Best ways to organize your storage unit
If you’re looking for an effective way to store your belongings, then a storage unit is the solution for you. Renting the services of storage Skokie is a great way to take care of your temporary or long-term storing needs. All you have to do is prepare, pack, and organize your storage unit for maximum efficiency. After all, a storage unit serves you little purpose if you can’t find your items in it. If you’re not sure how to organize your storage unit, don’t worry, we’re here to help! Through this guide, we’ll teach you to maximize and utilize your storage space like a pro. With these simple tricks, your storage owning experience will be all the easier. So let us begin!
Organize and label your items before placing them in a storage unit
It is nearly impossible to remember everything you have placed in a storage unit. Surely, it is easy to remember the larger items, such as sofas or closets. However, smaller items, like ornaments, pictures, or books often get forgotten in the sea of stuff after a long period of time. If you want to keep track of everything, you’ll want to create and manage a detailed list of all stored items. While you’re packing your items, we recommend listing everything down. For added clarity, take pictures of your items to keep better track. Add these photos to your item list and, if possible, draw a little map of your storage unit and mark where everything is. This way, you’ll prevent confusion and save time on looking for that one specific thing you need.
If you want to take your organization skills even further, we have one word for you. Labels! Labeling your items is very important if you want to be effective in organizing your storage. You may think that, with a list of items and the unit’s layout, you won’t have a difficult time figuring out where everything is. That may be so, but if you label each box before placing it in the unit, everything will be so much easier! So, before you rent the services of Chicago moving and storage, make sure this part is taken care of. Label every box with a short list of contents, using a sharpie marker or a printed tag. Just remember to face all of the labels outward, so you can see them when walking through your unit.
Place your items inside of the unit based on the frequency of use
Once you start placing your items in the storage, logically, you’re gonna start from the back of the unit. Take all of your large, bulky, and heavy belongings and place them in the back end of the storage. In addition, heavy boxes and items should always be placed on the bottom of the pile. This is the way to go if you don’t want your smaller boxes or fragile items to be crushed by the weight. So, place heavy and bulky objects on the floor, and then stack everything else on top of them. Not doing this is one of the common storage mistakes and can lead to damages. Don’t forget to prioritize your items based on how often you use them. Seasonal items, such as Christmas decorations, or lawn ornaments, should be at the back of the unit.
There are certain items you will use more frequently than the others. For example, the bed frame you no longer have room for, probably won’t be taken out for quite some time. Your child’s toys, on the other hand, will be needed soon. Other items which you’ll surely need often include seasonal clothing, gardening tools, or swimsuits. Even though you won’t need these items as often, you’ll still go to your unit to get them at least once a year. These items should be placed right at the entrance of the unit, or toward the middle. By placing them in an easy to reach spot, you’ll save yourself the trouble of having to dig for them every time you visit the unit.
Disassemble large items and make use of that vertical space
If you want to maximize space and properly organize your storage unit, larger furniture needs to be disassembled prior to storing. This includes bed frames, headboards, tables, and couches. Items that won’t be frequently used should be properly prepared for long-term storage. As we said before, store these items in the back of the unit, and place them vertically to save space and create more room for other things. Mattresses, on the other hand, should be placed lying flat and wrapped in plastic, to prevent them from bending out of shape. In case you can’t place items upright, you can still utilize them in your favor. For example, a table that can’t be disassembled makes for a great added shelf for your boxes.
Making the most out of the vertical space the storage unit offers is imperative, as mentioned above. To effectively organize your storage unit, stack your boxes as high as possible, and always place your furniture upright. Just remember not to stack things too high, otherwise, you will damage if the whole pile topples down. In case you’re storing shelves or bookcases, make use of them as well, and place items on them. Some units come with built-in shelves, so ask the facility manager about this option. You’ll want to keep a sturdy step ladder or a foldable stool in the unit, just in case you have to reach some particularly high items. Last but not least, always get a storage unit which is roughly larger than what you actually need. A good way to figure out the needed size is to measure your items before storing them.