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Efficiently Packing for Self Storage
An article provided by Simply Self Storage

When you rent a self storage unit or mini storage unit, you pay for the unit by the square foot. Therefore, you want to be as efficient as possible in packing items to put into the self storage facility and you want to be efficient as you pack things into the storage unit.

Plan and Prioritize

First, consider all the items you have to put into storage. If they are already packed into boxes, it may be easiest to combine them all into a single room so that you can easily envision the number and amount of space they’ll need.

Be sure to mark every box with a brief description of the contents to save yourself hours of cutting into sealed boxes looking for a particular sweater or an important tax document.

Carefully mark the boxes that you will need to access more frequently. Load them last, and put them near the front of the unit so that you are not climbing over other items to get to the things that you need.

As you are preparing to transport your boxes and other items to the self storage facility, put the heaviest materials and sturdiest items on the truck first so that they can go on the bottom in the storage unit and add stability for the next items. And with fragile items on the top of the stack, they are less likely to get crushed and broken.

Take a look at your items that are not boxed, such as furniture, file cabinets, toys, exercise equipment and so on. Consider how often you might need these items, how sturdy they are and where they can be packed into the unit, and how bulky they are.

Plan Your Space Needs

Some facilities offer a “virtual” unit organizer to assist with choosing a unit size. You do pay according to the size you rent, so it is helpful to rent the smallest unit you can.

However, it is also helpful to have a little extra space to work with when you are moving things around and trying to find something after the unit is packed.

Utilize the resources at the self storage facility to help you decide on the space you need. Consider if you will use this space for long term storage or vehicle storage, since that will also help you determine the size of storage unit you should rent.

Pack With a Plan

Have the end in mind when you are packing, and you will be better prepared for organizing your belongings in the self storage unit.

For example, using boxes instead of plastic bags makes it much easier to stack items. You want to utilize every square foot of space you can in a storage unit, and boxes actually take up less space because they stack so much better than bags.

Additionally, sealed plastic bags trap humidity, leading to mold and mildew on your belongings.

It may be a good idea to purchase specialty boxes for such items as televisions, computers, hanging clothing, and artwork.

Arrange the boxes so that each box is evenly packed as much as possible. Remember that you will be lifting each box several times, so don’t make them so heavy that they are difficult to lift. Books should be packed in many smaller boxes rather than a few large boxes.

Load the Storage Unit

Before you begin unloading your belongings into a self storage unit, consider laying down a piece of canvas, some boards, or cardboard on the floor. This protects your belongings, and boards can raise items off of the floor, which also helps prevent humidity from entering the boxes or damaging other items.

Pack valuables such as televisions and electronic equipment farthest from the door and hidden by other items. This helps prevent theft.

Place the heaviest items in the unit first, to the back and along the sides of the unit. You may be able to borrow a dolly from the self storage facility to help in this task.

Remember to leave an aisle or two so that you can get easy access to your items later. Leaving even one aisle down the center will allow you to have two walls on each side for stability as you stack boxes and furniture, but still give you access through the whole storage unit.

If you are using the unit for boat storage or vehicle storage, put the vehicle into the unit first to see how much room it takes. Use protective padding and cloths over the vehicle.

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Simply Self Storage is the largest privately owned self storage company in the United States and Puerto Rico. We own and/or operate over 228 facilities with over 16.1 million square feet of storage space.

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