Your Guide to Using Self-Storage Effectively

These days, most of us have more items than we can conveniently fit in our homes. Perhaps you’re living in a flat and have nowhere to store those boxes of childhood belongings. Maybe you’ve moved for work and need a place to store your furniture in the meantime. It could be that you’ve inherited items from a family member and have nowhere to put them just yet. Whatever the case, self-storage units can help, but you need to know how to use them effectively. It’s not as simple as just tossing in boxes and then locking the door.

Know What You’ll Be Storing

The first thing is to make sure that you know exactly what you’ll be storing. If possible, pack away loose items into boxes, and then take measurements. What you need here is a good estimate of the volume you’ll need. Remember that self-storage units are rented by size – the larger the unit, the more it will cost you. You’ll want to make the smartest use of the space to avoid overpaying, and that begins by knowing what you’re going to store and how much room it takes up.

Label It All

You’ll have no trouble identifying large, unboxed items in your storage unit – there’s just no hiding that sofa, or armchair. However, items that are packed away inside boxes and bags can be easy to overlook, which makes managing your inventory challenging. Make sure to label everything that can be – boxes, clothing bags, and the like. A simple rule of thumb is that if you cannot see what’s in a container, then it should be labelled. You may want to even consider labelling transparent containers (plastic storage tubs, for instance).

Load In Strategically

You cannot afford to simply toss your belongings into a self-storage unit willy-nilly. You need a plan. You need to go about it strategically in order to make the best use of the space available. In most cases, you should load in the largest items first, and then stack boxes around those items. However, this may not be the right strategy depending on what it is that you’re storing. For instance, if you are putting a car in storage along with other belongings, you will likely need to access the car before the other items. Therefore, it should be one of the last things you load into the unit.

Perishable and Easily Damaged Items

It’s important that you get the right self-storage unit in the first place. If you’re storing perishable items, make sure the unit is climate controlled (and remove the items before the expiry). If you are storing items that are easily damaged but do not need air conditioning, you might just want to consider using an indoor storage unit.

With these tips, you should find it easier to make the best use of your self-storage unit.