What should you do if you have a computer that you aren’t using and want to store?
To properly store a computer, you typically need to package it to protect it from foreign material such as dust, moisture, and impact damage. Factors that need to be considered when making your choices include where it will be stored and if it will be moved, how far, or how often it will be moved.
You can pretty much use the same process for storing any electronics, but in this article, I will specifically talk about storing computers.
How do I Prepare my Computer For Storage?
When you first decide to store your computer, you may be tempted to put it in the closet or throw it in a box. But, before you do that, there are a few things you should do first.
First up, you want to back up all your files. If you have online storage, you can back them up to the cloud. Or use an external hard drive. If you don’t have many files to back up, you can always save them on a USB stick.
Regardless of how you do it, you want to check to make sure there aren’t important files left on the machine that you want to save just in case something happens in storage.
Common places that people store files include:
- The Desktop
- The Documents folder
- The Downloads folder
- The Pictures folder
- The Music folder
- etc
Once you’ve gotten a backup of all the files that you want to save, and you’ve tested that your backup works, you’re ready to move on to the next step.
At this point, you’re ready to disconnect the computer. It’s important to turn off the computer first and then unplug it from the wall. Once unplugged, you can disconnect all of the other wires and clean them with a dry or slightly damp microfiber cloth.
Keep in mind; it’s possible that cables stored with tight bends, crimps, or pinched sections can become damaged. Most computer cables available today are quite resilient, but it’s still better to loop the cables into a circular coil for storage than to bundle them into a linear shape with tight bends.
You can clean your keyboard and mouse by wiping them down with a dry or slightly damp microfiber cloth. Cables attached to devices like your keyboard and mouse can either be looped separately or around the device.
Once you have all of the cables taken care of, you can clean the dust from the computer case and the monitor. If you use the slightly damp cloth, skip using it on the back of the computer case where all the connections are. If you’re brave enough, you can clean the inside as well.
People shouldn’t use most household solvents on a monitor. If you need a cleaning product to clean your monitor, your local electronics shop should have what you need.
To clean inside, you will need multiple cans of compressed air duster designed for computer cleaning. You should also be able to find it at your local electronics shop.
Do not use air from an air compressor. The air is high-pressure capable of producing enough force to rip the electronic components off circuit boards, and typically carries a high moisture content.
Here’s the basic procedure:
- Take the computer case to an area where you can make a dusty mess.
- Remove the casing cover.
- Attach the guide straw to the compressed air can so you can get into tight spots.
- Use the compressed air to blow out as much of the dust as you can without touching the electronics inside.
- The compressed air container gets very cold when you use it but this also causes it to lose flow. This is normal. Just switch to another can while the first one warms up. Shaking them can help.
- If you tilt the container while spraying or if it turns upside down it may spray an odd fluid that evaporates very quickly. Try to do your work without that happening but don’t panic if it does.
- Your goal is to remove the bulk of the dust. You will never get it all and risk damaging the computer if you try. If the air can’t loosen the dust, just leave it where it lies.
- Once you’ve gotten it as clean as you’re going to get it, put the casing cover back on.
What to Consider When Storing a Computer
Now that your computer is clean and the cables are organized, you’re ready to pack them up. Before moving on, a few things need to be established first. Ask yourself, where will it be stored, how long will it be stored, and will it be moved one or more times? If you will move it, how far will it have to go?
Where you will store your computer?
If you’re able to store it indoors in a dry, temperature-controlled environment similar to the inside of your home, you can get away with packaging it in a standard cardboard box. The stable temperature and lack of moisture mean you only need to be concerned with dust or foreign material. Most people can achieve this with a cardboard box closed up with packing tape.
If you need to store it in a place where the temperature fluctuates or where it’s exposed to outside air, your requirements change. It’s possible to still store your computer in a cardboard box in this environment, but it can be a bit risky.
Are you confident the rodents won’t eat into the box and make a nest? Are you sure that it will stay dry? Sometimes this type of storage is exposed to more dust. Can you seal the box properly to protect the computer against that.
Some people turn to plastic tubs as sealed containers. This can work well, but the proper steps need to be taken, or it will make things worse.
How long will you store your computer?
How long your computer is stored can influence your packaging decisions. Temporarily storing it compared to storing it for the next 5 years can mean the difference between no packaging, fully sealed, or preserved packaging.
It also impacts whether or not you will remove batteries or not. Most computers have coin cell batteries in them that need to be changed every 5 years or so. So if you store the machine for a long time, it’s a good idea to remove them.
Likewise, if you’re storing a laptop and the main battery is removable, you may want to remove it and manage it separately if possible.
Will your computer be moved & if yes, how many times and how far?
If your computer isn’t going anywhere except the closet, the packaging needs are almost nil. If you intend to move somewhere in town, you may want better packaging for the ride. If you intend to move across the country, taking the extra time to package up your computer will ensure it arrives safely.
Most professional moving companies are quite good at packaging items for long moves, so if you’ve hired one, you’re likely in good hands. If you’re moving, then taking the time to go through the process below is worth it.
How to Package Your Computer for Storage
No packaging
So you decided to go commando and forego any packaging. That means you’re counting on the environment to protect your computer. Hopefully, that means you’re storing it up on a shelf in your closet or somewhere else where the temperature is controlled, the air is warm and dry, and there isn’t any risk of something hitting it.
