Renting a storage unit is a must for any long distance move, but what’s the best way to maximize your storage space? Organization is key. Here are five storage unit organization tips to make your life and move easier.
Moving is quite the headache, and sometimes it can be an outright hassle. There are so many things for you and your family to consider.
You need to make sure you are informed and prepared to make the move go as smoothly as possible.
Accomplishing a long-distance move requires even more dedication and strategy than local moves. You are not alone in your struggles, though. Studies show that there are around 17 million long-distance moves a year in the United States.
The most sensible solution for your move might be to rent a climate-controlled storage unit for your belongings while you and your family get settled. If so, you need to optimize that storage unit organization. Making the most of the space will make coming back for your possessions easier.
Check out the following five tips on how to best organize your storage unit.
Make a Storage Unit Organization Map
Organization means nothing if you don’t write your plan down! Consider this map like a blueprint or an instruction manual. It should be well-developed enough that anyone who reads it will know exactly where they need to go for their desired item.
As you are loading up the storage unit, start writing down where you place everything. There is no such thing as “too much detail” for this step. The more information you record about your belongings’ placements, the easier your life will be when you have to find them again.
For example, you might be unpacking the storage unit room by room for your new home. If that is the case, it might even be sensible to originally organize your belongings by room.
In fact, organize your entire unit in the way that makes the most sense to you. It will be worth the effort. Having a detailed map will also help you get everything you need in one run.
One smart idea is to leave the map in a visible location within the unit itself. It would be a shame if you lost the map you made and were planning to use.
Use No More Than Two Box Sizes for All Your Belongings
Having only one or two sizes of boxes will make your entire storage unit cleaner and easy to navigate. If you have a dozen different styles and sizes of boxes, there’s no telling what you might lose track of.
The best perk about having similarly sized boxes is the ability to stack them. You don’t want to have to play Tetris just to get your storage unit packed. Instead of thinking about which box should go on top of the other, same-sized boxes allow you to just stack and move on.
Of the box size or sizes, make sure you don’t choose a size that is too big. It is way more likely that you will then stuff it too fully. If a box is too heavy to move on your own, then it is not worth packing in the first place.
Make Sure You Label Everything
Imagine you are tired and you enter your storage unit late at night. You’re already exhausted, and you don’t feel like thinking too hard about where that one box is with all of your Christmas decorations.
The holidays are coming up, and you are already stretched thin with all of the party-planning and gift-buying. If you don’t properly label all of your boxes in the storage unit, how can you possibly find what you are looking for?
The detailed organization map you made can only help so much. Plus, it is possible that someone else (or even yourself at one point) has moved certain boxes so that the map is no longer completely accurate.
Before you even get to the storage unit, do not let a box leave your old home without a correct label on all of the sides. Make sure you label on all of the sides of the box. That way, it doesn’t matter how it is positioned in the storage unit.
Also, make sure to label the box with all of the contents inside of it. There’s no need to take shortcuts here.
Be Smart About Stacking Box
When it comes to stacking boxes, a mistake can actually cause serious issues. If your boxes are not properly stacked, yourself or others could get injured trying to maneuver through your storage unit.
Since you only have one size or two sizes of boxes, this stacking job should not be too precarious. At the very least, make sure you do not put larger boxes on top of smaller boxes.
This might seem like common sense to you, but during a long-distance move, it can be tough to think about every little detail like that. People are tired and ready to be done with the move. They might not be thinking about stack stability.
A good idea is to go through your storage unit once it’s packed and evaluate the space. Are there boxes that seem like they might topple over at any minute? Fix them for your own peace of mind.
Create Walkways Throughout the Unit for Access
Though most people moving throughout the country are young adults, you should arrange your storage unit for people of all ages. That means keeping in mind both young children and the elderly.
If within your storage unit it is almost impossible to reach the items in the back without climbing over the front, you need to reevaluate. While you are packing the unit, do your best to create sensible pathways anyone can easily take. That way, you don’t have to worry about anyone having too much physical difficulty.
Make Your Long-Distance Move Perfect
We know how important it is to take your long-distance move seriously. We want it to be an easy success for you, so we are here to help. After you perfect your storage unit organization strategy, consider asking for professional help with the actual move.
Contact us today about our long-distance moving service. We will do our best to get you and your family settled in no time.
