Consider this scenario: winter is approaching and you remember that all of your cold-weather gear is in storage. You know that you need to head to your storage unit to locate your jackets, boots, and winter gear.
You arrive and realize you have no idea where your winter items are located. A little forethought is required to ensure that your storage space is well-organized. Planning ahead can help eliminate stress and allow access to your storage unit at all times. Here are 5 tips we believe will help!
1. One size fits all
Picking the same sized box for most, if not all, your items is a great way to ease access into your unit. Boxes of the same size make stacking and accessibility easier. We recommend small or medium boxes. Although large boxes are tempting since they fit a lot of things, they may not hold up well at the bottom of tall piles. Large boxes that are packed to the brim may also be hard to move.
2. List items you’re likely to need from the unit
Determine which items you'll need access to while in storage. When packing, keep in mind that items you don't use on a daily basis may come in handy later. Consider what you might need while your belongings are in storage, paying special attention to seasonal goods. You may need to recover the following items from your storage unit:
We recommend boxing similar items together for ease of removal. We also recommend keeping boxes you know you’re going to use up front, while moving less frequently used items in the back.
3. Label your boxes
Label each box with a unique box number and the room it originated from, and a description of its contents. Be sure to write this information on the top and at least one side of the box.
4. Create a master list
Jot down a list of the contents of each box as well as the box number. A master list is the key when you need to locate a certain item in your storage unit, especially if the unit is full and not all boxes are visible.
5. Create a map
You may not need to list every item or box in your storage unit, but be sure to include those items that are not visible. On your map, divide your unit into four or more divisions and identify the goods and box numbers in each. This map will help you know the exact location of those out-of-sight items in your storage unit.