Finding a safe and accessible way to store art is every collector’s and artist’s dilemma. Those on a budget or wishing to keep the collection on their premises often opt for a well-equipped art storage room. Yet, the space constraint often plays against convenient art storage arrangements. Here are several pro tips for maximizing your storage space with smart solutions.

Planning Your Art Storage Room Setup

The initial stage of storage room planning is space assessment. No matter what you think about the available storage space, it should be carefully mapped and measured to give you a clear guide for ordering storage equipment. Ordering shelves and racks based on guesswork can severely affect your storage room’s accessibility. So, the first step is to identify usable vertical and horizontal zones, further planning for safe handling and clear pathways.

Second, you should factor climate control and air filtration into the storage room’s design. Consider portable climate control units and data loggers for condition monitoring so that your art doesn’t suffer damage from temperature and humidity fluctuations. Don’t forget about lighting management; install low-UV lighting and keep light exposure down to a minimum when handling artwork.

Professional Art Storage Solutions for Small Spaces

If your storage space is limited, a couple of professional storage solutions can help you maximize the utility of your storage room.

• Use vertical racks and shelves to use space to the fullest. It is a space-efficient solution that gives you much more storage capacity. Make sure your racks are padded and made of acid-free materials.
• Store prints, drawings, and photos in flat files and portfolios. Choose professional, museum-grade files specifically meant for art so that their materials don’t damage delicate surfaces.
• Leverage crates and boxes for long-term storage of art. These packing solutions are very sturdy and durable, allowing art stacking without safety risks.
• Catalogue your art. You’ll be surprised to learn how much damage is caused to art because of its useless movement from one place to another. This often happens if the owner can’t locate the right item at once, checking each and every artwork repeatedly. The problem can be addressed by creating a catalogue, paper-based or digital, with artwork mapping. This way, you will always find the art object needed without causing unnecessary fuss in the storage room.

Using these tips, you can discover that even a small art storage room can be optimized and used to the maximum, offering safe and well-organized custom storage capacity. Try these methods to see how your storage space transforms to house all art collection items without safety compromises.