Organizing your Storage Unit
Published on 2021-06-08
The last thing you want to do is pull everything out of your storage unit and dig through boxes looking for something, especially if it is the middle of winter and you need the items in a hurry! Planning ahead to ensure your storage unit is organized can save you time later on. Here are some tips to help organize your storage unit so that you can find what you need with ease.
Choose your Boxes Wisely
Plastic containers or boxes of the same size can facilitate stacking and accessibility. If you decide to use larger boxes, always stack them on the bottom.
Identify Items that are Frequently Used
When you're packing items to be moved to storage, you will need to keep in mind that certain items may be needed later on. Consider what items you may need access to while your items are in storage, giving extra thought to seasonal items. Here are a few things you may need to retrieve from your storage unit:
- Winter or summer clothing
- Trip supplies (tents, sleeping bags, snorkeling gear, sleds, cookout utensils)
- Holiday items (decorations, costumes, bakeware, etc.)
- Kids toys
- Tools and hobby supplies
- Office documents
Label your Boxes
Label each box on the top and on at least one side with a unique box number along with the room it came from, and the contents of the box. Place a special mark on boxes you may need to access at some point in the future and remember to put them in your storage unit last. Be as detailed as possible when you label your boxes.
Create a Master List
Create a detailed document that outlines contents of each box along with the box number. This may seem like a lot of work, but a master list becomes useful when you need to find a specific item, especially if some of your boxes will be unviewable from the entrance of your unit.
Organize the Layout
If you’re going to access your unit on a regular basis, it's important to put in some careful consideration into how you pack your items. Ideally, you want to put the furniture against the wall opposite your boxes to leave a path in the middle of the unit. This way, you can access both boxes and furniture easily. If you need to use the space in the middle, be sure to place items that can be easily moved.
Consider a Larger Unit
You could pack every square inch of your storage unit like a Tetris master, but that tends to make pulling items out of storage difficult. Renting out a larger unit will give you a little extra space for shelving units or a path through the middle ensuring easier access to all of your belongings.
Stack Boxes or use Shelves
If this is a long-term storage rental, consider installing shelves along one wall of the unit. If the rental is only temporary, arrange your boxes from back to front according to need. The boxes that you will need access to the most often should be the last ones packed inside the storage unit and be placed close to the door or on shelves with labels facing out. Larger, heavier boxes should be placed down first, followed by lighter ones stacked on top. Be vigilant with how high you stack your boxes.
Unpack your Boxes
If you’ve already packed and find yourself with a lot of unlabeled boxes loaded with whatever items fit conveniently, you might want to invest some time repacking now to save yourself a lot of time later. Repack similar items like seasonal clothes or bakeware into their own boxes.
