Organizing Your Storage Unit
Renting a storage unit and putting your items inside of it seems fairly self-explanatory, right? While just putting the items you’d like to store inside the unit is fine, if you go into this task with a plan for organizing your storage unit you will find that it is much easier to access the items when needed.
Some Tips on Organizing Your Storage Unit:
- Label everything- This is key for quick identification of what’s inside those boxes. Use a fresh black permanent marker so labels won’t fade away, and be sure to write legibly. Ideally, use white label stickers instead of writing directly on boxes.
- Keep a list of everything in the unit- A written or typed list will prove useful. When you find yourself wondering where something is, you can quickly confirm it’s safe at the storage facility.
- Plan Your Layout- Take a few moments to plot the layout of your unit, considering which items you think you’ll need to access more often. Place items/boxes that you plan on accessing more often in the front of your unit. It will make future visits to your unit quick and easy.
- Place your heaviest items at the bottom- Sounds like a no-brainer, but important if you want to avoid getting crushed under an avalanche of toppling stacks of boxes. Don’t throw things in your unit without a plan in mind. Unbalanced stacks can cause havoc down the line.
- Store your items in plastic containers in order to avoid mold and mildew- Plastic bins will protect against these perils better than cardboard. Also consider adding a moisture-absorber for additional protection.
- Create a walkway in the unit so you can access items in back- Draw a blueprint of your unit and account for some space throughout for easy navigation when you visit later.
- Review your lease to make sure you’re not storing any prohibited items- Food, gasoline, and live animals are just a few examples. Double-check the lease before you finish moving in. The rules are there for a reason; it’s not worth the potential risks.
