If you have to put things into storage then make sure you take steps along the way to save yourself on time, trouble, and money. There are a lot of things that you can do in advance that will help everything go much smoother for you both when putting things into storage and while getting them out, as well as when you are getting into the unit while keeping your items in it. Here are some of the dos and don'ts you want to keep in your mind during the processes.
Don't use old boxes
If you have boxes saved up in your attic or garage that you have been saving for an occasion just like this one, you need to make sure they are still strong. Many years of exposure to heat, or possible moisture, can take their toll on them and make them brittle. You can use the boxes to line the floor of the moving truck and storage unit though, so don't be too quick to throw them away.
Don't guess on the size of unit you need
Put some effort into determining the best sized unit. You want to make sure everything will fit, that you will be able to leave rows between your stacks of boxes, so you can access anything you need in the future, and you don't want to pay for a unit that is going to be much larger than you need. Measure your large items and calculate the size and number of your boxes. Then, go maybe one size up from the actual size you come up with.
Do label everything or make a chart
Label your boxes so you know what is in each one. If you don't want to have a bunch of writing on the boxes, you can mark their items on a chart, then label that list and the box with the same number. So, when you need to find your black shoes, you can look on the chart and see they are in box 31, then find the box with a 31 on it.
Carry insurance on your stored items
Check your homeowner insurance company to see if your stored items are covered. If not, then you want to look for a separate plan to purchase that will cover all of your items you have in the storage unit.
Don't store food
If you put food items in the storage unit the you are going to be sending out calling cards to any pests in the area, letting them know your unit has goodies in it. It's best to give away or donate this food instead of putting it into storage.
Contact a mini storage facility for more help.
Share17 December 2018
After we moved into a smaller home, we realized that a lot of our stuff would need to be moved into a storage unit. Unfortunately, after we moved things into our storage space, we realized that it was going to be pretty tough to keep clean. To keep our stuff from getting damaged, we decided to go through our unit, organize our things into boxes, and try hard to keep it organized. However, after a series of trials and errors, we were able to figure out a system that worked for us, and our unit is still clean. Check out this blog to learn more about tidying up your storage unit.