Average American has around 300,000 items in the house, so no wonder you’re thinking about what to do with all that stuff that you just can’t throw away but still can’t find their proper place. You should learn some tips on protecting items in storage units and keeping all of them safe until you finally decide what you will do with them. That way, you’ll be more organized, and you’ll have more free space in your apartment.
Average American has around 300,000 items in the house, so no wonder you’re thinking about what to do with all that stuff that you just can’t throw away but still can’t find their proper place. You should learn some tips on protecting items in storage units and keeping all of them safe until you finally decide what you will do with them. That way, you’ll be more organized, and you’ll have more free space in your apartment.
If you wonder what the benefits of relocation to a smaller house are, you should also consider the options for facilities where you could store and keep all of your belongings. This could be quite a problem, especially if you have a lot of things you don’t know where to put. This article isn’t necessarily for those who want to move efficiently and need a self-storage unit for two weeks until they adjust to a new town. This guide with awesome tips will help everyone who has some things they don’t currently use and want to store them safely in appropriate facilities.
Finding the right size storage facility isn’t an easy task, especially if you’re in the last-minute move and you have to be organized to the maximum in order to have a stress-free relocation. So, there are some steps you can take in this process and find the repository where you will keep your belongings, from furniture, bikes to your clothes, secured and well stored.
One of the first tips for this process is that you’ll need a measuring tape. When searching for self-storage units, make sure you check their square footage. Then, you have to check how much stuff you have and how everything can fit in the facility. Put all of the things on relocating blankets or any other material and measure the sides. The important thing to remember is that most of the storages have a standard height of eight feet. This is something that could be handy if you have something that will be standing up. So, if you decided that the best time to move is now and did all of the tasks from your cross-country moving checklist, start exploring self-storage unit options most suitable for your needs.
Once you establish that the size of the facility is adequate, you can proceed with examining the whole place. Check its condition and every corner. If you notice something is wrong, like water on the floor, it is a red flag, and you should keep searching for another place where you’ll be storing your stuff.
All storing units should have a lock and a key, but you might consider investing in additional insurance, no matter if you’re storing some insignificant stuff or highly valuable ones.
So, having water, mold, or even rats in your facility are big red flags. But, if you see there is dirt on the floor or spider web in the corners, it’s nothing unusual. You’ll just have to do some cleaning up before the storing process. You can watch the video below on how to clean your facility.
No matter the reasons for your move, if you’re relocating to another state alone, or if relocating for love, you’ll have to deal with some tricky tasks, and one of them is surely finding a facility for your belongings.
Still, it often happens that, after packing, we realize that there is too much stuff, and we just can’t move every little or big item to our new home. The best method is to declutter your entire house, and that way, you’ll get rid of all the unwanted things. If you have enough time, you can organize a garage sale, or you could donate clothes you don’t use anymore.
After the decluttering part, you’ll be left with the stuff you’ll bring with you and one you’ll store in the facility. To know exactly what and where everything will go, make sure you create a list of your household goods. The whole relocation process can be pretty chaotic, but having all of your things you’ll pack in one place, will help you overcome the relocation stress.
Before you even start the packing process, the best thing to do is to learn the options and types of packing materials. Knowing how to efficiently pack your belongings is probably the most important step in this process, but you’ll need to keep them safe from damage before putting your things into boxes. So, don’t forget to put on your relocation to-do list also buying and getting the material for wrapping up your stuff. Here are some materials that will help you wrap up your stuff much faster and safer:
You probably think that the newspapers could also be the great material that will keep your fragile safe and every other item, but notice it could leave stains. If you turn to this cheap alternative, be ready to clean everything once you finish unpacking.
If you’re relocating on a budget and you’re wondering about the cheapest way to move out of state, you can save some money on the materials for wrapping up your stuff. Instead of buying all the materials, use what you already have at home. Socks, blankets, and every soft material will be excellent protectors for your breakables. Another way of getting some free supplies is to go online and check on Craigslist or some Facebook groups.
Maybe this step would seem unnecessary, but when long-distance movers unload the last box from their truck, you’ll be exhausted, and probably you won’t be able to start cleaning your stuff just so you could use them. For example, you’ll need a glass of water, but you haven’t cleaned glasses before, and now, instead of resting, you’ll be cleaning. The same thing goes for stuff that will go into the facility. You’ll eventually need something from the storage unit, and it will be better to be completely prepared for using it. Put cleaning as one of the steps on your what to do before moving list, and you’ll be thankful later. The essential thing is to keep all of your stuff clean and dry. You certainly do not want your belongings to have that nasty smell or even mold.
If you moved before, you probably know that packing is one of the most time-consuming tasks. So, starting in advance would be the ideal scenario, and you won’t panic about whether everything will be done on time. Make sure the stuff you want to keep in the facility is protected from dirt and moisture. The best way to avoid worrying about this task is to invest in packing services and let professional cross-country movers pack everything they want.
Preparing furniture for moving and storing might seem an impossible thing to do. However, with the right moves, it will be a breeze. So, for the furniture, the first step would be to disassemble it and clean it. The larger parts should be protected with bubble wrap, and the smaller ones (such as screws) you can put in a plastic bag and be sure they don’t get lost.
With the fragile stuff, you’ll have to take one or two more steps, so they remain in one piece. There is no need to worry – just remember to put each thing separately and protect it with a bubble wrap or any soft material. Paintings, for example, are very valuable and also fragile. So, if you’re wondering how to protect framed items when moving, the essential thing is to put plastic wrap around them and put them in special boxes.
For a better organization in the storing facility, make sure every box is labeled correctly. Write on boxes exactly what is in it, and once you have to get something from the facility, you won’t lose your time finding that one box when the need for it arises.
Almost everything can be stored in the units, from seasonal clothes to Christmas ornaments. But, there is stuff you shouldn’t keep in storing facilities. Everything flammable and that attracts pests shouldn’t be in your facility. Living things are also not for storing, like plants and pets.
This kind of facility can make your life much easier, especially if you are relocating with kids and just don’t know what to do with all those toys. When you learn some tips on how to pack toys and put them in a facility once the kids grow up, it will give you a lot of free space for your other stuff. On the other hand, if you’re in a relocating process and using long-distance moving services, you can ask the company if they offer free storage service in the first few weeks of relocation. This could come in handy not only for those who are relocating but also for those who inherited a bunch of stuff, even the furniture. If you’re one of them and do not know where to put all that stuff in your home, this kind of facility is just for you. In both cases, having that extra free space is always better than not having one because you won’t have to overthink what to do with bulky or small stuff you do not need in your place.
