your patio furniture for storage isn’t all that complicated if it’s made of metal. All you need to do is wash it and let it dry. And, if you notice that it has rusty spots, treat the area with silicone sealant. Besides, apply a thin layer of car wax over your metal lawn furniture, to unbox it nice and shine next summer.
• Wicker – much like wood, wicker is more sensitive to moisture and temperature changes than metal. Hence, make sure that once you clean your wicker furniture, it’s completely dry. Additionally, ensure that you’ll be depositing it in a climate-controlled storage unit, to prevent cracks and damages due to unstable temperatures.

Disassemble your deck furniture pieces before packing them for storage

Garden furniture tends to be bulky and heavy. As such, it can get easily damaged, and moreover, it may cause damages to other items if it gets loose during transport. This is why it’s important to disassemble those outdoor furniture pieces that allow this. For instance, your garden table with a glass top can’t possibly be transported in one piece. Your international movers will surely be able to assist you with this task.

So, before packing your deck items for storage, remember to handle each piece individually. Disassembling them also means that you’ll be able to maximize space while minimizing the chances of damages. 

Packing materials for garden furniture

When preparing your patio furniture for storage, it’s important to render it the optimal protection against the elements. Hence, take your lead from some pro packing tips and consider what supplies you’ll need to gather. Generally, think about lots of waterproof plastic wraps and bubble wrap. You’ll need cardboard boxes of adequate size as well.

How to pack your patio furniture for storage like a pro?

Patio furniture comes in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, and materials. Hence, there isn’t a single recipe on how to pack all items. However, with the following points, you’ll be able to pack your patio items like an expert.

• Use ample amount of packing materials. Besides plastic and bubble wrap, your patio furniture will benefit from thick moving blankets. These will protect the items during the transfer to the storage facility.
• Add extra padding to sharp edges. Use bubble wrap to secure the legs and other ends of furniture pieces that may cause damages or injuries on the road. This is an important point to consider when packing your patio furniture for storage.
• Wrap each piece individually. When you disassemble your lawn furniture items, wrap them separately, and place them in the same box.
• Avoid stacking wicker items together. This can cause the material to stick together, and it will damage your furniture.

In conclusion – follow our tips on packing your patio furniture for storage, and you will surely thank us next summer.