Hi y'all, and thank you in advance for your advice.
I am in the process of packing and storing household items and some furniture.
I initially kicked off this subject because I am concerned that it might damage decent wooden furniture if it is wrapped in bubble wrap for long term storage. For example it might stick to the furniture.
Also I have been trying to give away things for free on 'Gumtree' rather than throw them away. That is very frustrating as so very many people contact you to see if still available but do not follow up. Or they book to come and get it and do not come.
I am doing this to declutter plus make room for renovations, with a view to either selling my property (99% chance) or making a fresh start and live in a newly renovated, redecorated property.
Any other advice is also very much welcome.
Household Removal and Storage - Tricks and Traps?
Comments
You'll find that local charity/op shops are EXTREMELY particular nowadays with what they accept
Yes, but OP can still ask (as I suggested)
I noticed that people tend to be more serious if you put a dollar value on your items - weed out those time wasters in Gumtree. Simply waived the cost upon collection. I have done it once and it made their day when I said no need to pay me.
If you are standing them on concrete then make sure you have them up on a wooden pallet. Both ourselves, and friends of ours, had rising damp get into some of our storage items because they stood on bare concrete. The only issue I can see with plastic wrap would be if the items "sweat" in the heat and water gets trapped. It is probably best if you can check it regularly to make sure it seems to be going OK.
In relation to giving stuff away - the problem is we all have so much "stuff" nowdays a lot of our excess ends up in landfill rather than someone else wanting it. My house has too much "stuff" but it is hard to throw stuff out when you know it is just going to landfill.
Best of luck with the storage.
In a similar vein, we have friends in the late 70s with very good sold timber furniture. They are concerned that when they downsize soon, it will go to waste. Their children live in apartments which can't really fit the furniture and it's heavy to transport and move. They don't want it to go to waste by leaving it out for council clean up, but their options are limited.
Bubble-wrap shouldn't stick to wooden furniture, but you could wrap the items in old sheets before wrapping if you wanted to bother.
If the free items are not moving on Gumtree, see if a local charity / op-shop will take them. If not, you can usually put them out for council hard-rubbish collection. Otherwise to the tip.