If you want to keep your household belongings in self-storage units—say when moving briefly overseas—you should plan the storage properly. The planning will help you keep your things safe for the duration of the storage. Below is a checklist of things you should do for efficient storage.
What to Store
The amount of storage space you need determines your storage charges. Thus, it makes sense to store only the items you require and value. The rest you can sell, donate, or get rid of in other ways. Many people own items for which they have no use; some even own things they don't know they own. Therefore, go through your belongings carefully and sort them as necessary.
Storage Space
The next thing is to determine how much storage space you need. You can easily rent more space than you need if you are not careful. You need to master packing and storage techniques so that you can cram as many items (without risking their damage) as possible per square inch. Don't forget to maximize the use of the vertical space, for example, by hanging things on the ceiling and walls.
Packing Materials
You also need to determine how much and which packing materials you need. Storage boxes, tape, padding, and wood pallets are some of the materials you might require. The nature of the materials you need depends on the value and fragility of the items you want to store. For example, expensive electronics require more protection than pieces of metal you plan to sell as scrap.
Access Frequency
How often you plan to access your stored items determines how far you should be from the storage place as well as the arrangement of the storage place. For example, it is best to have an onsite storage unit (such as mobile storage units) if you want to access your items every day. You should also arrange the items you plan to access most frequently at the front of the storage units and the rest of the items at the back of the unit.
Special Requirements
Some items require special conditions during storage so as not to get damaged. For example, rubber items should not be stored under high temperatures and electronics should not be stored in humid environments. Understand the special storage requirements for your storage items and get the best storage place for them.
Don't forget to choose a good storage facility for your belongings. That way, your planning and preparation won't be in vain.
Share