There are several different reasons for using a self-storage service; whether you’re downsizing and don’t have enough room for everything in your new home, you’re temporarily going overseas and need somewhere to store your furniture and belongings, or you simply need somewhere to store seasonal items such as garden furniture and Christmas decorations when they’re not in use, it’s certainly true that opting to use a self-storage company is an ideal solution. Once you have access to the unit, the temptation might be to just pile everything in and forget about it, but it’s worth taking a little extra time to organise things properly – Storage World has come up with five easy tips to show you how.
1. Think ahead
Rather than simply throwing everything in and hoping for the best, think about what you’ll need access to first and store that at the very front – there’s nothing more frustrating than having to fight your way past armchairs and huge boxes just to find a bag of Christmas decorations that were left to gather dust at the back.
2. Leave adequate space
Although you might be tempted to pack as much into your unit as possible, it’s important to remember to leave a walkway to access anything stored towards the back. You should also leave significant gaps between the boxes or shelves and walls to ensure adequate ventilation and prevent damp and mould.
3. Pack boxes carefully
Quite an obvious point, but one that often gets forgotten nonetheless; when packing your boxes, put the heaviest items at the bottom with anything much lighter tucked safely on the top. Wrap breakables in bubble wrap or towels to ensure that they stay in one piece, especially when moving things around.
4. Remember to add labels
Taking the time to add labels to boxes, crates and shelves when you store things might take a little longer initially, but will save you an awful lot of time in the long run – you’ll be able to see at a glance exactly where everything is, and you won’t be left rummaging desperately for a particular book or last year’s Christmas tree.
5. Keep boxes uniform
There are a whole world of different boxes that are suitable to use in a self-storage facility, from standard cardboard and plastic to more robust wooden crates – but whichever you use, make sure they’re all uniform. To store things as safely and effectively as possible, boxes that are going to be stacked high should be the same size and depth, so you don’t end up with a large wobbling tower that threatens to topple over every time you move something.
