How to Avoid Common Self Storage Mistakes

You’ve booked your self-storage unit and you’re getting ready to pack everything. Before you start, it’s worth taking a little time to plan the best way to make the most of all your space.

Remember that in a self-storage unit you have height as well as the width of the room to fill. You can stack boxes and furniture, but you do need to think practically. Read on for our top tips for safely storing your belongings.

 

Plan ahead for easy access to your most used items

Start by considering what you’ll be storing and how often you’ll need to access it.

If you’re storing furniture between house moves or while you’re travelling abroad, you won’t visit your unit very often. But, if you want to use it as a work unit or an extension to your garden shed, you’ll probably need access to items more often.

It sounds obvious, but the things that you want to access frequently are the ones that need to be put into the unit last, so that they are near the door and accessible without clambering over every box and bike.

If you are moving house, there will come a time when you need to empty your unit. Think about the items you’ll want to get out first. Don’t pack big furniture like your bed and mattress against the rear wall, when that’s what you’ll want to move into your new home on day one. Instead, boxes of books, ornaments and spare clothes – the things you’ll unpack last – are best placed at the back.

 

Heaviest items at the bottom

Maximise the use of space by packing from floor to ceiling. But to do that, you’ll need sturdy boxes. While we know packing boxes come at a price, they are strong and made for the job. They are also all the same size, so they stack and balance easier than mismatched and weaker cardboard boxes.

Put the heaviest items in the boxes at the bottom. You don’t want the weight of the pile to crush something delicate. A box full of books, for example, is a heavy and sturdy foundation for your pile. In fact, boxes of books can be far heavier than you would expect, so it’s better to get lots of small boxes than one large one. Otherwise, once it’s full you might not be able to lift it.

 

Organise and label your boxes clearly

As you start to build piles in your unit, make sure to leave pathways through them, just in case you do need something quickly.

Label your boxes so you know what’s in them, as well. It will save you a lot of time and frustration if you can easily lay your hands on everything when you need it.

Taking care of your belongings with careful packaging

As you’re wrapping and packing a lot of things, it can be tempting to just throw them all into boxes and sort it out when you unpack. Unfortunately, that may lead to your personal items becoming damaged. Here’s a quick list of packing tips.

• Wrap breakables such as ornaments and china in bubble wrap to avoid breakages.
• Put sheets of newspaper between plates to cushion them.
• Seal any container of liquid carefully and, if you’re still worried, wrap clingfilm around the seal as added protection.
• Use plastic boxes for clothes and leave an air gap in the box instead of stuffing everything in, so fabrics can breathe and won’t get crushed.
• Use a wardrobe box for delicate materials so they can hang without creasing.
• Make sure shoes, particularly leather, are clean and dry to avoid mould or staining.
• Cover furniture and electronics in sheets to help keep dust accumulating in fabrics or inside vents.

 

Check the items you are not allowed to store

Our storage units are indoors, secure and protects your belongings from damp and rodents. However, some items are prohibited, so please read our FAQs thoroughly and ask us if you are not sure.

The most common items that are not allowed include:

• Perishable items. We do not allow food to be stored as it may attract rodents and, as it deteriorates, will create a smell.
• Live animals. Our units are not appropriate for keeping live animals.
• Hazardous Materials. Chemicals, flammables, and explosive items are not allowed.
• Medical Supplies. Medical items that require refrigeration are prohibited.

If you have any questions, please get in touch with us on 020 3637 0850. We want to make your storage experience as positive and straightforward as possible.