Long-term household storage in Sparks

Months can turn into years. A family overseas, a retiree between homes, a student's furniture or an estate waiting for decisions all end up with belongings that need a safe place and a quiet shelf. Long-term storage is the same vault service used for short stays, with a few habits worth adopting because the goods will wait a long time before anyone opens them.

Who uses long-term storage

Typical long-term customers are people living abroad for work, owners of a second home furnishing it slowly, families merging households, and executors of an estate. Some are in the military and will be stationed elsewhere for a few years. Others are downsizing and want a place to keep what they cannot yet part with.

If you are sorting an estate, see estate and downsizing storage.

• Extended work assignments
• Estates and downsizing
• Second-home furnishing
• Households between long-term moves

How long-term storage is set up

Your household is packed, wrapped and loaded into 7 ft x 7 ft x 5 ft wooden vaults, and the vaults are stored in the O'Brien's warehouse. An itemized inventory goes with them. The monthly charge starts from $40 per month and depends on the vault count shown on your estimate.

The details of the vaults are on vault storage.

Habits that protect stored goods

Clean furniture and let it dry before it is packed. Empty and defrost appliances and leave doors ajar. Remove batteries from items that will sit for years. Keep a copy of the inventory with your papers, and update your phone number and address with the office if either changes.

The guide long-term storage tips carries the longer checklist, and preparing furniture for storage explains wood and upholstery.

Getting your goods back

Delivery is scheduled with about 2 to 3 weeks notice. The office confirms the address, the date and who will be there. If your new place is not quite ready, a short storage stay can bridge the gap, as described on storage between moves.

Estimate and next step

A free in-home estimate by an O'Brien's estimator counts the vaults, lists the packing and records the estimate for the move into storage. You also receive 10 free heavy-duty boxes. Start on the free estimate page or call 775-359-6683.