Over the years, it can be easy to amass a sizable selection of electronic goods. Things such as extra TVs, speakers, DVD players and more might not have an immediate use in your home, but that doesn't necessarily mean that you're ready to get rid of them just yet. If these items are beginning to clutter your living space, though, it's worthwhile to explore the idea of off-site storage for the long term. Even a small unit at your nearby self-storage facility can house a considerable number of electronic goods. Storing these items properly requires a little planning to ensure that, when you're ready to plug something in after months or years of storage, it works properly. Here are some strategies.

Make Sure You Rent A Climate-Controlled Unit

Given the value of the electronics you'll be storing, it's worthwhile to spend a little extra money to rent a unit with climate-controlled capabilities. LCD TVs, for example, contain liquid behind their screens. As such, you don't want to store one of these TVs in an environment with sub-zero temperatures. A standard guideline for safely storing LCD TVs is to ensure that the temperature is between -4 and 113 degrees Fahrenheit. Any climate-controlled unit will certainly meet these criteria, but a non-climate-controlled unit in an extremely cold location could jeopardize the health of your TV.

Use The Original Boxes, If Possible

If you have any of the original boxes for your electronics, storing them in this manner will remove a lot of work for you. With a TV, for example, the box is packed with appropriately sized pieces of foam that will carefully cradle the TV to protect it. You can also tape the boxes shut to prevent unnecessary exposure to dust. If you don't have the original boxes, look for large boxes that will hold small-to-medium electronics, and then surround the items with foam peanuts. If the right size box isn't available, carefully wrapping the item in clear plastic wrap can protect it.

Label Your Accessories Clearly

After a long period of storage, the last thing you want to do is be confused about which accessories go with which items. A simple way to avoid this problem is to place paper or tape labels on accessories such as cables, remote controls, and other peripherals. Then place the appropriate accessories in a clear plastic bag and tape it to the rear of the corresponding electronic item.

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