Many reasons can make you store your TV set, whether for long term or short-term. You could be moving to a new home or renovating your space and want it out of the way. You might also upgrade to modern television and don’t want to discard your old one just yet.
No matter the reason for storing your television, you need to protect it while in storage. If you plan to give it to a loved one in future, you need it working by that time. You need to protect your TV from dust, moisture, mildew, and dirt. You also want to protect it from all kinds of damage because you know how delicate a television is.
Do you have no idea how to store your TV? Here is a complete guide that can help you out.
Use Your Packing Box
When packing your TV for storage, use the original box that came with it. Well, if you didn’t know, you should never throw away the box as it holds great value. You risk damaging your TV by packing it in an ordinary box that you never purchase with. Original boxes that came with your TV offer maximum protection because they come with some foam pieces to protect your item.
You can also find the owner’s manual in your original box to guide you with storage requirements. You’ll learn both packing and storing instructions from the manual. Elements such as humidity and exposure to warm temperatures can damage your screen. The manual will eliminate you on how to avoid all these.
If you don’t have the original box, you can call your manufacturer to check if they have boxes for purchase. If you don’t find the boxes meant for your TV models, then there’s still another wonderful option. Use a cardboard box that is a close fit, then look for anti-static foam and bubble wrap your box. For the remaining space, add other filling materials to protect your expensive item. Ensure you have tape to seal up your box.
Clean Your TV Set
Dust, dirt, and hair can cause corrosion to your screen. Get rid of all these substances when preparing your TV for storage. When cleaning your TV, ensure you use a can of compressed air to blow away all the debris from the tiny crevices and keyboards. After that, use a damp cloth to wipe down your TV set.
Don’t forget to clean the cables. Use that same damp cloth to wipe off dust and debris before storing your screen in the storage. For the screen, use a microfiber to wipe down any dust and fingerprints. Remote is also part of your system, so use a wet wipe across it to eliminate any grime. Make sure the entire system is completely dry after cleaning.
Master the Connection of Your TV Set
Unless you are an electrician, you can’t disconnect your system without mastering it. If you’re not sure of the connection, it’s best to document everything. This is especially important if you’re not going to store your electronics for a long time. Before disconnecting any wires, ensure you take a picture of the back of your TV.
Take a picture of how the wires are connecting before you unplug anything. And when setting your system back again, consult your photo. The photo will give you the roadmap to follow when reconnecting your TV. This will also ensure your safe time and improve connection efficiency.
Don’t Leave Behind Any Inventory Part
Ensure you take care of all the loose parts of your system when storing. This is crucial if you plan to store your TV set in a storage unit for a long time. Put all the parts intact because leaving them to scatter may confuse you when connecting them back.
The best way to avoid such confusion is to make a list of all your TV accessories such as wires, manuals and connection. Get a bag and put all of them together. Remember to put them together with your equipment. If you gift your TV later, ensure you give them the bag with the complete inventory too.
Pack Your TV into the Box
It’s time to place your TV into the box once you’ve confirmed everything is clean. If your original box has packing materials inside it, use it to protect your TV from any damage. Ensure you wrap your TV well with all of its corresponding accessories. Once you’re done with boxing and sealing your TV set, you can now label it. This is important if you’re going to store it with other items.
Labelling will remind whoever is storing to be extra careful when handling your labelled item. Mark the sides of the boxes, label which side is up to avoid any accidental storage. You can wrap your screen with plastic if you lack packing materials to cushion it from any danger.
When Transporting Your TV, Ensure its Upright
A TV set is not something you can wake up one day and go to the shop and buy. It’s an expensive item, which means that you have to plan and save some good money to purchase it. How would you feel when it gets damaged? Mostly, TV sets are exposed to damage while being transported or moved to the storage unit.
Don’t let anything happen to your TV when moving it to your storage facility. Put it upright to prevent any damage. Laying the TV sideways for a long time can damage the screen and the internal parts.
Consider the Storage Environment
Store your item in a climate-controlled storage unit if you want it to be safe from bad weather patterns. Exposing your screen to adverse temperature variations can shorten its lifespan. The last thing you want is to incur unnecessary expenses for repairing your TV, which can be the same as purchasing a new one.
A climate-controlled storage unit ensures a steady range of temperature that is ideal for your television storage. It keeps the temperatures within the normal range and keeps your TV protected from high temperatures and moisture. While the climate-controlled unit can be a huge investment, it’s always worth it.
Don’t Ignore the Professionals
After packing up your TV and getting ready to find the perfect storage for your item, ask yourself how to go about it. If you’re not sure of the size of the unit that will fit your item, then don’t fret. Professionals will always be there to help you, but only if you reach out to them. Various companies are readily available that can take you through the best storage units for both the long-term and short term, as well as guiding you on how to store your electronics safely.
Do you plan to store your TV in its unit? Or you will put other belongings such as furniture in that same storage unit? These are the questions that professionals will help you solve. They’ll help you choose the best-sized unit and also consider the climate of the storage unit. It’s important to contact these professionals to help you with storage ideas, especially if you’re storing your screen during the humid season.
Ask for Help
Do you think you can carry the whole box of a TV set without straining? Well, if you can do that, then you’re superhuman. After packing up your system, you need to sort out your storage unit next. After that, determine how your screen will get to the storage unit. Will you carry it single-handedly, or you’ll need help? Remember that accidents can happen anytime and anywhere, so avoid taking chances.
Seek help from a friend, family, or pay someone to help. Let the people help you move your lucrative item to the storage facility. But if you lack any assistance, a hand truck, moving cart and lifting straps will assist you. Remember, the goal is to protect your TV and ensure it reaches safely at the storage facility.
Organize Your Storage Unit Accordingly
How do you store your TV in a storage unit? Create a strategic plan to store your fragile item safely without damaging it. If your TV is sharing a storage unit with other items, then it’s best to place it at the back of your unit.
Putting it at the back will ensure its safety since it will be away from foot traffic and any potential accidents. Make sure you place it upright and provide it with some extra space around it. Consider putting a blanket to offer some additional protection? Don’t store it on its side or upside down. After finding the safe area for your TV within the storage unit, note down the location so that you don’t accidentally bump on them or place other items on top when visiting the storage unit.
Summary
Storing your TV in storage is not that difficult as long as you know how to do it. The main goal here is to minimize damages, and you can only do that with these tips at your fingertips. Storing your TV in a safe place ensures complete peace of mind knowing that nothing can ever go wrong. However, don’t relax and forget to visit the storage unit for inspection from time to time.
