Patio furniture can transform outdoor hardscaping spaces into living areas that allow you to entertain guests and enjoy the weather during the summer months, but can quickly take up a huge amount of storage space within your garage or home once the snow falls. If you feel like this describes your situation, you may want to consider renting a storage unit to keep your patio furniture in until the weather improves again. However, in order to make sure that your patio furniture stays in good shape while sitting idle, there are a few things that you should do before you move them into a storage unit.

Cleaning

The first thing that you should do before you begin to move your patio furniture into storage is to make sure that you clean it off entirely. You want to remove any stuck on dirt and other grime, as these materials can hold on to moisture and contribute to rust and corrosion. Make sure that you allow your furniture to dry off completely before you move it into a storage unit, as the moisture left over from the cleaning process can also cause rust to take root.

Disassemble

As you pack up your patio furniture, you should remove all pieces that can be removed, and fold chairs and tables down as much as possible. This not only makes the moving process easier by allowing you to move your patio furniture in more manageable pieces, it also allows you to make the best use of your available space within your storage unit.

Proper Storage

There are two things that you should keep in mind while placing your patio furniture in a storage unit. First, make sure that you avoid stacking items as much as possible, as this creates the risk of something falling over and damaging either itself or another piece of furniture. If you do have to stack items, make sure that the heaviest items are on the bottom and the lightest are on the top. Secondly, and more importantly, make sure that your items are stored on top of wooden pallets. Pallets will keep your items away from moisture which can collect on the floor of your storage unit, and will stop rust from damaging your patio furniture.

Climate Control

Finally, it may be worth ensuring the storage company has climate control capabilities in their units. These type of storage units will help keep humidity levels within the unit low, greatly reducing the risk of rust developing on your patio furniture. While this does represent an additional monthly cost over storage units that do not have climate control, it is an added layer of protection that may be worth the peace of mind depending on the value of your patio furniture.