Self-Storage Blog
Organizing Your Storage Unit: 7 Tips to Remember
When you’re renting a storage unit in the Berkeley County area, you’ll want to get the most from your available space. If you don’t utilize the space properly, you may need to consider obtaining another unit to house your belongings. Fortunately, you can take a variety of actions to maximize the area you’re renting. The following tips and tricks are designed to help you meet your storage needs in the best ways possible.
1. Use Boxes or Other Closed Containers
Avoid storing items without placing them in closed containers first. While your newly rented space should look relatively clean when you acquire it, various issues could cause your unprotected belongings to sustain damage. It only takes one toppled box to ruin a breakable object. Additionally, no matter where you are storing your things, flooding and smoke damage are always potential hazards. Your possessions will more easily withstand certain dangers if they are contained properly in boxes.
2. Get Organized Before You Start Unloading
Before any furniture or boxes ever make their way into your storage unit, be sure to organize everything. To keep it all arranged in an accessible way, use only two or three box shapes and sizes if possible. This will make the task of stacking boxes easier. Also, several box sizes and shapes can actually create small pockets of wasted space in your unit.
3. Leave No Space Unused
Make the most of every container you have. Before you start packing items in a new box, be sure that the last box you filled is truly full. You won’t want to fill any box with only heavy objects, but you should pack each container as much as possible. This will eliminate the need for additional containers that will only decrease the amount of space you have available.
4. Add Padding for Fragile Items
To truly protect your breakables, don’t rely on simply keeping them separate from your other possessions. Apply sufficient padding to the interior of each container with fragile objects. This will help avoid mishaps caused from a bumpy ride to the storage facility, as well as from falling items or boxes in the storage unit itself.
5. Label Everything
You may strongly believe that you know what each box contains, but time has a way of affecting the memory. This is especially true as boxes are moved from one place to another in the rented space. Also, moving can be an overwhelming process, and that can affect your memory. To circumvent the need to open every single box just to find one item, use a label maker or a marking pen and labeling tape, so you may quickly identify the contents of every container.
6. Seal Boxes Correctly
Take a little extra time to ensure that every box is properly sealed. You may apply whatever kind of packing tape you prefer, from clear plastic packing tape to paper tape. Transparent tape may be less expensive, while paper tape may be easier to work with overall. Make sure that you seal all open edges, so nothing can intrude or escape from your carefully packed containers.
7. Clean the Unit
If your storage unit has not been swept and cleaned before you use it, do that yourself to prepare it for your belongings. You won’t want to house containers and furniture on a dirty or dusty floor.
A storage unit can provide you with more room for your things, and it may also help you to avoid becoming disorganized and overwhelmed. By following the tips mentioned here, you can avoid some of the common mistakes many people have made when utilizing a rented storage space. If you have questions or concerns about storing your possessions, contact us today.