Packing & Storage Tips

Tip #1: Protect Your Items!

Use packing materials such as packing paper, peanuts, foam, and bubble wrap for fragile items. Wrap furniture in plastic or old bed sheets. Lamp shades can be stacked. Pack books to avoid damaging the spines, but never lay your TV flat in a box! Use packing materials. Packing materials can be purchased, or sometimes even found for free from members of the community and local businesses. Anything left unboxed or uncovered will get dusty. Fill us boxes so items don’t become damaged during transport. Your items are valuable enough to store, so protect them!

Tip #2: Use the Whole Unit

Remember to use storage unit height by stacking boxes and items vertically. You can fit a lot more items in your unit if the space is utilized correctly. Consider leaving an isle through your items for easier access. Put heavier and larger things in the unit first. Ask about your unit's dimensions before moving in, so you can plan ahead and maximize your space usage.

Tip #3: Balance the Weight of Your Boxes

Be mindful of the weight of boxes. Heavy square boxes are best stored on the bottom of your unit. Try to balance the weight inside each box while packing, and remember that you must be able to lift your boxes during transport and into your storage unit, and will likely need to access them again in the future. Balanced weights will also aid you in packing up your unit vertically, so as to avoid accidents and damaged items while utilizing your space.

Tip #4: Label, Label, and Label Some More!

There is really almost no such thing as too much labeling. Even color coding can help. Don’t simply list what room the items came from - be much more specific. You will appreciate it when you don’t have to unpack your entire unit to find one item. Use items’ original boxes whenever possible, and group your items with similar items inside your unit. Use any kind of label you can find - just be sure to label each box that you back. Some people even find it helpful to take a picture of the box's contents and tape it to the side of the box. 

Tip #5: Maintain Item Accessibility

Remember to store more frequently used items toward the front and top of your unit. It seems obvious, but when faced with the stress of packing, moving, and storing, it’s easy to forget. Maybe try placing a colored sticker on boxes you will need frequent access to when you pack them up. Just because they are stored doesn't mean they aren't of use to you, and your time is valuable!

Tip #6: Consider the Emotional Value of Items

Calculate emotional value when packing your items instead of simply monetary value. Doing so will help you decide how to insure or protect your items. Make electronic backup copies of all documents. Insurance can be very helpful for high-value items, but often documents and items of a more personal nature are irreplaceable to their owners nut low in monetary value. Take pictures of  keepsakes, just in case. 

Tip #7: Use Extra Protection on the Ground

Place pallets or canvas on the ground of your storage unit for extra protection. Also consider using deodorizers, pest/vermin bait, and moisture absorbers to keep your items in the best condition possible. Pallets and other materials can be easily and inexpensively purchased, and they can add greatly to your peace of mind. 

Tip #8: Take Apart Furniture, but Keep the Pieces!

Take apart furniture whenever possible, but remember to safely store and label all extra pieces such as bolts and screws. We recommend putting all the pieces in a ziplock bag and taping the back to the furniture itself. Couches should be stacked on end. Be careful of items that could transfer color onto your furniture pieces.