Once or twice in your life you will have to turn to storing your belonging with a storage company, since it isn’t something we do every day finding a starting point can be difficult. Here I will go over how to determine what type of storage facility is right for you and your storing needs. Following the steps in this article will make your storing experience a breezy and make you feel like an expert in the end.
Where do I Start?
The first question you should ask yourself is “What do I want to store?” this is an important and crucial part of the process and you should attempt to get a list together. While you may have an idea of the items try to get them written, this will help you determine what size storage unit you will need to purchase. Writing down the items will allow you to be knowledgably on space needed and make it so that you won’t get a unit that is too large, which would be a waste of money and possibly time if you opt to move to a smaller unit the next month. Most every storage company will have a size guide available on their website and this is where you will need your list of items. If you don’t feel comfortable inputting your own items you can always call and ask for help from one of the helpful employees at Storage Outlet.
I know how big, now how much?
After you have figured out the size you need go to google and shop the nearest facilities to you with keywords like “storage near me” “discount storage” “best storage write down a small list of ones you think you might like 4-5. Once you know the facilities you are going to call, on that same list. You should write down a list of “amenities” you would like from your storage unit as different facilities will have different feature. Remember to ask for the best unit available vs the worst unit available of the size you want amenities wise. Depending on the storage company you’ll find if you ask for a 10x10 they will give you the 3rd floor no climate control quote (the cheapest) but that doesn’t mean they don’t have a 10x10 drive-up with climate control (more expensive) available.
How do I know what Amenities I want?
Knowing what you’re storing is going to make this process much easier and why I suggest you do it at the beginning. If you will be storing documents, antiques, or fragile items a climate control unit would be ideal vs if you are storing furniture, tools, or outdoor supplies where you wouldn’t need to keep them cool, dry, or protected from the elements. Let’s say you are helping your grandmother move some stuff into storage but she need to be able to access it, do you want the drive up unit or the 3rd floor unit? While I can go through a list of scenarios these are generally going to be the main factors you think of for which storage amenities you want. Who am I storing for, what am I storing, how much space do I need.
Picked a place and now to pack
Remember to pick a storage facility that is within a 5 mile radius at max you don’t want to have to travel back and forth long distances. Once you have cover the first part of storing yours or your loved ones belonging you will need to get the supplies to make the process easier. Things like boxes tape, protective covers, and bubble wrap are always at the top of the list. Some places will even have moving kits already put together. After you have all you supplies you will need to pack them, here are a few moving tips.
Moving Tips
- Boxes should be lined on the bottom with bubble wrap or newspaper for cushioning.
- Any glass and fragile items should be wrapped in bubble wrap.
- Put larger, heavier items at the bottom of the box and lighter items toward the top.
Pack similar shapes in the same box to maximize space, IE Plates and books can be stacked vertically together. - Make sure you don’t over pack the boxes, make them a weight that is manageable.
- Fill empty space in your box with paper or bubble wrap to ensure things don’t rattle around and possibly break.
- Make sure all storage boxes are secured with several pieces of tape making sure all items are safe and the boxes won’t open on your way to the storage facility.
- Making sure all boxes are labeled is an easy way to keep your storage organized when you need to retrieve items.
- Make sure boxes with items that are breakable in them are labeled “fragile”
