Renting a self-storage unit is your first step in making more space in your home, garage, or place of business. But to truly get the best use out of this extra space, you need to organize it efficiently. Here are five tips on how to stretch the space in your self-storage unit.
Start at the Beginning
As you’re packing up your boxes before moving them to your storage unit, be sure that you fill them. To keep them from becoming too heavy, pack them with a mixture of light and heavy items, such as books or glassware combined with draperies, cloth, or pillows. It’s also helpful if you can use boxes that are all the same size. This will make it easier to stack them and keep your boxes organized.
Label, Label, Label
There are one of two ways you can go about this. Either write the entire contents of each box on its side. Or put a number on each box and write its content on a list. Then, as you fill your storage unit, keep the boxes in order. This way, when you need a specific item, you can locate it on your list and then know right where to go in your storage unit.
Make It Accessible
Once you’ve done all that careful labeling and begin to stack your boxes in your storage unit, be sure to build a walkway by leaving a couple of feet between each row of boxes. This way, when you do need to get something from a box you can easily locate it without having to move a ton of stuff.
Don’t Waste Any Space
Remember that the floor of your self-storage unit isn’t the only place to store things. Use bungees and hooks to hang items from the walls and/or ceiling of your unit. All of the space between those walls is yours to use, so get creative and utilize every inch.
Pack Strategically
Finally, remember that no matter how well you label your boxes and organize your unit, the items closest to the door are always going to be the easiest to access. You should put anything you are fairly certain you will need shortly in front.