A Guide To Storing Your Electronics In A Storage Unit

Talk to any homeowner about clutter and you will probably hear of children’s toys, old furniture and paperwork. But there’s one class of clutter that seems to fly under the radar: electronics. We’ll be the first to admit that technology moves so fast it’s hard to keep up. And what gets left behind? The old phone models, DVD player or home theatre system – things that are too valuable to throw away, but too dated to use in our day-to-day lives.

To make things harder, some of these electronics are not easy to recycle. But you can’t let them overrun your drawers! So let’s talk solutions: self storage. Self storage is a great way to cut down on the number of electronics around your home. However, you have to store them the right way, which is where we can help!

Storing your electronics in a humid environment can damage them

Australia is humid almost everywhere, and Queensland is even more so. That means that storing your electronics means preparing for the inescapable moisture of our climate. So here is our number one tip: store your electronics securely with some silica packs or desiccant. You’ve probably seen these little units in the packaging of your electronics when they first come off the shelf. And they are there for a very good reason; desiccant and silica absorbs moisture and keeps it from causing some damage to your electronics when they are in storage. Naturally, it makes sense to use them when you are storing your electronics again.

Storing your electronics securely is paramount – is your storage unit secure?

In high demand and worth a fair bit of money: that is exactly what makes electronics a target for the unscrupulous. So security is pretty important when you’re storing your electronics. Before you settle in to a storage unit, ask the managers about their security measures. But security doesn’t end there! Security from people is one thing, but security from pests is just as important. Rodents can chew at cords, while insects can nest in your electronics – as strange as that might sound. But rest assured – a storage unit is probably more secure than your garage or shed.

Think about temperatures: storing your electronics in a very hot or cold place can damage them

A lot of electronics come with recommended operating temperatures. And in a hot environment like ours, it’s worth taking them into account. It’s pretty unlikely that your storage unit will exceed these temperatures; most units are pretty well insulated. But if you’re storing your electronics in a garden shed, that summer sun might not get along so well with some electronic products.

Storing your electronics in their original packaging is always ideal, but you can work around it

This tip is our favourite because it’s a two for one clutter-buster: round up all the old electronics boxes that you have lying around from when your electronics were brand new. It’s time to put them to use! Storing your electronics in their original boxes is one way to make them that little bit more secure. Of course, not everyone will have these boxes left over, so don’t worry if that’s you. There are lots of other storage solutions in your local homewares or hardware store. As long as it’s solid and dry, it should do the job just fine.

Try and avoid storing your electronics in a dusty space

Long-term storage and dust go hand in hand. But it’s time to break that cycle. Dust can be damaging to your electronics, so it’s a good idea to minimise the amount of dust in your storage space. If you have a storage unit, it will probably be pretty secure from dust already. Still, we suggest storing your electronics in boxes off the floor.

For all your storage needs for the holidays, get in touch with More Space today on (07) 5594 9739 or (07) 5598 3355.