The convenience of a storage unit isn’t just about having more space to fill with your belongings. It’s about creating room for organization. It’s about decluttering your living space or your office, and still having convenient access to the items you’ve chosen to store offsite. Self storage should be a solution, not another problem. Easy access to your commonly used items should be planned.
Tip 1: Plan Ahead
One of the first things to do after renting a storage unit is planning. Planning ahead is essential during both the packing phase and the load in phase. When you’re packing, try to put like-items together. Your organization convention can be unique, but organizing by room or item type is useful, such as boxes for kitchen items, others for bedroom, etc. Try to pack any items that you will need access on a regular basis together. Sometimes it is difficult to know what you’ll need in the future, so make your best guess for items you’re unsure about.
Once you’re ready to load into your unit, the items and boxes that you’ll need access to on a regular basis should be situated either at the front of the unit or on the edge of the aisles where you can easily get to them. That brings us to the next tip – creating aisles.
Tip 2: Create Aisles
Stuffing all of your belongings into the unit and packing it like a sardine can may be the easy way, but it will be a nightmare when you’re trying to find that one item you need to get out of storage. One of the best ways to ensure easy access is to create aisles. Line the walls with items first, and create aisles between different boxes and stacks so that you can access items with relative ease. Stack lighter items and boxes on top of heavier items for stability, and place boxes or belongings that you know you will need to access closer to the front.
Tip 3: Create a Map
This tip is especially useful if you have a large unit with many belongings. When loading your items into the unit, create a map that outlines where your items are located within the unit. This, coupled with aisles will make accessing your belongings simple, efficient, and easy. Just save the map where you can find it, or take a picture of it and keep it on your phone.
These tips make it easy to access your belongings when you need them. Check out our other tips on how to pack a self storage unit. Ready to rent, but unsure what size unit you’ll need to comfortably store your belongings? Use this handy self storage size guide. Happy storing!