Clean and dry them, pack them in their original boxes if you still have them, or in sturdy boxes with plenty of padding, and stand them upright, off the floor. Bag the cables with each item, keep batteries within our limits, and when you take things home, let them warm up to room temperature before you switch them on.
Packing them
- Original boxes are best. They’re shaped to the item. If you no longer have them, use a sturdy double-walled box and fill every gap with bubble wrap or packing paper.
- TVs and monitors stand upright, screen protected with a blanket or cardboard, and nothing stacked against the screen.
- Bag cables, remotes and chargers with the item they belong to, and label the bag.
- Take a photo of how things are wired before you unplug them, to make setting up easier later.
- Back up and log out of computers and phones before they go in.
Batteries
Laptops, tablets, games controllers and similar items with built-in batteries are welcome, up to ten in a unit, free of visible damage and not stacked, with room for air around them. Loose lithium-ion batteries of 160Wh or less can be stored too, but power banks and portable chargers need to stay at home. We recommend storing batteries at a low charge. Take the AA or AAA batteries out of remotes and gadgets, as old batteries can leak.
Our units don’t have power sockets, so nothing is ever left plugged in or charging.
Keeping them dry
Our units are clean, dry and secure, with our indoor units purpose-built inside our buildings. They aren’t heated or cooled, so packing well does the work:
- make sure everything is completely dry before it goes in;
- lift boxes off the floor on a pallet or a layer of strong boxes, and leave a gap at the walls;
- a few silica gel sachets inside each box help with small electronics.
When you bring electronics home after a cold spell, let them come up to room temperature before switching them on, as moisture can form inside after a sudden change. For cameras, lenses and tripods, our camera equipment guide covers the mould risk and how often to look in.
Cover
Electronics can be valuable, so include them in the value you declare for contents cover, at what it would cost to replace them new today. Keep receipts and serial numbers at home.
Any questions? Call us on 0800 2545585, or get a price online.
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