What goes into self storage is meant to come back out some day. Unfortunately, many people find little surprises along the way when they go back to retrieve their items. Because of the way they were packed initially, stored goods can be found ruined and broken when they are removed from storage.
To help you avoid unhappy surprises when you pick up your things, we’ve assembled this guide to packing. Remember that what you do now will affect you for years to come. Since the whole reason you chose self storage was to protect your valuables, you’ll want to take a little extra time and effort to pack the right way to make sure you don’t waste your rent.
Follow these tips to keep your valuables safe and organized:
- Use the right supplies. Don’t make do with boxes that are the wrong size and markers that are almost out of ink. Evaluate your needs and purchase supplies that you’ll need to do the job right. Your small investment will yield large returns when you’re ready to pull your items out of storage.
- Don’t skimp on tape. If you don’t wrap your boxes in tape, you run the risk of seeing your goods spilled everywhere once you pick up a box that has been sitting untouched for months or even years.
- Pack containers to capacity. Packing boxes is actually much trickier than it looks. Too full and they can tip easily when stacked, too empty and they can get crushed. Also, when possible, put heavy items into small boxes and lighter items into larger boxes. When you put your extensive coin collection into a single, large box, you’ll have a much harder time moving it around, and the bottom could easily fall out. It should go without saying, but use boxes, not garbage bags to keep items safer.
- Plan ahead. We’ve created an extensive Know Before You Store section that deals with strategies designed to keep specific items safe. Read this section before you store items like appliances, dishes, furniture, holiday decorations, tools and mattresses.
- Get rid of odors. While certain items might not smell over a short period of time, they can transfer an unpleasant odor to everything in a storage unit after just a couple weeks. Drain all fluids, make sure nothing is damp, and seal everything that may still have an odor.
- Stay organized. Simple steps like labeling boxes, keeping an inventory and diagramming your storage unit will do wonders to speed things along when you return to your unit three years later to find those baby clothes.
Call us at (866) 327-LOCK to find a Lock Up self storage facility near you today.
