Storage Unit Packing: Some Helpful Hints

By Joyce McIntosh


While moving into a new place can be exciting, it's also a huge amount of work and a good amount of stress always seem to be part of the deal. One of the biggest and most stressful chores is packing up all of your stuff, and while doing a top-notch job of packing is always important, this is especially true if you will be storing your items in a self-storage unit. To make it all easier, read on and follow a few of these helpful hints.

Your first tip is to start as soon as possible. Once you are certain you are moving, get packing. Start out by packing up all the little used items in your home. This might be decorations, photographs and books, as well as cooking items that you rarely use. Pack up clothes and shoes that aren't in season, as well. Boxes aren't cheap, so check sites such as Craigslist for free or low-cost moving boxes.

If you can reduce the amount of items that you are moving and packing, the process will be easier. Consider getting rid of a bunch of stuff before you move and either calling a truck from a charity service to come and get it or maybe even have a quick yard sale. Your little-used belongings might be someone's treasure, and there is no better time to purge than when you have to pack up all of your belongings anyway. Imagine how nice it will be to start over again in a new place with a lot less clutter.

When you have a huge variety of box sizes, this can be difficult to organize in a moving van, but especially in a storage unit. It is much easier to stack boxes that are the same size. When packing, use newspaper as a cheap wrapping for your fragile items. Also think about the weight of every box. If it's too heavy, it can be difficult to move, so consider dividing up heavy items to make boxes more manageable. Get some permanent markers and label each box. Include the type of items you have in the box as well as where it should be placed in your new apartment or house. You can even number or color code the numbers and labels to keep everything truly organized.

For those who are storing items in a self-storage unit, it is important to think about how items will be arranged. Stack boxes with heavy boxes on the bottom and lighter items at the top of the stack. Make sure you have left some walkways so you can easily get to items without having to move a bunch of stuff first. If you are going to be storing items for a long time, it's important to do some preventative maintenance. Some items need to be stored in a sealed container ,and if you wipe down metal items with an oily cloth, they tend to stay rust-free. So wipe down that file cabinet or metal shelf or lawnmower before you stow it.

Most towns have several different storage companies, so it is important to find one that offers a variety of storage sizes and plenty of security. The facility needs to fenced and fully lit. A computerized gate also is a plus, and you should check and ensure that security cameras are placed around the facility. Sometimes you only need storage for a matter of months, so look for a facility that charges each month rather than asking for a six-month or yearlong contract. If you are active military, a college student or a senior, some places will even give you a discounted rate, so be sure to ask.




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