The Need to Prepare & Organize Your Storage Unit
Whether it’s equipment for a beloved hobby or household items, you can’t bring yourself to part with, getting a storage unit for your most treasured possessions both safeguards them and makes more room in your house.
Once you’ve decided to obtain a storage unit, however, filling it should be a more clean and more organized process than simply driving to the site and tossing everything into the space haphazardly.More importantly, if you’ve had your storage unit for a while, engaging in periodic cleaning and organizational sessions will make sure your items are stored in a way that protects them safely, gets rid of objects that are not useful anymore, and helps you find frequently-used items quickly and efficiently.
To facilitate your cleaning and organizational project, Mini Entrepôts has compiled a list of tips on how to prepare and organize your storage unit.
Prepare and Organize Your Storage Unit: The Tips
To effectively clean, prepare, and organize your storage unit, you’ll first want to empty it out so you can see what you’d like to keep and what you’d like to get rid of. Once that is done, you can set about cataloging, labeling, and placing things back in the unit in a new and proper order. In this regard, periodically cleaning and organizing your storage unit is a lot like moving into it for the first time. This may seem redundant, but it will keep your items in pristine condition, give you easy access to them, and ensure you won’t run out of space for new items.
Here is a list of tips to organize your storage unit:
- Tip #1 - Clean it Out Thoroughly
- Tip #4 - Label Everything
- Tip #2 - Take Inventory
- Tip #5 - Use Your Space Wisely
- Tip #3 - Use Plastic Storage Bins
Tip #1 - Clean it Out Thoroughly
Once all your storage items have been moved out of your unit, it might be a good idea to clean the unit itself. Even a climate-controlled unit has been known to gather some dust, so sweep to remove any dirt or dust from your storage space. Better yet, if you have a portable vacuum, vacuum the floors and walls of any grime or fine particles, and wipe them with a clean, wet rag.
Dust can be a major contributor to damage to items such as clothing, records, computer parts and hardware, and books or comic books, so if these are some of the items you are storing in your, periodic cleaning is a must. Even if you’re not storing the aforementioned items, it’s always good practice to keep your storage space clean!
Tip #2 - Take Inventory
To prepare and organize your storage unit once it has been emptied and cleared of dust, plan to take inventory. Oftentimes, people store things without taking note of what is actually inside the storage space and then promptly forget what’s in there. This can cause complications down the line when you visit your storage space expecting to find an item and it is not there, or conversely when you search your house for that same item and it’s in your storage unit.
Using a tablet, laptop, smartphone, or an old-fashioned clipboard and pen, take copious notes and an itemized inventory of everything that’s in your storage unit (and in boxes, bins and bags), as well as its purpose/function. This way, when you are searching for something, you’ll have a ready-made list on hand to show you where it is and what it is used for.
Tip #3 - Use Plastic Storage Bins
Although it’s perfectly fine to store your items in bags and cardboard boxes, you should really consider using stackable, hard plastic storage bins in your storage unit. Not only are they easy to place on top of each other, but (depending on the model you choose) they interlock with ease due to their uniform design and construction. Having bins of mismatched sizes stacked on top of each other can increase the chances of them falling down and damaging their contents. Having bins of the same size will allow you to stack stable and high, utilizing the height of your storage unit to your advantage. Hard plastic storage bins not only protect your items against collision and water damage, but their stackability helps conserve space.
In preparing and organizing your storage unit it also makes sense to stack heavier items at the bottom, and things that are fragile or easily broken at the top. This way, you can access them easily and safely, and without having to remove and restack your entire storage unit every time you visit.
Bins such as these are readily available at any hardware store such as Canadian Tire, Réno-Dépôt, and The Home Depot. When choosing bins, consider buying transparent ones. This will make identifying the contents of your bins easier, even if you label each bin conscientiously.
Tip #4 - Label Everything
Whether your storage bins are made of clear plastic or not, it’s good practice when you set out to prepare and organize your storage unit to label each box, bin, or bag so you know what’s inside. The best way to do this would be with the use of sticky labels for plastic bins, a Sharpie pen/marker or sticky labels for cardboard boxes, and tags for bags. Try to write down everything that each container is holding, so a quick glance can allow you to know exactly what’s inside.
Tip #5 - Use Your Space Wisely
Perhaps the most important thing to remember to prepare and organize in your storage unit is the use of space. Accessing your items is of paramount concern, so place boxes, bins, or bags that you use frequently towards the front of the storage unit, and long-term storage containers towards the back. As well, you should create or leave aisles or walkways in your storage unit, so that accessing your items and storage containers is easy and comfortable. Having the space to move unencumbered also reduces the chances of accidentally tipping something over or dropping it.
Finally, you may want to consider installing shelving in your storage unit for smaller items or containers. This will keep them well organized and off the floor or in hard-to-reach places, as well as safe from dust and possible damage from being dropped or stepped on. Shelving units are usually made of metal or plastic, can often be adjustable to accommodate spaces of different sizes, and can be found at places like Walmart, Canadian Tire, Réno-Dépôt, or The Home Depot.
For further information on how to prepare and organize your storage unit or to inquire about renting a space, contact contact Mini Entrepôts today!