SpaceMax Storage Blog

Here's our list of things you should consider as you're packing up your house to move, boxing up your apartment for the summer, or even de-cluttering your house to get it ready to sell.

If it’s worth packing, it’s worth protecting. And if it’s not worth protecting, it might not be worth keeping. (Give or throw it away?) But if you’re packing something, you care about it. So why not pack it right, in a way that preserves it just the way it is.

But the actual “moving” part? Oh, that’s no fun at all. In a very real sense, when you move, you pack up all the things from your old life, including a bunch of stuff you forgot you even had, and lug it along to your new life. And there are so many things to do. Things that if forgotten, tend to ruin your day (or week).

You have decided you need storage, you have picked the self storage facility you’re using, and you have even determined the size storage space you need.   Now what?  This question can be daunting for some customers especially if they have never used storage before.  The process of renting a storage space is in fact very simple and takes on average no more than half an hour.

• It may seem obvious, but always use sturdy boxes. You can put more in each box as well as stacking them higher in your storage unit, saving you valuable space.

• Placing Styrofoam plates between your dishes is a great way to protect them as you move, plus they can be reused later.

• Be careful about what you choose to store. Scented candles, household cleaning chemicals, lawn fertilizers and the like can all leave odors in your items that you may not appreciate.

• When possible, avoid using plastic bags to store items. Not only will they prevent you from stacking, bags they can also trap moisture.

• Many people are unaware that boxes for clothing, called "wardrobe boxes" are sold at most packing supply stores. If you plan to store clothing for a long period of time, these boxes can prevent hard to remove creases and pricey dry cleaning bills.

• When storing artwork, consider wrapping it in acid free paper found at most art supply stores.

• Always store glass table tops, artwork and mirrors vertically rather than flat. 

• If you live in an arid climate, consider conditioning leather items such as couches and clothing. This can help protect them when they are not in use. 

• If you are storing bicycles, motorcycles or other machinery be sure to lubricate any areas that might be prone to rust.
• Don't forget to label your boxes! Check out our free labels, click here.
• And most importantly, take a few moments to plan how you want to organize your unit. Place items to may need access to towards the front and leave enough room for you to walk into your unit.

Anyone else have other great Storage Tips? Please leave a comment below!

In order to efficiently organize your self storage unit, you first need to determine its intended function. Consider whether you will need to access your storage unit frequently or if you are putting things into “deep storage” and will not need them until they are removed. You might even have a mixture of the two needs.