What to do Before Moving Your Items Into Storage

Moving your items into storage can feel like a daunting task. It’s never easy to part with your precious possessions, even if only for a short time. It always helps to start out with a good plan. The right kind of preparation will maximize your storage space, ensure your items do not get damaged, and will make your items easy to retrieve right when you need them. To make storing your items less stressful, here are 5 things to do before your big day:

Know Your Options
When it comes to choosing a storage facility, choose wisely. Not every storage facility is alike. There are several options to consider when it comes to the type of units available:

- Do you want a unit that is climate controlled?
- How about a unit that is indoor or with drive-up access?
- Do you want your unit monitored by surveillance cameras?
- What type of lock do you need?

Research all of your options. StorageFront.com provides an in-depth listing of the storage facilities in your area, enabling you to compare facilities. Choose the one that best fits what you need and want.

Choose the Right Size
Start out on the right foot by choosing the correct size storage unit. Storage facilities offer units varying in size, so choose the right fit for all that you have. Nothing is more stressful than trying to “stuff” all of your items into too small of a unit. This will result in items being damaged because they’re not placed into the unit properly. Check out this free self storage calculator for precise calculations. This tool will take the exact measurements of your items and put together a map of how much space is needed. Don’t just take a shot in the dark hoping you’ll get the size right. Use the online tool for accuracy.

Let Go of Your Inner Pack Rat
Don’t be afraid to get rid of stuff that you know you will never use again. There’s no need to hold onto items just for the sake of holding on. By getting rid of items you do not need, you will save yourself a lot of time, storage space, and stress! A Lifehacker article mentions the common idea to “toss it if you haven’t used it in the last year.” Throw away items that are damaged and worn out, and donate to a charity or church the items that you have no need for anymore. You will make others happy by giving them an item they may really need, and you will make yourself happy by not wasting any of your storage space!

Go Label Crazy
Feel free to go crazy with labeling everything you own. Put items such as dishes, photo albums, winter clothes, kids’ art projects, etc. into boxes and storage bins marked with the proper label. Labels are an excellent way to organize, making items easier to find when it’s time to pull them out of storage. Saying good-bye to your items becomes much less stressful when you know you can find them quickly and easily when you need to in the future.

Prepare Your Items Properly
Research how to store your specific items properly. Make a list of the supplies you will need, as well as which furniture items will need to be specially prepared. Some things to remember:
- Blankets and draperies need to be cleaned beforehand and then placed on hangers in wardrobe boxes.
- Dishes and breakables need to be bubble wrapped.
- Most furniture items need to be broken down.

You will need to follow specific storage instructions for some of your items to prevent damage. Read more self storage tips from the professionals at StorageFront.com on how to best store your items.

photo credit to Tim Patterson on Flickr