If you spend a lot of money on purses, it pays to keep them in good condition. Depending on the purse, certain brands and models can appreciate in price. Several years down the road, you could end up selling your purse for much more than you originally paid for it.
Obviously, storing purses in the closet for a week while you show off another bag is different than getting long-term storage right. However, a storage unit is one of the best solutions available if you’re a passionate collector, a reseller, or you need to store your purses while you move houses.
Keeping purses upright, organizing them in airtight containers, and avoiding stacking purses on top of each other will get you most of the way. However, keeping valuable items in storage units also requires some additional information specific to storage facilities.
Here’s a helpful guide on what you should do before storing valuable purses or bags you treasure in a storage unit.
Invest in Some Shelving Units
One of the biggest mistakes that people make when putting things in storage is stuffing items in boxes and tossing them on the ground in storage units. If you’re putting valuables in a storage unit, you owe it to yourself to make an effort to keep them in better condition.
Buying shelving units or moving some shelves that you already have are great ways to avoid losing track of your purses or ruining them. Instead of throwing them in a random box, you can place them in containers on shelves where the odds of something smushing them are much lower.
Use the Right Containers
If you’re particularly organized, then you’ll find airtight containers that are clear and big enough to keep your purse in the box. Boxes are another layer of protection for your purses, even if you have them in a plastic container. For example, if you or someone else picks up the container, the purse can shift around because it’s not made to the purse’s specific dimensions.
The box, on the other hand, is made to fit the purse precisely, so you reduce the chances that your purse will shift around and hit the walls of the container.
Buy stackable containers if you have a lot of purses. See-through containers are typically the best choice because you can see what’s inside easier. But, if you need to, label the outside to make grabbing what you need a lot faster.
Keep Purses Off of the Floor
High-quality storage units are clean and well-kept. Still, that’s no reason to be careless, especially with items that carry a lot of value. In addition, storing things on the ground in a self-storage unit increases the risks of water damage if a flood or something else inside your unit spills.
Even if you don’t have shelving units, find a way to keep your purses off of the ground. Whether that’s stacking them on top of other boxes with clothes, etc., in them or some other solution, it’s worth your time.
Keep Purses Upright
When you don’t have containers or aren’t keeping your purses in there long-term, make sure to keep your bags upright. Laying them on their sides can cause rust, discoloration, and other damage. When in doubt, store your purses in the position they’re meant to be held.
If the purse won’t stand up on its own, that’s when containers or boxes with packing paper come in handy.
Fill the Purses with Stuffing
If you go into designer stores, you’ll find that a lot of them fill their purses with packing paper or some other similar material to help the purses keep their intended shape. This is a tip you should bring when you put your bags in a storage unit. Find a material that won’t bleed into your purses or otherwise damage them and fill the empty spaces to keep them in the best possible condition.
Choosing the Right Storage Unit
With a bit of effort, you can dramatically improve your results if you keep purses in a long-term storage unit.
First, you should only rent a storage unit with good reviews and the right policies in place to give you peace of mind. A random storage unit down the street might be fine for sticking some old clothes inside, but you should think about better options when money is on the line.
Look at what sort of security the storage facility has in place. Basic security measures include video cameras, gate access into the facility, and security guards on-site 24/7. Higher security can mean personalized access codes and mobile apps that let you schedule visits and monitor your unit from afar.
A climate-controlled self-storage unit is the best bet for people carrying expensive inventory. With climate controls, you can set your unit at a specific temperature, so you don’t have to worry about things melting in heat or changing colors during the summer.
Lastly, make sure you know your facility’s threshold for storing valuables. Most facilities will have a specific dollar limit when it comes to the total value of what you can store inside your unit, and it’s often not more than a few thousand. That means if you’re looking to store a Birkin, a traditional self-storage facility is probably not the place for it.
Clean Your Bags Before You Store Them
A little time spent cleaning your purses before they go into long-term storage will keep them in better shape. When you keep items in a storage unit, dirt and other debris can eat into the material the longer you keep them in there.
If you want to find your purses in good condition when you take them out, give them a good cleaning before storing them. Also, ensure that all your bags are completely dry before you store them because excess moisture can cause mold growth and other issues.
When you clean the straps, do your best to place the straps inside of the bags or otherwise cover them to avoid creasing them unintentionally. If you lay your purse awkwardly on a strap, you could end up with a permanent line where the weight of the purse touches the straps.
Self-storage units are a fantastic choice for keeping valuables, including high-end purses. If you have questions about how to store them, you can also ask the storage unit manager for advice. They’ve probably dealt with similar issues in the past and can tell you what to do.
If you’re looking for a storage facility to store your belongings, Provo Self Storage has got you covered. Here at Provo Self Storage, we offer a wide range of unit selections and top-notch security. To learn more about our self-storage facility, please check out our website at https://storageprovoutah.com/.
Provo Self Storage, LLC 