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Pride Storage Solutions
SELF STORAGE HANDBOOK
How should I pack my belongings for a drive up storage unit?
Your belongings can easily be damaged if you don’t know how to appropriately pack and organize a storage unit. No matter what you decide to pack in your storage unit, the tips below will help you protect everything from your flat-screen TV to your winter coat.
1. Protect Your Valuables. Use plastic storage bins with lids and for extra protection, close and
tape the lid shut. When you’re packing for storage, you may not think to take extra precautions to
protect your belongings.
2. Use Dryer Sheets throughout the storage unit. One of the most important storage tips is to
make sure your belongings are safe from pests.
3. Stack to the ceiling. When it comes to renting a storage unit, you will want to maximize your
space. Stay organized. Before putting your things in a container, make a list and assign each
item to its respective container. Make labels for each container and attach these labels to all
sides of the box as well as the top of the box.
4. Disassemble what you can. Do you have a large table or TV stand going in your storage
unit? This can take up a lot of precious room.
5. Use all the space. Unfortunately, not all large items can be disassembled for easier storage.
Some items, like dressers, hutches, and garbage cans, have to stay intact.
6. Make an aisle.
7. Treat leather. Are you storing leather furniture? You may not think about preparing that couch
for long-term storage.
8. Make sure everything is dry. Everyone’s worst nightmare is to walk into their storage unit
and find everything wet.
**SO make sure to seal your mattress in a mattress bag and your belongings inside tightly
covered plastic totes, wrap your furniture in blankets, and NEVER set your valuables directly
onto the bare concrete!
9. Use Vacuum Seal bags.
10. Purchase insurance
11. Don’t store anything perishable
12. Don’t share your key or access code
13. Do purchase a strong lock, if one is not provided.
14. If you are storing clothes, use plastic storage containers, wardrobe boxes and
garment bags.
15. If you are in a humid region, consider adding moisture absorbing products and
cedar balls throughout the storage unit to keep your belongings dry and to prevent musty
aromas from overtaking the space.
16. Visit your storage unit often. Storage isn’t a “set it and forget it” project. If you want your
stored items to stay in excellent condition while in storage, it’s best to visit your unit every so
often and make sure there are no problems. The earlier you discover an issue, the earlier you’ll
be able to take action to prevent additional problems from occurring.
17. Things you can’t put in a storage unit:
- a. Food
- b. Hazardous materials
- c. Stolen and illegal goods
- d. Weapons and ammunition
- e. Living items (and dead ones)
- f. Wet items
- g. Priceless and irreplaceable items
- h. Money
- i. Furs
- j. Tires
- k. Unregistered or uninsured Vehicles
18. For information on temperature controlled self storage units, call today! 207-800-5917
How to pack furniture for a storage unit:
Take extra care as you pack your furniture for storage. A good rule of thumb is to avoid plastic packing materials (unless you’re using bubble wrap for a lamp or picture frame) since it can suffocate the furniture and lead to mildew. Instead, drape furniture loosely with quilts, drop cloths, or old sheets. If you need to tape coverings over more fragile items, be careful not to tape directly onto furniture. This could cause accidental paint or fabric removal, ruining the furniture you’re trying to safely pack for your storage unit.
How to pack appliances for a storage unit:
When packing appliances for storage, drain any remaining liquid from the appliance, remove glass shelves or fragile pieces (to be packed separately), and do not plug the appliance in once it’s in your unit. To avoid odors, you can place baking soda inside the appliance and prop the door open once the appliance has been moved into the unit. The mechanical and electronic parts of your appliances are suspect to rust and fissures, so be aware that a non-climate controlled unit may not be the best choice for these items.
How to pack electronics for a storage unit:
When deciding how to pack a storage unit, pay special attention to your electronics. Pack electronics properly by storing them in their original packing supplies and keeping them in a climate-controlled storage unit. Label and take photos of wires before unplugging them. Then, wrap items in packing paper or household linens to ensure that electronics will be protected if the box they are in is damaged.
How to pack clothing for a storage unit:
The best way to pack clothing for a storage unit is to use plastic containers with clip-on lids. This will protect clothes from dust, mildew, and moisture. You should also pack cedar balls with your clothes to prevent damage from moths and to ward off musty odors. Make sure items are neatly folded and extremely clean so that you don’t have to launder everything again when you eventually unpack your clothes.
Organize your storage unit with descriptive labels:
If you want to have any hope of finding what you’re looking for in your storage unit, you’re going to need labels. For example, labels like “kitchen” are not very specific. You could easily end up with four or five different kitchen boxes and never be able to find the cookie cutters you need. Instead, label boxes with a simple list of contents: instead of “kitchen,” write “cookie cutters, pancake griddle, measuring cups, mixing bowls.”
Organize your storage unit by creating a map:
If you want to make finding what you need a whole lot easier, create a storage unit map. Before you move anything in, lay out your storage unit on a piece of paper and assign every box and piece of furniture a place. Then plan a pathway throughout the storage unit so you can easily access what you need. Keep your map and when the time to recover a sweater or book comes, you can find exactly what you need in mere minutes.
How do I maximize space in my storage unit?:
So now you know how to pack and organize your storage unit. But what if you have too much stuff, and you don’t want to up the size of your storage unit? Here’s how to maximize your storage unit’s space!
- Maximize your storage unit’s space by starting at the bottom. The best way to maximize space in your storage unit is to start at the bottom and stack up. Put your heaviest boxes on the bottom layer. Then work your way up to the top, putting your lightest items there. Just remember to leave an aisle to walk through your storage unit and to keep necessary items accessible.
- Maximize your storage unit’s space by installing shelving. Did you know you can install shelving in your storage unit? You can purchase hanging shelves or get large plastic or metal shelves that stand on the ground. This can help organize large or oddly shaped items that won’t fit in boxes.
- Maximize your storage unit’s space by using furniture. When you pack furniture for a storage unit, take it apart as much as possible. For items like dresser drawers that can’t be broken down, pack smaller boxes and fragile items in the drawers and underneath. Get creative!
