The short answer
Put wood, leather, mattresses, electronics and anything glued in air-conditioned storage, and clean and dry everything first. Wrap in breathable covers, not tight plastic. Leave out food, plants and anything flammable, and keep your passport and Emirates ID with you.
What the UAE does to stored furniture
This guide covers how to store furniture in Dubai and the rest of the UAE. Three things work on a stored sofa. Heat dries out and warps wood, softens glue and cracks leather. Humidity, which climbs on the coast through summer, brings mould, musty smells and swollen veneer. Dust and fine sand get into everything that is not covered.
Summer air temperatures regularly pass 40°C. A closed warehouse or metal container with no cooling can run hotter than the air outside it, and it stays hot overnight. That is why the first decision is the type of storage, before the packing.
Air-conditioned or ambient?
Air-conditioned storage is kept cool year round. Ambient storage is not cooled. The choice is simple once you sort your things into two piles.
| Goes in air-conditioned storage | Can sit in ambient storage |
|---|---|
| Wooden and veneered furniture, antiques | Metal shelving, tools, tiles |
| Leather and upholstered sofas, mattresses | Garden and balcony furniture |
| Electronics, TVs, anything with a battery | Sealed plastic crates of non-perishable items |
| Books, photographs, documents, art | Sports gear, camping gear |
| Musical instruments, rugs, curtains | Bicycles, once cleaned and dried |
| Clothing and textiles, wedding dresses, silk and wool | Plastic toys and storage crates, once dry |
| Fridges, washing machines and other appliances with electronics |
If a single piece you love is in the left column, the whole unit should be air-conditioned, because a unit has one temperature. Ambient is cheaper for the same space, so people sometimes split a job into two units. Whether that works depends on how your partner stores them. Ask.
How to prepare each kind of item
Wood and veneer
Clean and dry it completely. Take off legs and shelves where you can, and keep the screws in a labelled bag taped to the piece. Wrap in cotton sheets, moving blankets or breathable furniture covers. Avoid plastic film pressed directly onto wood or leather, because it traps moisture against the surface.
Sofas and leather
Vacuum, then cover with a fabric throw or breathable cover. Leather needs to breathe more than it needs to be sealed. Do not stack anything heavy on a sofa, and do not put one against a wall that is damp or sweating.
Mattresses
Use a mattress bag, store it flat, and put nothing on top. Make sure it is dry before it goes in. A mattress that goes in damp comes out smelling.
Fridges, washing machines and freezers
Empty, defrost and dry them, then leave the door slightly ajar with a strip of cardboard or a towel, unless your partner asks for it closed. A sealed, damp fridge is the quickest way to get a mouldy smell in a unit.
Electronics
Take the batteries out and keep the original box if you still have it. Heat is hard on screens, batteries and glued parts. This is the group where air-conditioned storage is easiest to justify.
Clothes, linens and books
Wash or clean first, let everything dry, and pack in clean boxes or breathable bags. Put a few silica gel sachets in the box if your partner permits them. Pack books flat in small boxes, since a full box of books is the heaviest thing you will lift.
Loading the unit
- Heavy and flat items go at the bottom and at the back. Boxes go on top of furniture that can take weight, never on sofas or mattresses.
- Leave a path to the back of the unit if you plan to visit.
- Keep items a few centimetres off the walls, and use pallets or a sheet of board under anything that could touch a floor.
- Label every box on two sides with the room and the contents.
- Photograph the pile before the door closes, and photograph the contents of any box that holds something valuable.
What to leave out
Do not store food, alcohol, plants or animals, or anything flammable, hazardous or under pressure, such as paint, fuel, gas cylinders, aerosols and cleaning chemicals. Typical lists also bar firearms, ammunition, waste and anything illegal. Candles, cosmetics, wine and vinyl records do badly in heat even when they are allowed. Each partner has its own list of banned items, and it is a short call to ask before you pack.
Keep your passport, Emirates ID, tenancy papers and anything else you would need in a hurry with you. They do not belong in a warehouse.
Count before you pack
Furniture is where people most often guess the volume wrong. The storage unit size calculator adds up your pieces by room, and the size guide shows what each unit holds. For a printable inventory with a packing checklist, use the sheet below. It is worth five minutes before the movers arrive, and again if you ever need to make a claim. Before you accept a quote for the space, run it past the twelve questions to ask, which include what is covered if something is damaged.
Questions about storing furniture in the UAE
Do I need air-conditioned storage for furniture in Dubai?
For wood, veneer, leather, mattresses, electronics and anything glued, yes. The summer heat and humidity are hard on all of them. Metal, tiles, tools and garden furniture can sit in ambient storage, which is cheaper.
Can I wrap furniture in plastic for storage?
Not tightly. Plastic film pressed onto wood or leather traps moisture and can cause mould or marks. Use cotton sheets, moving blankets or breathable covers, and keep plastic for the outside layer on items that are completely dry.
How do I store a mattress so it does not smell?
Make sure it is clean and fully dry, put it in a mattress bag, and lay it flat with nothing on top. Air-conditioned storage helps, since a damp, warm unit is where mattresses pick up smells.
What should I not put in a storage unit in the UAE?
Food, alcohol, plants, and flammable or pressurised items such as paint, fuel, gas cylinders and aerosols. Valuables you may need quickly, including passports and Emirates ID, should stay with you. Ask your partner for their full list before packing.
