Electronics are sensitive items, and whether you are a packrat who refuses to get rid of anything or are just keeping certain pieces for use in the future, careful consideration needs to be given to storing electronics long term. Many different things can impact the life of these items, and if stored incorrectly, a computer or like device on can become a major headache.
To help make this task an easy one, we’ve compiled a list of steps to help you prep your electronics for storage to help ensure they last as long as you need them to!
- Back up your data. The most important thing you can do before storing your electronic devices is to back them up completely, whether in “the cloud” or on an external hard-drive. Your family vacation photos, important personal documents, tax information, etc. – all of this will be useful in the future and if anything happens to your devices you want to be able to access it. This back up will also make access while those devices are in storage far easier.
- Separate parts and pieces. Here we mean things like cords, disks, etc. – separate all devices before storing them. Just be sure to label them correctly, otherwise, when it comes time to use these things again, it might take far longer than you’d like to get things going.
- Thoroughly clean all items. As with anything you put in storage, cleaning electronics thoroughly first is one of the best ways to ensure longevity. Consider airing out electronic devices with a compressed air duster – this blows a thin stream of air through hard to reach places and clears out dust and debris.
- Cover monitors and screens. This not only protects your devices from dust it can also help protect from breakage. Consider cloth or canvas covers, rather than plastic, as plastic can lead to moisture build-up. Better yet, if you have the original box, pack everything away in that.
- Store in the right environment. Our final piece of advice is more about where to store, rather than how. A secure, weatherproofed storage unit, one that can provide reasonable access and strong security measures helps to keep your electronics safe from both the elements and theft.
Like anything else, storing electronics requires some initial preparation, but the time spent on this can greatly reduce the risk of these devices not working when you need them to.
For more about storing electronics, or anything else, please contact Personal Vault Self Storage today at (905) 853-9898.