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How to Store Patio Furniture

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Patio furniture provides comfortable outdoor seating during cookouts, pool parties and many other outdoor activities. It also allows you to extend your living space outdoors, which essentially increases the square footage of your home. In fact, if you live in warmer climates you may be able to use your outdoor patio furniture year round and never have to store it. However, for the rest of the country, proper storage is very important to extend the life of patio furniture. Though patio furniture gets a lot of wear and tear and is exposed to the elements, it can last for many years if it is cared for and stored properly. Here are some tips on how to store your patio furniture once you are done using it for the year.

First you must thoroughly clean and dry all of the patio furniture. This will prevent mold and mildew from growing during storage, as well as remove any dirt and debris that has accumulated during the summer months. It will also allow you to enjoy your patio furniture immediately when you take it out of storage because you won't have to clean it first. Most patio furniture can be cleaned effectively with a solution of water and liquid soap.
Make any necessary repairs to your patio furniture prior to putting it in storage. This includes fixing any tears in the fabric and touching up chips in the paint.
If your patio furniture has furniture pads that sit on them, remove these and try to find a place inside the house to store these. Place the pads in plastic bags, but do not seal the bags to prevent moisture from being trapped.
If the patio furniture can be folded up, it's best to fold it and lay it neatly stacked in a cool dry storage location.
If the patio furniture cannot be folded, but instead will stack easily, then it should be stacked.
If you do not have a storage location big enough to store your patio furniture, then buy plastic patio furniture covers and place over all items of furniture including the chairs, table and umbrella.

If you determine that your patio furniture is beyond repair or you just don't like it any more, don't even bother storing it. Sell it and get it out of the house which will free up the storage space for other items.