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No matter how big your storage unit is, if you store items without a plan, the entire unit can look like one huge space full of clutter. But with a simple plan, you can organize your items appropriately and stack a small unit full with more items than you can imagine.
8 Ways to Organize Your Storage Unit
1. Store What You Need
How you organize your self-storage unit can depend on the type of items you intend to store. Do not make up your mind on what you want to store based on mere imagination. If you intend to store household items, take a walk through your entire home and make a simple list of items you’ll want in your storage unit. This’ll help you get rid of things that you don’t need and could end up saving you a lot on the storage unit cost.
2. Pick the Right Storage Unit Size
The type of items you want to store will determine the self storage unit size you’ll need. Visit the storage unit you intend to use, ask for the different storage options available. See all the options, check them out and imagine how your items will fit in.
Ask the property manager for professional advice about the right self-storage size for the types of items you intend to store.
In the end, it’s better to have a unit size that is larger than what you need. Even if the size is a bit larger than necessary, you may need to store some more items along the line, plus there will be room for you to get inside if you need.
3. Cleanup the Unit Beforehand
Just before you start stacking your storage unit with all your items, take some time to clean it. Chances are the previous user probably left some debris or the unit is slightly covered with dusts or perhaps there are cobwebs in the corners. It is easier to store and organize items in a clean storage space.
4. Use Similar Size Boxes
Consider using uniform size boxes, or one or two standard sizes to store your items. Don’t use boxes that are too big or too small. Boxes like that makes loading and unloading a bit more difficult. Use boxes that you can lift easily, distribute the weight in each box evenly and make sure they are not too heavy. Always play safe.
5. Label all the boxes
When it comes to storing your items in a self-storage unit safely, you shouldn’t be taking any chances. Start by labeling all your boxes appropriately. Label every sides of each box using a marker and writing very visibly. Clearly indicate the items each box contains and put a sticker indicating “Fragile” on boxes containing fragile items.
6. Arrange Items Systematically
You can take full advantage of your storage unit by storing your items appropriately. If you have items you’ll need access to always, consider storing those items in the front of the self-storage unit. Also, place your heavier items at the bottom of the storage unit and the lighter items at the top. Try to keep some distance between the wall and your items to create some breathing space for your belongings. You should consider creating a walkway in the unit so you can access the items you stored in the back of the unit. Sometimes you may need unexpected access to items you never though you would at the walkway would turn out to be very useful at such moment.
7. Keep Inventory List
Make a list of all the items you’ve stored in your storage unit. You may need the list as time goes by. It is easy to assume that you’ll always remember all the items you’ve stored but as time goes by, they may gradually slip through your mind. But if you have a list, you can use it for reference anytime.
Even more, you can take pictures of your items as they are stored in the unit, take as many as you can from different angles and keep the pictures in your house safely.
If you’re planning to use a self-storage unit any time soon, let Mover Junction connect you to licensed and BBB rated self-storage units near you. Also, you will get up to six free self-storage quotes so you can compare prices before picking the best option for your item.
8. Keep Moving Space
Unless you are storing the items for a long period, chances are you’ll need to go in and out of the unit and dig out items from time to time. Plan ahead for any such
requirement, so its easy for you to get to your stuff. Last thing you need is to move everything out of the way to get to the one item you need. Leaving some moving space in the middle of the storage unit can help you get to everything with minimal effort. If possible, make aisles.
If you want to see what size storage unit will work for you, compare storage units and get prices right from MoverJunction.com. Its absolutely free.
