Books, magazines, and other media such as CDs, DVDs, Blu-Ray, and video and cassette tapes deserve special attention during the storage process because they are very prone to damage caused by the environment. Pages are susceptible to yellowing and other media are harmed by humidity and dust. By taking some steps before storing your media you can thwart the damaging effects that would otherwise occur, making your self-storage experience more enjoyable. 

Preserving Books and Magazines 

• Separate magazines with a piece of plastic, wood, or strong cardboard to keep magazines from warping 
• Seal books and magazines in plastic bags designed for archiving 
• Consider renting a unit that utilizes climate control. As extreme temperatures are a major cause of damage for books and magazines, a few extra dollars in rent to keep your belongings between 50- and 80-degrees Fahrenheit could save a slew of books and magazines from torrid temperatures 
• If you stack books or magazines in a box, arrange the media so that the spines of books or media are switched from right to left in the stack to evenly distribute pressure 
• Protect books by placing a piece of paper in the front cover of the book and wrapping that same piece of paper to cover the back of the book. This will prevent books from sticking 

Print Media 

• Instead of using boxes, consider using plastic storage containers, filing cabinets, or a safe for added protection 
• Keep boxes or containers from direct contact with the floor by laying down wooden pallets, cardboard, or plastic 
• If you have multiple boxes or containers, try to use the same size of box or container to facilitate easier stacking. Also, ensure that the boxes or containers you are using are good quality to avoid large stacks of media from toppling 
• Identify which items you won’t need frequent access to and pack them first to make it easier to access essentials 
• Fill boxes completely to keep them from shifting during the storage process, such as during transport. Your self-storage provider will likely sell packing products to help you fill all of your boxes 
• Do not wrap print media in newspaper because newspaper ink can transfer to your media 
• Clearly label your belongings to increase your ease of access 
• Pack your belongings as though you’ll be storing them for a long period of time, even if you only think you’ll use storage for a few months. You never know what can happen 

CDs, DVDs, Tapes, and Other Recorded Media 

• Place media in airtight, antistatic bags to protect them from moisture. Tapes are especially susceptible to moisture and static and can be damaged if not protected 
• Try to store media in its original casing to prevent accidental scratching 

Many self-storage facilities have packaging material available for purchase that can assist you in protecting your media. Talk with the manager at your self-storage facility for additional measure you can take to protect your precious media.