Their are times in our lives when we have no choice but to be in transit. We might be moving house, relocating to another city, accepting a temporary job elsewhere, or even taking an extended holiday. These times of change often leave us requiring a temporary home for some or all of our stuff!
The easy to follow tips in this post will help you make the right decisions about self storage.
Packaging, and Materials
You will need need different types of packaging and materials depending on what items need to be stored e.g packing boxes, flat screen TV boxes, tape, labels, markers, bubble wrap, butchers paper. You can pick these up from any removals or self storage business. Tip – If you want your boxes free, check with your local businesses such as grocers, as they usually have plenty to recycle.
Labeling
Label each box with the contents therein. Tip – It helps to buy colour coded labels to reference rooms or grouped items.
Pack Your Items Carefully
If you have fragile goods to pack, use butchers paper and bubble wrap. Make sure the items are packed tightly. If you can hear them moving when you pick up the box, you have left too much empty space between your items. Tip – Don’t pack your items beyond the top of the box. This makes the boxes difficult to stack and puts too much pressure on the goods inside. Over-stuffing boxes always leads to damage from either pressure or falling boxes. Tip – If you are dissembling furniture, place all nuts, bolts, specific tools and assembly instructions into a sealed plastic bag and tape the bag securely to the relevant piece of furniture. If you are packing items like TV’s make you the remote and appropriate cables are packed together with the TV in the same box. This applies to computers and any appliances. This will save you a big headache later, trust us!
Choose the Right Storage Facility
If you have goods that are affected by humidity, make sure the storage facility has humidity and temperature control. Most importantly, choose a self storage unit that is completely dry and doesn’t leak. Water and mold is the number one cause of deterioration of stored household goods. A facility that is armed with an alarm and has surveillance cameras is essential. If your items are of value, having a 24 hour guard is a good idea. Tip – Is 24 hour access important to you? If not, then find a storage container that doesn’t have all the bells and whistles, it will likely be cheaper. If you are going away for an extended period, all you really require is security and a dry unit.
Inquire About Complimentary Transportation
Moving trolleys are fantastic tools for moving your boxes between your house, your vehicle, and the storage facility. You can purchase them at hardware / garden stores, or the storage warehouse may hire them out. Tip – Some storage businesses offer complementary trolleys, vans, and trucks if you sign up for more than one month, so check with your facility before purchasing any moving equipment. Some facilities will even pick the items up themselves, free of charge in order to get your business.
Always Leave A Space Down the Middle
It is essential that you leave a a walking space down the middle of the the storage container or unit that you are packing your goods into. You will thank yourself for this when you need to access goods that you have packed at the back of the unit at a later stage, or if you’ve accidentally packed something away that you need. Think about what you will need the most when it is time to retrieve your goods and pack these items last so that they are at the front of your unit when you need them. Tip – It is a good idea to have an ‘essential’ box that is a different colour from the rest and packed with the things that you will need immediately. Keys, tools, etc. This will be the last box you place in the unit.
