Storage Unit Space Tips for Maximized Packing
By the time most people realize they need to rent a storage unit to house their excess belongings, almost every nook and cranny of their homes may have become overrun by furniture, clothing, collectibles, or sports gear (to name a few). On the surface, renting a storage unit may seem like a good solution for storing your items and freeing up more space in your home, but the truth of the matter is unless you are smart and careful about how you pack and store your items, you may find yourself needing a second storage unit! To help you maximize utility within your storage unit, Mini-Entrepôts Sauvegarde has put together the following list of Storage Unit Space Tips!
Storage Unit Space Tips #1 - Purge
Before you begin frantically packing every book, article of clothing, or decorative art piece you own, ask yourself the question, “Do I really need or want this?” If the answer is no, then consider selling, donating, or throwing the item away before you pack and store it needlessly. Performing a purge on your possessions is not only therapeutic but can save you money on storage: instead of requiring a larger and more expensive unit to house your belongings, you can rent a smaller, less expensive one. So follow the Marie Kondo Method and begin editing out the possessions in your life that have outlived their usefulness or ability to bring you joy!
Storage Unit Space Tips #2 - Use Plastic Containers or Boxes, NOT Bags
If your idea of storing belongings involves tossing old clothes into a garbage bag and throwing them into your unit, you are not maximizing your space efficiently. Wherever possible, use clear storage bins or boxes of a uniform size to store your belongings. This way, you will be able to stack the bins/boxes and capitalize on the height of your storage unit, guaranteeing a maximized benefit of space. Additionally, you’ll be able to clearly and legibly label your bins/boxes, allowing you to easily find and determine their contents.
Storage Unit Space Tips #3 - Invest in Shelving
Oftentimes, packing your belongings results in a series of smaller boxes or containers that house items like sewing gear, fishing equipment, recreational painting and sketching supplies, or collectibles like stamps or baseball cards. Placing such small boxes/containers on the storage unit floor opens them up to the potential for loss or damage, as well as occupying too much surface area within your unit. For these reasons, the next of our storage unit space tips is to invest in shelving for your unit. Inexpensive and highly practical, a shelving unit placed strategically along one of the walls of your storage unit will conserve space and protect your smaller belongings from harm.
Storage Unit Space Tips #4 - Make a Path
Finding what you’re looking for in your storage unit should be efficient and easy, but that’s impossible to do if you have to climb over boxes and furniture to get to something you need. Another of our storage unit space tips is to ensure you leave a path or walkway around your stacked boxes/containers, standing furniture, and/or shelving units. Doing so allows you to quickly search your unit’s contents and pinpoint exactly what you are looking for. You can also retrieve your items expeditiously and in a way that doesn’t disturb or damage the rest of your belongings!
Storage Unit Space Tips #5 - Use Furniture Storage Space
If you are storing furniture like cabinets, dressers, or other pieces that contain built-in storage spots like drawers and shelves, it’s good practice to utilize them to the fullest! Items like clothing, dishware, and books can easily fit into these available storage sections, saving you room on the storage unit floor for other furniture pieces or boxes/containers. Even suitcases stored until your next vacation can be filled with seasonal wardrobes to maximize space, so take advantage of the already available storage space!
Storage Unit Space Tips #6 - Put Heavier Boxes at the Bottom of Your Stack
The next of our storage unit space tips may seem like a no-brainer, but it is worth mentioning to ensure compliance and the safety of your belongings.
When placing your plastic containers or boxes in a vertical stack, always ensure your heaviest ones are at the bottom of the column. If not, the weight can cause the containers/boxes at the bottom to buckle under the stress and collapse. This will knock over your column and probably spill the contents of your containers/boxes all over your storage unit floor. To save space and avoid damage to your belongings, keep the heavier containers/boxes closest to the floor!
Storage Unit Space Tips # 7 - Take Inventory
At first glance, keeping an inventory of the belongings housed in your storage unit might have little to do with conserving space, but it is an invaluable tool in keeping your unit both organized and uncluttered. Such a list, (either with or without pictures) lets you know exactly what you have stored and keeps from allowing duplicate items into the unit. Also, it allows you to engage in periodic purges without having to open, look through, and restack each box or container physically– you can simply refer to the list and decide what you want to remove!
Storage Unit Space Tips #8 - Vacuum-Pack Your Clothes
Storing clothing – especially seasonally – is a great way to conserve space in your home. Unfortunately, clothes have a tendency to take up a lot of valuable space in a storage unit if they are not packed properly. One of our more valuable storage unit space tips is to vacuum-pack your clothing. Not only will this compress the bag within which they are contained and save space, but your clothing will be protected from damaging dust and mildew that can collect within your storage unit.
For more storage unit space tips or to inquire about the rates, sizes, and availability of our units, contact Mini-Entrepôts Sauvegarde today.