Do you have an old biker jacket taking up room in your closet? Perhaps a couch you don’t want to part ways with just yet but have no space for it at home? Or maybe you are a crafty with an inventory as big as your ambitions? In any case, you may have a lot of leather and no way of storing it at home.
Leather is loved for its durability, versatility, and all around pleasant feel and is used in clothing, furniture, accessories, and even for journals. However, special care must be taken to safely store leather materials to avoid drying out, discoloration, cracking, and other damages. Through the use of self storage, the right storage features, and special preparations, you can safely store leather in a storage unit.
Prepare your leather items for storage
Your first step in storing leather starts at home with a good cleaning. For furniture, this means vacuuming out and nooks and crannies. Check jacket (or pants) pockets, any pouches in purses, or other places where crumbs, dust, or other debris can gather. Such contantiments could cause scratches to form and even mildew growth in the cases of food particles.
From hear, you can either purchase a commercial leather cleaner or make on yourself using one part water and one part white vinegar. Use the cleaner and dampen the cloth to wipe down the leather. Afterwards, dry with a soft towel and begin conditioning the leather to ensure it remains soft. You can either use a store bought conditioner or make one at home with one part white vinegar and two parts linseed oil.
Your last step in pre-storage preparation is covering or bagging the leather items. Do not use any plastic shrink wrap and use a breathable cover or coat bag to avoid trapping condensation and mildew growth. If using tape or adhesives to hold the cover or bag, avoid direct contact between the tape and leather.
Storage features for leather
Once you’ve gotten everything cleaned and prepared, it’s time to find a storage unit for your leather. More accurately, find the right storage features for your leather. When it comes to which size, find the appropriate amount of space for your materials. Is it just a few boxes of leather scraps or a coat or two? Go with a 5×5 unit. Are your storing a full leather furniture set? A 10×10 or 10×20 will be best.
A crucial storage feature for any leather item is climate control. This feature will maintain a constant temperature and humidity level within your unit, which is integral in preserving your leather. This material expands in high temperatures, causing it to dry out and crack. And when things get to humid, leather can begin growing mold. Climate control will maintain the balance in keeping your leather safe.
Lastly, find the right security features to keep any expensive clothing or furniture safe from the risk of theft or vandalism. Find a storage facility with security features such as video surveillance, onsite management, and even electronic gate access, which requires a keycode to enter the facility.
Place your leather in a storage unit
The final step is storing your leather materials, and even then there are some best practices for storing your leather. For instance, place a plastic sheet on the ground or even pallets beneath any furniture or boxes to avoid moisture on the floor. Hang coats for this same reason. It’s also recommended to place the leather in a way that will allow air to get to it.
Leather needs to breathe to keep its soft texture as well as open its pores for when it comes time to recondition. Placing your leather items in a way that allows air to flow to it maintains this breathing. This means do not stack boxes on top of your couch, use a breathable coat bag, and place items toward the center of the unit.
Leather is a material enjoyed by many people, from crafters to chic fashion followers. By using the right methods and preparation, a storage unit can keep your leather feeling soft and looking good for years to come.