If your house isn’t that dusty and the duration of storage isn’t that long, this can be an acceptable option. In fact, it can be a long-term solution as well. Just keep in mind that the longer it sits, the longer it may be exposed to dust and other particulates.
Package your computer in a cardboard box
Using a cardboard box means that you’re either moving or you intend to store your computer for a long time in a dry, temperature-controlled environment. Somewhere the temperature doesn’t really change, and it doesn’t have direct exposure to the outside air.
You can sometimes get away with using a box in a non-temperature controlled environment if you’re certain it will stay dry, but you’re risking exposure to humidity in the air. It starts by making the cardboard soggy and then progresses by growing mold on or in the box. Eventually, it spreads through the computer, making it difficult, if not impossible, to recover.
Ideally, you still have the original packaging, and it was preserved well enough to be reused. This means the original box with all of the packing foam to protect it. If you have all of that, place the computer into its original packaging in the same manner it came.
Be sure to close it up and seal it using packing tape. Don’t forget to tape over any openings that will allow foreign material to get in.
If you don’t have the original packaging, you need to find a suitable box and packing material. A local moving company or hardware store should have what you need. The goal here is to give the computer some protection from dust, handling, and transport. Of course, how much protection you give it is up to you, but here’s the process I use.
Once you have a box big enough:
- Line the bottom with some packing material to protect the bottom of the computer.
- Place the computer in the box.
- Once the computer is positioned on the packing material and roughly in the center of the box, place packing material around it on all sides. You want it to be tight enough to support it in one place but have enough give that the packing material absorbs any impacts or sharp movements.
- When you’re satisfied with that, cover over the computer until the box is full.
- Close the box and tape it shut with packing tape.
- Tape over any openings or seams that you think could allow dust to get in.
- That’s it!
Using a plastic tub to store your computer
If you’re planning to store your computer in a non-temperature controlled environment like a storage site, sea-can, or any other building with no heat, you may want to consider using a storage tub for your computer. The dust, rodents, and insects are bad enough, but the possible moisture levels in those environments can also cause significant damage.
You can use the tub like a box and arrange some packing material in the tub as described in the box section, or you can package it up in a cardboard box and place that box into the tub. Both will work.
Here’s where things get tricky. If you seal up a container and put it in an environment where the temperature changes by a significant amount, you’ve basically created a system with its own hydrologic cycle. Bear with me here…
When you seal that container, there is already moisture in the air and anything else in the container that can hold moisture. Now, it’s trapped in there. So when the temperature cycles between warm and cool in the container, the air and the moisture in the container will move through the hydrologic cycle, condensing and evaporating repeatedly.
This becomes a huge problem because this micro process is enough to cause corrosion, mold growth, and water damage to everything in the container.
The solution to this problem is to eliminate the moisture in the container and seal it well enough that no new moisture can get in. This can be done in fancy ways, like using a nitrogen blanket to displace the air that holds moisture.
For your computer, the easier, cheaper way is to use desiccant. Desiccant is a material that captures moisture from the environment as soon as it’s exposed to it. That means you need to be quick when you use it, but it’s very effective.
When selecting a desiccant for storing your computer, you won’t need food-grade desiccant, but there’s nothing wrong with using a food-grade desiccant. Usually, you can find desiccants at RV outlets or hardware stores.
On the package, it will tell you how much you need to use for your container size. You will always want to put in extra. Even two or three times the necessary amount is fine. Pay attention to the useful lifespan of the desiccant you’re buying so that you get the results you’re after and know when you may need to replace it.
The process is as follows:
- Prepare your tub for storage with the items you want to store in it and any packing material to physically protect it. The process for packing a box is likely ideal but it’s up to you how far you take this.
- Once you’re ready to close the lid, have your dessicant near by and enough packing tape to confidently seal the seam around the lid.
- Open your dessicant and place it in the container.
- As soon as your dessicant is exposed to the air, it will begin absorbing moisture so place the lid as soon as possible.
- Once the lid is secure, use your tape to go around the tub-to-lid seam sealing it completely.
- That’s it! Your computer in a tub is ready for storage!
Using a tub to store anything has to be done right, or you could damage your property, so make sure you understand how to do it before you do. If you’re new to this, you may want to practice it a few times before you use it to store something valuable.
Can I Store my Computer in a Storage Unit?
If your computer has been prepared for storage in the environment offered by the storage facility, then you should have no problem storing it there.
The questions you want to be answered regarding the storage facility include things like:
- Storage unit integrity: Are the units sturdy and well kept? Will they protect your items in a heavy storm?
- Seals and weather strip: Are the seals and weather stripping around the doors in good enough condition to keep out the elements?
- Climate controlled units: Do they offer climate controlled units?
- The grade is correct: Is the property grade properly designed to direct water away from the units with no low spots?
How Long Can I Store my Computer?
You can store your computer as long as you like if the proper measures have been taken to prepare it. When considering how long you store it, the main concern is the internal coin cell battery or the main battery if equipped. If you’re going to store it for longer than a few years, you will probably want to remove them.
The other thing that you need to monitor is if you’ve used desiccant in a sealed container. Depending on the desiccant you’ve purchased, it will have a useful lifespan. Once that lifespan has expired, you will need to replace it to continue getting the sealing process’s benefits.