Imagine this: You recently moved to a micro or a studio apartment and found it challenging to fit all your belongings due to the limited space available.
Your possessions are costly and close to your heart. However, when the space is limited, storing extra items like old artwork, an additional mattress, or seasonal clothing in a separate storage facility can be a practical solution.
But if your storage unit is filled with unorganized boxes, finding a single item can quickly become frustrating and you may end up using more space than you need.
So, organizing your storage unit items is important.
In this blog, we have shared tips on how to properly organize your self-storage facility and also the packing techniques that maximize your floor space and keep your storage unit free from chaos.
How to Organize Your Self-Storage Unit Like a Pro!
1. Make an Inventory List
Remembering all your storage boxes and items is often difficult, especially if you have 100 banker boxes in your unit. Keeping track of boxes is challenging, but not with a detailed list.
You can start with the following:
- When you begin packing, make a list of each item that you want to move into storage unit on a Google Spreadsheet or MS Excel.
- Note the furniture’s size, dimensions, and even insurance details, such as what will be covered in theft or damage.
- You can create sub-categories by type of furniture or by room. A room-by-room checklist can further help you understand how to organize your items for storage.
- You can also create a list of items that require disassembly, such as tables, dressers, nightstands, office chairs, etc.
- You can create a separate list of valuables and fragile items to arrange packing and wrapping materials for safe transit.
2. Invest in Storage Shelves and Units
Often anchored to a wall, shelving units are flat, horizontal planes widely used to organize items.
These units are best for vertical spacing, where boxes stack vertically and upright, leaving more space in the storage unit.
Bonus tip: When placing boxes on shelving units, ensure your labels are front-facing and visible from any aisle.
Selecting, Purchasing, and Investing in Storage Shelves
Where Can You Get Them?
Home Depot, Costo, Amazon, and Ikea sell storage shelves in many sizes, materials, and customizations.
Cost of a Shelving Unit
Remember, investing in a good-quality shelf doesn’t mean you have to spend a lot.
A suitable storage shelf could cost as little as $25 and as much as $400 if you go for a heavy-duty storage shelving unit.
Shelving Unit Type
Opt for metal or another robust material that ensures durability and can support the weight of your boxes without bending or collapsing.
3. Select the Right Storage Box For Storage
Organizing your storage unit items requires effective usage of space. You can do it without boxes for couches, mattresses, armchairs, or ottomans.
For mattresses we recommend mattress protection bags. But you need sturdy boxes for miscellaneous items such as seasonal clothes, holiday decorations, computer parts, TV consoles, and kitchenware.
Most commonly, people choose two types of storage boxes: plastic containers and cardboard boxes.
Both are excellent for storing a large number of items, but plastic containers are sturdier and beneficial for long-term storage, while cardboard boxes are cost-effective and ideal for short-term storage.
Let’s weigh the pros and cons of plastic vs. cardboard boxes to understand your needs better:
| Pros of Plastic Containers for Storage Units | Cons of Plastic Containers for Storage Units |
|---|---|
| Plastic storage boxes are the best investment when you don’t have a climate-controlled storage unit. They better protect your belongings from moisture, heat, and dirt. | Plastic boxes are slightly more expensive than cardboard boxes. |
| Plastic storage boxes are self-seal containers that won’t require packing tape. | Plastic containers are not eco-friendly compared to cardboard boxes. Although easily recyclable, they degrade over time and are the leading cause of pollution. |
| They are ideal for storing household items for an extended period as they are not easily replaceable. | When packing and lifting plastic containers, the chances of them falling apart are higher than those of cardboard boxes. This happens because plastic boxes have a smoother texture, making them slippery when stacking things vertically. |
| Pros of Cardboard Boxes for Storage Units | Cons of Cardboard Boxes for Storage Units |
|---|---|
| One of the most significant advantages of having a cardboard box is that it will cost you less than a plastic box. | An easy target for bugs, insects and vermin. |
| A cardboard box is also apt for stacking slightly heavier items because of their durability, such as bulky photo albums, small lamps, computer parts, jewelry boxes, etc. | Despite its strength, cardboard boxes can deform its shape quickly. They need cautious handling as they can get dented easily. |
| Its flexibility allows you to shape or mold it in any shape and size. | Cardboard boxes cannot withstand weather conditions; hence, they are not weatherproof. |
| Cardboard boxes are the most environmentally friendly materials. | To seal the items properly, you must invest in good-quality packing materials such as packing tapes, handles with care stickers, etc. |
Plastic bins and cardboard boxes are both appropriate options for storing items. However, choosing between them depends on factors such as the duration of storage, the type of item, and your willingness to spend on these boxes.
Cardboard boxes are typically more readily available at cheaper rates and are ideal for temporary storage.
Our Recommendations – We recommend cardboard boxes if you plan on moving and unpacking quickly.
On the contrary, go for plastic containers when preserving your items in long-term storage, as their tightly sealed lids offer the best protection from bugs, dust, and damage.
4. Disassemble Furniture Before Stacking in Storage Unit
When handling heavy furniture like tables, dressers, or a complex bedroom set, it is advisable to disassemble it before storing it.
You can easily lift and place headboards, bed frames, or furniture legs in your storage unit when separated.
Not-so-secret hack: Store individual items vertically towards the back of a storage unit (except for mattresses, which should be stored lying flat).
Storing furniture upright and headboards vertically will open up more floor space for other boxes and items.
Bonus Tip: If your dining table doesn’t come apart, you can use it as extra shelving space for stacked boxes in your storage.
5. Place Heavy Items at the Bottom (Always)
Your heavy and oversized items never sit at the top.
As you begin packing items for the storage unit, start with large and heavy items such as your media consoles, artwork and antiques, and pool tables.
