Are you looking for art storage solutions? If so, you’ve come to the right place! If you’re like most, you have at least a few pieces of art hanging on your walls or sitting on your floors. Art and artwork bring life to your home and office. It can brighten up a dull wall, add a point of interest for guests, and give you feelings of joy. Indeed, it’s incredible the effect art and artwork have on the average person. That’s probably why so many of us collect and display works of art in our homes.
In our ever-growing love for art, though, many of us purchase more than our homes can display. (There’s only so much usable wall and floor space!) If you’ve come to the point where you need to store some, or all, of your artwork, you’re in luck! In this article, we list the best, safest, cleanest, and most secure storage solutions we know. You’ll be ready to store your art with care and expertise in no time!
Pack Your Artwork Before You Store It
It’s important to consider the timing when looking into art storage solutions. If you’re storing for a long time (or even a short time) usually means that you’ll have to pack it. The good news is that packing paintings, large pictures, and large, framed posters are relatively straightforward. The bad news is that it takes special mirror boxes that you won’t find at most stores. They aren’t cheap, but they’re most definitely worth it. Mirror boxes will protect your paintings and other wall-hanging artwork for years.
If you have statues, vases, and other artwork that sits on the floor, packing them is necessary. Not only will it keep your art clean but also protect it from accidents that could damage it. One thing to also remember is that if the artwork is big and bulky, you may need to crate it.
Can You Store Artwork In The Attic or Basement?
The answer to this question is yes and no. Yes, as one of our art storage solutions, you can store artwork in the attic or basement under certain conditions. Under other conditions, though, you can’t (or at least shouldn’t) store artwork in the attic or basement.
Is your attic or basement fully finished, well insulated, and well protected from severe temperature changes? If yes, storing your artwork, there should be safe and secure. (You would need to make sure that your basement couldn’t flood also.) That’s because most artwork needs to be in a cool temperature with very low humidity. Extreme temperature changes can damage many forms of art, and you should avoid them.
That’s why, in most American homes, the attic or basement would not be an excellent place to store art. Many basements have a problem with high humidity and flooding, for example. The average American attic gets sweltering hot in the summer and cold as a bone in the winter. None of these situations is a good one if you’re storing a piece of art. That goes for paintings as well as prints, statues, vases, and more.
Art Storage Solutions: In a Regular Closet
In most American homes, you can store artwork in a regular closet. There are, though, a few things to keep in mind so that all your art is well protected. First, an unused closet often works best. The more you open and close the door to put things in, the more chance you could damage your art.
If you have a large closet, storing your art towards the back where it will be safe is a good idea. That way, it won’t get moved around, banged up, or otherwise abused. No matter which closet you choose, be sure to protect your art. A mirror box (as we talked about earlier) or some type of padded blanket would be excellent. (Even an old blanket from your bed would be better than nothing.)
Art Storage Solutions: In the Garage
Much like the attic or basement, some garages make an excellent place to store art, and some don’t. One of the drawbacks of a garage is that their floors are concrete. That means you can’t place your art directly on them, or they could absorb its dampness. If your garage has a closet where your art will be safe, it might work. You’ll need to pack everything well, of course (mirror boxes yet again), but the temperature changes won’t be severe. Unless you live in a flood-prone area, most garages are dry enough to make reasonable art storage solutions.
Art Storage Solutions: Rent a Storage Unit
There are few places better than a storage unit at a self-storage facility when it comes to storing art. First, your art will be in a clean, dry space. A storage unit is also secure, with 24/7 video monitors and on-site managers. While a standard storage unit will work well, there are also climate-controlled storage units available. If you have valuable art, we recommend you rent one of those. That way, severe temperature fluctuations, and high humidity will never cause any damage to your precious artworks. The fact is, when storing artwork, many people rent a storage unit because it’s the best solution. (And it’s also affordable!)
Lay Paintings Flat If You Plan To Store Them Long-Term
Packed or unpacked, laying paintings flat for long-term storage is a must. It will keep them from being stressed, cracking, and peeling. If they’re in a box, you’re all set. If they’re not, or they’re not in frames, laying them on acid-free paper is recommended. There are also acid-free boards that you can buy and place between paintings. Of course, laying them flat means you’ll need a fair bit more space. (A storage unit might come in handy if you have a lot.)
Best Of Luck With Your Art Storage Solutions
Although it’s a shame to take it off the wall, if you store art well, it will hang another day! Wherever you decide to keep your art and artworks, we hope they are well-protected and stay safe! That way, they can be enjoyed by generations to come!
