Lots are usually stored in whatever space is free, which is usually the worst space in the building.
What actually destroys them
Floors, which are where damp arrives first and where a cardboard box wicks it up.
Outside walls, for the same reason.
Mixed contents, where metal rusts next to paper, and paper takes the rust.
Weight, where the bottom box in a stack of six slowly fails.
What to do instead
- Off the floor on anything — a pallet, a plank, two bricks
- Away from outside walls, and never in a loft or a garage you have not checked in the monsoon
- Sorted enough that materials are separated — paper away from metal, textiles away from anything damp
- Plastic crates rather than cardboard for anything that will sit for months
- Silica in boxes that contain paper or metal
Sort before storing, not after
The hour spent sorting is the most profitable hour in this category, and doing it before storage also stops the mixed-material problem. Pricing estate lots.
While sorting, take out anything restricted and anything personal. Those should not be stored with stock either. Prohibited items.
What it costs
Crates and something to raise them. Both are reusable for years.
Questions people ask
Can I store lots in a garage?
If it is dry and raised. Most garages are neither.
How long can a lot sit?
As long as the storage is dry. Damage comes from where, not from how long.
Should I photograph before storing?
Yes — it is also the record that settles a dispute later. Describing a lot.
More: selling an estate lot, common mistakes.