Take a look around your house. Do you think you have gathered more than that you could fit in the home space? Chances are you are collecting new items and not getting rid of the belongings in no one’s usage. Too much clutter can make your house seem like a small and congested place. Renting a self-storage unit can prove to be an excellent solution for temporary or long-term storage. The storage space can help you determine which of your belongings needs to move in or out of the house.

However, there is no point in renting a storage space if you can’t find your belongings in a time of need. No matter how small or large your storage space. Organizing it can help you mitigate the risk of an accident and maximize the space to efficiently locate the items. To keep things in order, you should categorize your belongings before stacking them up in the storage space.

Below are some smart tips for maintaining your storage unit:

• MAKE AN INVENTORY LIST

While it is easy to remember large furniture and electronic items, you might forget about other small stuff. Before you start packing all your possessions to place in the storage units, make sure you have prepared an inventory list.

The inventory list proves to be useful when:

• You want to know the location of specific items. Either they are in the front row or stacked away at the back.
• In case any of the stuff gets broken from a natural catastrophe, you can lodge an insurance claim.

Another great way is to create a spreadsheet. You can take photos of items that you have decided to put away in a storage unit.

• LABEL BOXES

While you think you will remember all the particulars about storage boxes, you won’t!

Looking for your favorite item and checking every box will make you lose your mind if you have not labeled them. To avoid this hassle, use a permanent bold black marker to put tags on boxes. Also, avoid being specific about these tags. Mention complete details on the box to easily spot them whenever you enter the storage unit.

• DISMANTLE FURNITURE

You wish to make full use of the space in the storage unit. However, if you fail at it because of the large furniture pieces, here is the solution. Start disassembling the parts of your furniture. You can unmount different parts of the headboard, bedside table, dining table, and chairs. Don’t forget to collect all the pins, locks, and screws in a single case.

Remember to use this technique only if you know how to put the disassembled pieces back together again.

• CREATE A MAP

Even if your storage unit is well-organized, it may be hard to locate a particular item that is in between the mountain of boxes. To simplify your next visit, creating a map of your storage unit is a good option. By doing so, whenever you need any item from your storage unit, you can take a glance at the map rather than searching for it box by box. You don’t have to make a map with all the details. You can divide your storage unit map by describing items in each section.

• PLACE YOUR ITEMS SMARTLY

As you start placing your stuff in the storage unit, you need to follow some pointers. Start with heavy boxes, place them towards the back of the storage unit on the bottom. Vertically stack your boxes. One important thing to learn is how to pack your boxes while storing. Stack your boxes with the heaviest ones on the bottom and the lighter boxes on the top. If your storage unit is high, consider keeping a foldable ladder or a stool in it.

Fragile items, such as glass objects and photo frames, need extra care. Be sure that you have sorted them into separate containers and they are facing the front.

• INSTALL SHELVES

Do your storage units have shelves? If not, you can procure a hanging rack or purchase a metal one. Placing shelves can help you maintain your storage unit like a pro. Store items that are small, odd in shape, and are difficult to fix in the boxes. The best part is you don’t have to purchase any costly shelf for storage space; you can opt for a second-hand product in intact condition. In this way, you can also take leverage of the vertical length of the storage space.

CONCLUSION

Do you think you have got all it takes to store the items in storage units creatively?

The majority of people believe that they need more space to store stuff than they already have. However, this is not true. Just a little amount of effort can keep you out of trouble. Packing away things for storage units is not a complicated task. These simple yet efficient tips will save your time and money.