Five Ways To Get The Most Out Of A Self-storage Unit

Storage units are a wonderful way to keep yourself organized, whether you’re moving, downsizing, or looking to store a few items. But, renting a storage unit does cost money, and you probably would like to maximize the value you get from using it. It all comes down to organization and tracking. Getting the most out of your storage unit is easy with a little bit of preparation and tenacity. Here are five ways to get the most out of a self-storage unit today.

Choose The Right Self-storage Option

Choosing the right option for self-storage requires a bit of self-assessment. What are you storing and why? Do you need a lot of space? Does the location need to be near your home? What about costs and climate control? All of these are important questions when selecting a storage unit. There are plenty of amazing Seattle storage facilities to handle your storage needs. Decide what you need and start searching for facilities that suit your needs. Once you’ve decided, you can enjoy your time in Seattle without worrying about finding a new place for your stuff.

Inventory Your Stuff

The key to running a successful business is knowing the whereabouts of your inventory (and a bunch of other stuff, too, but that’s not what we’re here to talk about). Inventory begins with deciding what’s going in storage and what isn’t. The same principle should apply to storing your precious belongings! Take a comprehensive inventory of the items you’re storing, and be sure to label them. Clean everything beforehand and consider vacuum-sealing for things like clothing. Meticulously label and create an actual paper inventory of what you have in the unit. That way, you’ll know where to start when it comes time to move something. Decide if you need climate control as well. If you’re going to be storing financial, long-term disability insurance, or personal documents, climate control is a must. Taking the time to do a quick inventory will save you a headache later on and help you safeguard your stuff while it’s in storage. 

Ditch Those Cardboard Boxes

When you’re moving things from place to place, cardboard boxes can come in handy. They’re sturdy for the most part. They can be stacked and collapsible. Cardboard can be taped up and unpacked quite easily, so they’re the ultimate tool for moving. But when it comes to using them for long-term storage, things can get a little dicey. Storing cardboard for long periods isn’t a great idea. Cardboard tends to start decomposing after being stored for a while, depending on the duration and environment. If the environment is cold, wet, or damp, then that cardboard isn’t going to retain its strength for more than three months or so. When it begins decomposing, the stuff inside will move around, fall, and be exposed to the elements. In some conditions, cardboard can last a long time before decomposing, but why take that chance when there’s a great alternative available at a low cost? Using totes or plastic bins to store your stuff in a storage unit is a fantastic way to organize it, keep it safe for a long time, and more easily organize or retrieve items when you no longer need to store them at all.

Stack Things Vertically

Vertical stacking is the way to go for maximizing a small space. Storage unit sizes dictate the price you will pay for the rental. If you’re trying to save some money, going for a smaller unit is probably for the best. This does present some logistical challenges, however. How are you going to store all your stuff in a smaller space? By thinking vertically, of course! Consider stacking plastic containers and items on top of one another. You wouldn’t put anything heavy on top of anything fragile or breakable. Start with the larger, sturdier items on the bottom and work your way up from there by carefully stacking durable storage containers on top of one another. If you’ve been labeling them as we suggested above, it’ll be much easier to retrieve items later. 

Disassemble Furniture And Large Items

Moving larger items such as furniture probably doesn’t rank very high on the list of favorable moving tasks. But it has to be done. When you need to store larger items, keep in mind that they can take up a lot of space. Since the size of the unit typically determines storage units rates, you can see where this might cause some potential problems. Luckily, there’s a simple solution: store your large items in a disassembled state. Take apart heavy or bulky items, wrap them, secure them, and incorporate their storage into the rest of the unit. Storing furniture and bulky items this way maximizes storage space. It makes it easier to put them back together when it comes to removing them from storage, selling them, or taking them to another location.

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