Making The Most Of Your Storage Unit

By Author: Making the Most of Your Storage Unit
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If you've just rented a storage unit, you may be wondering how, exactly you're going to get so much stuff in to such a seemingly small space. The bare walls wait to be filled, but you don't know where to begin!

Before you just start throwing boxes of Grandma's china and baby's shoes into that storage unit, though, take some time to plan how to fit everything. You're paying for this unit on a regular basis, and you don't want to waste any of the available space. Here are a few tips on how to pack your storage unit:

1. If the floors are concrete, they'll probably sweat; this is how concrete works when weather changes. Before you pack the unit, find some wood strips or crates. Laying wood on the floor before you put your boxes and furniture down will keep your things from wicking up water if the concrete gets damp.
2. Pack up all those empty spaces! Don't shove a dresser, storage ottoman, washer, dryer, refrigerator or any other object into that unit before you pack it full of knick-knacks, clothes, pictures, and whatever other small things you can fit inside. Packing your big objects full this way will save ...
... tons of storage space in the long run.
3. Put in the big stuff first. If you have large pieces of furniture or appliances like a washer or dryer, put them in the unit first. All the big stuff should be reduced to its most pack-able form. Take the legs off your kitchen table, deconstruct all your bed frames, and stack that sectional couch piece on top of piece. If you stand your mattresses up on a wall, even a pillow-top king-sized monster won't take up that much space. If you have some furniture - like a nice couch or antique table - that won't handle the stress of having tons of stuff stacked on top of it, leave it for the front of the unit.
4. Stack bags and boxes on top of larger furniture. If you have an eight-foot ceiling, your boxes should be close to touching it! Don't waste any of that valuable storage space at the top of the unit just because you don't feel like reaching high. Start stacking in columns at the back of the unit, and work your way forward.
5. Leave an aisle in bigger units. If your unit is more than 10ftx10ft, you'll want to leave a narrow aisle so that you can walk from the front to the back easily.
6. If you plan to use the unit for long-term storage, make sure you know where your things are. Things you don't need often can go toward the back, but if you need those Christmas decorations accessible once a year, put them toward the front. Make sure to mark all the boxes clearly. This takes more time on the front end but will save you hours of unpacking and repacking your storage unit later on.

Use these tips the next time you rent a storage unit, and you'll be sure to get your money's worth out of your extra space. Then, if you need a smaller unit, you can save lots of money in the long run by packing it as full as you can.

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