We know that some of our customers primarily use their storage units to warehouse items they don’t have room for in their homes and that they rarely plan to use for one reason or another. However, many of our customers utilize self-storage as overflow for things they continue to use on a regular basis but simply don’t have the space to keep them at home.
If you fall into the category of those who access their storage units frequently, read on to discover some helpful tips for how to keep your unit organized in such a way that each of your visits is fast, efficient and requires a minimum amount of digging and sorting. The last thing you want to do when you retrieve something from storage is pull everything out of the unit and then have to cram everything back in again. A little bit of planning can help you save time and headaches on future visits.
Same-size boxes make stacking easier, which makes accessibility easier to achieve. Keep in mind that large boxes are designed to hold items that are fairly lightweight, like blankets and bedding and pillows. But that doesn’t mean they belong at the bottom of a stack, especially when smaller, heavier boxes are piled on top. Like-size boxes help minimize problems like this.
When you load your storage unit for the first time, identify the items you think you’ll need to retrieve most frequently and leave them closer to the entrance. Put less-frequently-needed items in the back. Examples of high-rotation items might include seasonal clothing, camping and vacation gear, holiday decorations, kids’ toys, tools and hobby supplies, and office and household documents.
Label (or mark with a Sharpie) each box on top as well as at least one side. You can designate it with a unique box number, the room where the items are used or even the contents of the box. The more detail you include, the more it will help you when you go to retrieve those items from storage at a later date.
Start a list that details all the contents in each box and make sure that box’s identification matches what’s written on the outside of the actual box itself. It takes a little extra time on the front end, but it will save you countless amounts of time when it comes to hunting for what you need on your next trip. If you don’t want to write it all out on paper, there are digital tools and apps that will help you streamline this process and even dictate your boxes’ contents.
Check back with us next month, when we’ll offer you even more tips for frequent storage users.