Have you just come into some money? Do you fancy that worldwide trip that has always tickled your fancy? Maybe it’s time to withdraw your savings and take that year-long jaunt to the southern hemisphere to experience what you have only ever dreamed of.
A visit to the travel agents will sort out the logistics of your lengthy excursion. From where, to where, on what dates and, of course, how much! That’s the easy bit. But have you considered what you will do with your home? A year is a long time to leave your premises empty. Anything could happen and whilst you are away, the last thing you want is to spend your day’s worrying about it.
Firstly, sort out what you want to do with your property. A year-long let, maybe friends will move in or even other members of your family. Whatever your decision, there will be other considerations too. After all, if you let the property, you will not want to leave your belongings behind. The bare essentials will probably remain, but your valuables, in particular, will need to be stored.
But it’s not only those planning to travel who might need long term storage. Over the years, most people tend to accumulate many things. Sentimental objects, gifts, furniture, clothing, and other things can begin to pile up. Of course, there are times when you might want to reduce the amount by holding a garage sale, attending a boot sale or donating some of the items to charity. But what do you do when you want to hold on to these things instead?
Choosing long term storage allows you to keep your items without them being in your way around the house. Long term storage is a great way to hold on to important things and keep them safely packed away.
Things to consider when using long term storage.
- If you are planning to store an item of clothing long term (such as a wedding dress), be sure to have it cleaned first. This will help it to stay in the best possible condition over time. Some dry cleaners can clean and pack clothing in a protective box where they will be safe for years.
- Make sure you store things in order. For example, goods that you don’t need to access for a long period of time can be stored high on shelves or at the back of the unit.
- Make sure you mark your boxes clearly so when it comes to finding a particular item you know exactly where to go
- Some foods can be stored long term for later use. If you want to store food (such as canned goods), keep it in a cool, dry place. Some properly stored foods can last up to 30 years or more.
- Use proper secure boxes and not broken cardboard boxes which could break over time. And make sure you make an inventory.
Lucinda Dangerfield, co-director of North Bristol and Gloucestershire based Space Centre Self Storage said; “We get calls from many people considering a medium term or longer holiday. Also, students who want a gap year and those who remain at home but who have a house full of sentimental belongings.
The beauty of Space Centre Self Storage is that we provide units of all sizes at competitive prices with no long term contracts to sign.
So, if you go away and decide that it’s not for you, we will not penalise you for an early return.”
Have you left your belongings in self storage before? Why not share your tips with our readers? If you any questions about using self storage look us up on our website or contact us via phone.