Many people are going down the road of using self-storage. It makes sense. Unless you have a genuine desire to throw away those belongings and artifacts that have cluttered your home, garage and shed for too many years to mention, storage in a purpose-prepared unit is the perfect way of not only de-cluttering your house but your outbuildings too. By using self storage, you can also revisit your belongings, at any time, and maybe, when the time is right, sell some or all of them on eBay, at a boot sale or simply pass them on to friends or family.
Choosing the self-storage option is the easy bit. When you’ve settled on a unit to fit your requirements, the real hard work begins. A day’s de-cluttering needs planning. Organise which room to clear first and set aside plenty of time to undertake your task. When you’ve established what you wish to keep and what can disappear down the tip, it’s down to the small matter of packing your goods in suitable boxes and transporting them to your chosen self-storage unit.
Here are some leading tips on packing and storing your goods
1. Make sure you buy decent storage boxes. Don’t try to save money by using any old box that you might find in the garage. They will quickly flatten out or collapse under pressure. You need stability. Most storage centres will advise you on this
2. Store china and breakables in strong cardboard and plastic boxes, packing with plenty of bubble wrap, tissue paper or loose fill. Do not use newspaper as the ink will stain.
3. Fill boxes completely and distribute weight evenly – stacks of partly-filled or bulging cardboard boxes may tip or collapse.
4. Label your boxes clearly so you know what is in which box. You might also draw a map of where the boxes are placed in the unit. This will speed up matters you come to find items at a later date. Stack your boxes properly and not too high.
5. Leave a passageway through to the back of the unit so all items are easily accessible. If you fail to do so, you will find it very time consuming when it comes to retrieving a particular items or items.
6. If you need to secure your boxes, use substantial tape so boxes don’t break open.
7. To make the best use of your storage space, items such as beds can be taken apart or folded down.
8. Avoid stacking or leaning furniture against the walls of your storage room as this may prevent proper ventilation
9. Cover all furniture with dust sheets and remember to protect table and chair legs with bubble or foam wrap to avoid scratching. Mirrors and pictures should have their corners protected with foam.
10. Clean all garden furniture before storing and make sure that your lawnmower is drained of petrol.
If you have any other tips on packing boxes or how to stack your goods in a self-storage unit, why not let us know by posting a comment in the box below. You can also contact us via LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter, or give us a call if you wish to discuss anything else connected to self-storage.