Self storage has become increasingly popular over the years, especially since space has become more precious in real estate. If you have a lot of items which you don’t use on a regular basis or can only use during a particular season, you may be considering self storage. Self storage is also quite handy if you are planning a move to a new place and would like certain items to be better protected and transported at a later date. But if you are opting for self storage, there’s a right way to do it as well. Your items should be properly boxed and labelled, for example, and you should also make sure that the boxes you choose are sturdy and strong. But there’s also such a thing as making sure your own self storage unit is well and efficiently organised. Here’s how to do it right.
Make a plan
If you want to do it right, it’s best to make a plan. This doesn’t mean taking hours and hours to map out your storage unit. Just come up with a general plan on how many boxes you will need as per your items, where these boxes will be placed, and where furniture and other bulky or awkward items will be placed as well.
Clean it
Self storage units from good storage and removal companies in Gloucester like Advanced Removals & Storage will already be clean and ready for your items, but it pays to double-check it and do a bit of cleaning yourself. You may also want to protect your boxes from infestation with the use of raised wooden pallets, although if the self storage unit is temperature controlled, there’s less likelihood of infestation or even humidity. But even if a unit is temperature controlled, it’ still better to make sure all your items are thoroughly dried out before you put them in storage, and this goes not only for refrigerators, freezers, and washing machines but also for clothing and furniture.
Make use of shelving
If the storage unit comes with shelves, by all means, use them. Shelving is handy for smaller objects or items, and for items to which you would like to have easier access.
Maximise accessibility
Speaking of access, it’s better to store your items in a plastic dolly so that you can have easy and convenient access to every box. It’s not really wise to stack too many boxes on top of each other; this not only makes your items less accessible, it also increases the likelihood of a collapse over time. One more tip: it would be a good idea to create a sort of aisle so that you can access a particular box easily without being obliged to move other boxes or items.
Disassemble it
If you are planning to store furniture, it would also be best to disassemble or dismantle it. For example, if you are storing a table, it would be a good idea to remove the table’s legs first. Just make sure that all the screws and bolts are kept in a clearly-marked container so that you will be able to re-assemble the piece of furniture without any trouble later on.