PresleyYou’ve booked a storage unit, and you’re eager to load it up with your belongings. You can store your possessions in these units while you are moving, organizing, decluttering, creating extra space in your house, or running your business. You might be tempted to throw your stuff in and close the door.
Self-Storage is a great way to store your belongings without having to deal with high-maintenance storage facilities. As with most things in life, it takes planning and careful preparation to pack, move, and store your belongings. This list of common storage mistakes and storage unit organization tips will help you get the most from your space.
9 Mistakes Can Not Be Been Avoided
Avoid these mistakes when renting a storage unit. You won’t have to worry about damaged items or having a bad experience.
- Using the Incorrect Size Box
One of the biggest mistakes homeowners make when packing a storage unit is to use random-sized containers. Recycling old liquor or fruit containers is a great idea. However, it makes it difficult to organize and stack them up in a consistent manner. You can save your time and effort by using designated moving boxes. It makes it easier to stack boxes, and also saves time.
- Using Newspaper As Wrapper
Even with the best intentions in place, newspaper ink can leave a smudge or bleed all over your items. The task of unpacking dirty belongings will be daunting, with some items likely to be irreparably damaged or tarnished. You should use bubble wrap, ink-free paper, or even a roll of butcher paper.
- Using Cardboard Boxes or Plastic Bags
Plastic bags and cardboard boxes are not recommended. Plastic bags are very ineffective at protecting your belongings, while cardboard boxes attract insects and moisture. You can choose to use plastic bins instead of either one. They are more durable and resistant to moisture, so you can protect your items better.
- Not Packing Properly
While there is no single best way to organize a storage area, careful planning, and packing of different items can make your storage area more efficient.
Pictures frames, porcelain, fine china, and platters need to be wrapped in bubble wrap, sandwiched between two pieces each of thin cardboard. It cushions the products and prevents them from breaking during shipping. Food should be packaged in separate containers. Furniture should be disassembled whenever possible. Protect heavier, larger objects with padding or packing peanuts.
- Moving Too Many Boxes
People also make the common mistake of storing heavy objects inside one box. It makes the box more difficult to transport and also causes instability.
- Not Enough Time
You should not leave anything until the last minute when you are moving. You will be more likely to rush to pack up your boxes, damage or crush your stuff, and even injure yourself. This could cause you to fall behind schedule. It is a common saying that haste can lead to waste. This holds for packing. You can do yourself a favor and plan your move well in advance. It is important to allow enough time to organize your storage space and to hire experts to help with the heavy lifting.
- Don’t forget to label your boxes
It is difficult to find a needle among a sea of boxes in self-storage units if you don’t label them. Even if you don’t plan on returning to your self-storage unit and unpacking it completely, it will help you as well as your moving company if each box is labeled.
You should make a list of everything that you intend to store in your storage space. Mark the boxes so that you can find them. It is beneficial for insurance purposes to know what is in your locker/mini-storage unit.
- Selecting the Wrong Storage Size
First-time tenants may have trouble predicting what size unit they will need. Even though smaller units are more expensive, you shouldn’t try to fit all your stuff in a tiny space. Although you might save money in the short term, you could endanger your belongings over time. A storage calculator can help you determine which size unit is best for your needs. It will help you visualize what size storage containers are available and what might fit inside each.
- Not Cleaning
Cleaning is crucial to maintaining the condition of your items. Unclean items can cause rapid decay, mold growth, pest infestation, and harmful germs. It could start with one thing and spread to all of your belongings. A simple wipe-down and dusting can make a big difference.
