Is it OK to Rent Storage Units for Storing Vinyl?

Very often a storage unit can be a great asset for treasured belongings that you struggle to find the space for in the home. We often encounter bibliophiles who are looking for somewhere secure to store their books. Retro gamers who need somewhere safe to keep their consoles, computers, cartridges, discs and tapes. Fashionistas whose love of clothes has outgrown their wardrobe leading them to seek alternative storage solutions. From arts and antiquities to fabric and fashion, if you can collect it, a storage unit is a great place to keep it when you’re losing the battle for space in your home.

But at our secure Self Storage in Wimbledon, we encounter a great many music enthusiasts asking us whether or not a storage unit is an appropriate space to store their vinyl. We understand how precious your music collection is to you, and why it’s so essential to protect this vulnerable material from extremes of temperature or moisture ingress. Thus, while a storage unit is usually more than adequate for storing your records, here are some tips to help you to get the most out of your unit…

Opt for a unit with climate control

Keeping your vinyl at a moderate temperature in a dry climate is absolutely essential both to maintain the integrity of the vinyl itself and protect the sleeve and sleeve notes (which are also extremely important to collectors). While virtually all storage units are fairly secure and dry, you’ll want to opt for a unit that has climate control to ensure absolute peace of mind.

Give your records a clean before putting them in storage

It’s important to ensure that your records are free of dust, especially if they’ve been stored somewhere dusty like a spare room or attic. Over time, dust can do lasting damage to vinyl. It can get lodged in the grooves and create problems that are hard to solve.

Give your records some TLC by wiping them down with a record brush before you put them into hypersleep ready to be retrieved and played at a later date.

Always store your records vertically

It’s important to store boxes of records vertically. Not only is it the best way to get the most out of your storage space, it’s also the best way to protect the integrity of the disks. Storing them horizontally can force them to bear the weight of the records on top resulting in the phenomenon of “dish warp”. It’s also a good idea to pack your records tight enough that they don’t slant or lean.

Don’t stack boxes too high

Be wary of piling boxes of records too high, even when stacking them vertically. This can make them more prone to falls and also potentially cause damage to records at the bottom of the stack.

At Henfield Storage we’re completely committed to providing storage solutions that are fit for purpose no matter what you need to store. With high quality, dry, secure and climate-controlled storage available on flexible terms, we’re your number one choice for self storage in Wimbledon, Chiswick, Southwark, Staples Corner and Horsham. Click here to get to know our self storage options a little better!