Action figures are valuable collector's items, but they can take up a great deal of space within your home depending on the size of your collection. If you want to free up some space in your home, you may want to look into renting a self-storage unit for your action figures. However, before you move your collection into storage, you need to make sure that you prepare your action figures properly so that they do not become damaged and lose value while in storage.

Proper Packing Materials

In order to maintain the value of your action figures, it's a good idea to keep them in their original boxes, and then package those boxes into a larger plastic tub or container, available at most moving and hardware stores. Plastic containers will help protect against accidental physical damage and will keep moisture away from your action figures, acting as a secondary layer of protection in addition to their individual packaging. For loose figures that do not have individual boxes, you should wrap them in a plastic bag to provide another layer of protection, and then place that wrapped figure with all other wrapped figures into a plastic box as well.

Storage Location

When organizing your storage unit, you want to make sure that you keep your boxes of action figures off of the floor. This is because the floor is subjected to more severe temperature fluctuations, and is also susceptible to water damage due to accidental flooding or leaks within your storage unit. All of these things can cause damage to your action figures, especially over an extended period of time, so it's a good idea to leave your boxes of action figures up on a shelf or stored on a piece of furniture in your storage unit, like a mattress or dresser, where they are unlikely to fall off.

Climate Controlled Storage Units

It is also a good idea to look into investing in a storage unit that has climate control capabilities. This is especially relevant for action figures that are still packaged in their original boxes: moisture exposure and temperature fluctuations can cause mold growth and the warping of cardboard, which could ruin the boxes seal and expose your action figures to the outside air. This will, of course, greatly reduce the value of affected action figures, which means that it is well worth the added expense of a climate controlled unit if you are considering selling your action figures at any point in the future.

Contact a company like Lake County Storage of Round Lake Heights to learn more.