Self storage can be a great service to utilize for many life events; like buying a new home, sending the kids off to college, storing heirlooms after a loved one has passed, or using it year-round to keep all the seasonal and holiday items out of your house. But, if you don’t know the best way to organize your stuff in there, or which size to choose, or if you need a drive-up unit or a temperature control unit…then you aren’t getting the most out of your storage experience. We are here to give you some helpful storage organization tips so that you can store them with confidence and store them like a pro.
Before Your Organize, Determine What Size Storage Unit and Type You Need
First, you must determine the right self storage unit size and type that is best for you. By talking with our knowledgeable, on-site Property Managers, you will benefit from his or her experience within the self storage industry. The choices can be overwhelming. There are sizes as small as 5×5 and as large as 20×30 in some locations. There are also drive-up units, interior access, and temperature control units to choose from. A storage unit that is too small can cause you stress and the need to transfer to a larger one later, and a storage unit that is too big can be unnecessary. You need to find the “just right for you solution”. And, that is where our property managers can advise you on the options available and help you select the perfect one for you.
Storing Furniture? Not a Problem!
Did you know that Moove In has plastic covers specifically designed to help protect your sofas, mattresses, and other furniture? They are available for purchase in our retail store located inside the rental office. These covers will protect your furniture from dust and dirt and will help prevent damage to the material when moving things in and out of your storage unit.
Maximize your space by storing your sofa or oversized chair up on end rather than on its feet. Break down your bed frame so it can lean against a wall in pieces rather than taking up a lot of space and being in your way. Be sure to place the screws, nuts, bolts, and other hardware in a plastic bag and tape it to the bed frame so it doesn’t get lost in the move. (This tip has saved me a lot of stress in the past.) Don’t forget to use tape that is furniture friendly so it doesn’t leave a mark on the wood finish or remove paint!
Fragile Items? Boxes Can Be Your New Best Friends!
We all have our precious breakable things – whether it’s great, great grandma’s antique china, or last year’s championship trophy. How to organize a storage unit tip: be sure to wrap your breakables in bubble wrap to prevent damage. Make sure that each box is packed full, using packing paper or packing peanuts to fill in the gaps and holes around your valuables. Loose items can rattle around while in transit and can even cause stacked boxes to tip over, causing even more problems! Our retail store carries a large variety of packing supplies to help you with this task. Learn more about packing tips for moving stress-free after you finish reading how to organize a storage unit.
Our boxes make it easy for you to stack your items inside your storage unit and keep dust particles away. Ever say to yourself, “Oh, I’ll remember where I put that?”, and then down the road, no matter how hard you try, you just can’t remember? Don’t create unnecessary stress; label your boxes! If you’re storing long-term, it gets even better. Our boxes are designed to last for several years and have an edge crush factor of 32 lbs per square inch, and the various sizes will fit nicely if you choose to keep a shelving rack inside of the unit. Our boxes also make it easy for you to label with a handy list of rooms to mark off where they go and several blank lines to write what’s inside. The more cubic space you use is simply a stronger win for you as a customer!
Keeping Some Things Long Term and Others Short Term?
Perfect! Place the items that you don’t plan on using any time soon into the unit first and place them at the back. This might work perfectly if you plan to keep a spare bedroom suite in the unit for a lengthy period of time. You won’t have to fight with the bulky, heavy furniture to get at the smaller items you will need in the meanwhile. Remember, seasons change and so do your clothing and decorative needs! So be sure to rotate your seasonal items as you use them and return them to storage. After winter wraps up, pull all the other seasonal items to the front and place the winter items in the back. Doing this as the seasons and holidays change will keep your items easy to access and store all year long. This is one of our biggest tips on how to organize a storage unit.
Can’t Find Your Items Inside Your Storage Unit?
So, you just packed up your belongings and placed them in your storage unit. But wait, you can’t leave yet! Stop long enough to draw a brief diagram of where you placed everything inside your storage unit for future reference. Tape it to the wall right inside the door or keep a binder on top of the front box or bin so you see it. The human mind is an amazing thing, but it can be pretty forgetful as well. This is an ideal time to draw this up, while everything is still fresh in your mind. Plus it will save you a headache later if you plan on stopping by the storage unit for a minute on your way home from a long day at work. With a diagram handy, you can quickly reference it, grab your stuff and be on your way in time for dinner.
For additional how to organize a storage unit tips or suggestions, please stop by any of our locations and speak to our property managers, or contact us with your questions. We’re happy to assist you in any way that we can. Now, get cracking and get packing!
If you have some storage organization tips to share with others that have worked well for you, please post them below for everyone to see. And, if you are ready to get started, you can reserve or rent a storage unit online now.
Originally posted 2/25/2016; Updated 8/4/2021