You can place the boxes towards the back of the storage or at the bottom to create a strong base for lighter items.
Remember, use a heavy-duty shelving unit so that it can bear the weight of bulky items.
Pro tip: Store heavy items on wooden pallets. Place the items on the pallet and secure them with straps. This allows air to flow and is a great way to avoid moisture from the floor.
6. Make it a Grab-And-Go Storage Unit.
Place your essentials towards the front!
There will be instances when you need to access the stored items occasionally, such as seasonal clothing, cleaning supplies, sprays, beach tents and sun shelter, electronic items, etc.
While you won’t need these items daily, you might visit your storage unit to pick them up for special occasions.
Hence, place them towards the front or in an easy-to-access area with clear labels and stickers. This tactic saves you time digging through many boxes and helps you find what you need.
7. Leverage Vertical-Spacing
Stack boxes high and store your furniture upright to make the most of your limited space.
Another exciting technique is to use extra storage space under your bookshelves or dining tables.
Placing your items vertically when organizing your storage unit is the best space-saving technique for fitting more boxes.
Benefits of Vertical Storage:
-
Improves Storage Ergonomics
Vertical storage aligns well with users’ ergonomic needs, making lifting and reaching items easy whenever needed.
-
Saves Costs
Vertical storage frees up horizontal space, allowing you to store more items efficiently. By maximizing vertical space, you can choose a smaller storage unit, helping to reduce your moving costs.
8. Label Your Boxes Clearly
Imagine digging through 20 boxes, trying to find a specific item. This consumes your precious time and creates chaos in the storage, which adds unnecessary frustration.
The easy hack here is to assign the correct labels.
5 Labeling Tips for Your Storage Unit Items
Your storage unit is a once-in-a-while visiting place, and in this case, ensuring that you have easy access to your items can save you a lot of time and effort.
Hence, keep track of your stored items by utilizing the right labeling tools:
-
Have Labels on More Than One Side
Placing a label on the front side is good, but it is worth labeling boxes on multiple sides. Labeling the box on various sides can help you identify its contents, regardless of where they are.
-
Permanent Marker for Clear Labels or Colored Stickers for Quick Identification
Use a permanent marker to ensure that the labels don’t erase and that they are easily legible. Instead of scribbling item names, you can use coloured stickers to identify better and locate your boxes.
For example, you can put an orange sticker on your kitchen box and a green sticker on your garage box.
This simple hack makes your box visually recognizable in your storage unit.
-
Put a “Handle-With-Care” Label on Your Fragile Items
While organizing your unit, you should know which box requires extra care and attention when lifting, placing, and accessing it.
Therefore, put a handle-with-care sticker to ensure safety while packing your valuables items, such as delicate glassware sets, artwork, and lamps.
-
Use “This-Side-Up” Labels For Vertical Storage
Maximizing vertical spacing is often overlooked but is the most efficient way of storing items without using much floor space.
Since you will accommodate your boxes vertically, labeling them with a this-side-up sticker will prevent your items from getting damaged while handling.
-
Write the Contents of Each Box to Further Simplify Storing
Jotting down the contents of some specific items inside each box can further assist you in accessing your storage boxes.
For example, you might have two boxes for winter essentials, one with clothing and the other with snow removal equipment and tools.
On the box, you can simply mention “winter hats, jackets, gloves, winter boots” to help you locate your winter clothes at a glance.
Be a pro at labeling boxes with these easy tips:
View this post on Instagram
Conclusion
Your storage unit should not feel like you opened Pandora’s box. It should be a systematic, organized, and accessible place for your possessions.
This blog touched on navigating the challenges of storing your items by following a few tips.
It also tells you how effective organizing saves you time and provides a sense of reassurance that you can locate your belongings at a glance. This peace of mind is invaluable.
Remember, you don’t necessarily require a larger storage unit to stack your items. You can easily store more items if you place the boxes vertically. Moreover, scouting your items from the storage boxes should not be guesswork.
Clear labeling and accurate stickers are the way to go when locating them.
FAQs
1. Why Do You Need a Climate-Controlled Storage Unit?
A climate-controlled storage unit offers protection against extreme temperature and humidity levels.
Renting a climate-controlled storage unit can combat damages caused by extreme heat or harsh cold.
Some items, such as electronics, are sensitive to blistering heat, which can damage them entirely.
These units also offer enhanced security with 24×7 video surveillance cameras and alarms. Additionally, superior air filtration systems in climate-controlled storage units prevent your items from dust, dirt, mildew, etc.
2. What Items Do Not Go in Your Storage Unit?
Avoid storing flammable and combustible items such as fertilizers, oil, gasoline, grease, chemicals, chlorine bleach, solvents like acetone (nail polish remover), cleaners, and paint.
Knowing what to do with your food is also significant. Ensure you do not pack perishable and canned foods for storage as they require refrigeration.
Also, avoid placing tires, cash, and uninsured/unregistered vehicles in your storage unit.
3. What Items Can You Store in Your Storage Unit?
Your oversized items, such as artwork, dining tables, collectibles, home appliances, decor, clothing, pianos, camping tents, sports equipment, mattresses, books, and photo albums, are safe to store in a climate-controlled unit.
4. When Can I Access My Storage Unit?
Most storage units are accessible 24 hours a day. You can drop by and pick up your items at your convenience.
5. Do I Need Professional Movers to Organize My Storage Unit Items?
It is advisable to contact professional moving companies for storage facilities. Local movers have expertise in efficiently packing, shelving, and organizing storage unit items.
In addition to the storage services, these vendors offer premium packing supplies, temporary and long-term storage facilities and the right equipment to transport your belongings to a safe, climate-controlled storage unit.
