How to Protect Items in Storage Units and Ensure a Successful Move

It Is Very Important to Learn How to Protect Your Belongings From Negative Factors

Americans spend millions of dollars every year on storage facilities. This implies that they highly value good facilities, and most importantly, they want to secure their valuable belongings even when they can’t keep them under their roof. One of the main reasons to move your possessions to a facility is the lack of suitable space at home. Some people have garage units or large attic space, but what if they are already full? Plus, the attic can be too exposed to the sun and heat, which are not the ideal conditions.

Questions You Should Ask Yourself Before Storing Any Items

To keep your possessions in good condition, you’ll have to consider a few important factors. For example, it is important to decide what materials you’re going to use for particular objects and think about what is the right environment for keeping a specific type of object. That’s why the next step is to plan everything in advance and determine your priorities.

Figure out how much space you need, how close to your home you want it to be, do you plan to visit it often to look for particular objects? What is the price limit you’re willing to pay for these facilities? How are you going to arrange the inventory so you can have easy access to everything you want?

Make a Plan of Your Move

First things first, if you want to move efficiently, you have to organize your move. This means making a to-do list and, ideally, a separate inventory checklist. This checklist should include all the stuff you want to keep stored. At this stage, you should also decide if you need professional assistance and cross-country moving services.

Once You Write an Inventory List, Decide What Are You Going to Keep

Once you write down all of your inventory and decide what fits your new home and what doesn’t, you’ll have to decide what you are going to keep. Sometimes people get too attached to material stuff and don’t declutter regularly. We tend to keep some old furniture pieces stored even though we know we won’t use them again. That’s why you have to get rid of some stuff you won’t be using in the future. If you would like to sell some pieces, you can keep them in storage until you find the best buyer.

Restricted Items and Stuff You Shouldn’t Keep in Your Storage

Stay informed about the restricted inventory, and items movers won’t move. These are usually some perishable food, toxic and flammable chemicals, plants, and valuables. These are also objects you shouldn’t keep in storage, just in case something goes wrong. You don’t want to leave food in a stored cabinet because it might attract ants or something worse. Flammable chemicals can do significant damage. That’s why it is not recommended to keep any valuables here, such as jewelry, money, or important documents.

Quality Packing Materials Are the Best Insurance for Your Belongings

If you want to provide good protection for your delicate inventory, fragile items, or any other pieces, it is essential that you get good packing materials. These are usually:

• Bubble wrap,
• Plastic wrap,
• Moving blankets,
• Cushioning,
• Cardboard boxes.

You can probably find free boxes around local book or liquor stores – this is one of the ways to save money on relocation costs. Although the money-saving part can be great, if you plan on keeping your stuff here for long, you should invest in some quality protection.

Think Before You Pack and Choose Materials Wisely

When it comes to the packing process itself, you have to follow some of the basic rules. For example, you should know how to use bubble wrap properly in a way to provide maximum protection for your fragile inventory. It is also important to know that bubble wrap isn’t suitable for delicate wooden surfaces because plastic might damage them. That’s why it is important to use a blanket or a sheet as a first layer when wrapping wooden pieces for moving and then add an additional layer of bubble wrap for protection.

Use Protection Spray and Other Convenient Supplies After You Clean Everything

Another important piece of advice is to apply furniture protection spray before you pack everything. You can also use leather protection spray for sofas or other leather pieces. Wood surfaces should be covered with a coat of wax to save the wood and protect it from mold. To prevent tarnishing and rusting of metal elements, it is recommended to wipe them with oil. This video might be helpful if you want to understand this process better.

Disassemble Furniture Pieces Before Putting Them in a Storage Unit if Possible

When it comes to relocating furniture, it is best to disassemble pieces if possible. This will make some previously unreachable parts of objects easily accessible. You should wrap every piece individually but keep them all together – you don’t want to lose something. The same thing applies to screws – keep them packed together after disassembling pieces. You should put them in a plastic bag and label them to know which ones to use once you decide to assemble these pieces again.

Prepare Appliances for Storage Properly

Unlike the furniture, preparing appliances is somehow different. You have to empty them for starters and clean them thoroughly. Make sure your freezer and fridge are defrosted and clean. Once you’re done with cleaning, ensure all the water is drained out of holes.

For washing machines, it is important to drain all the inner parts of the mechanism as well – if you skip this step, water inside can freeze and damage the appliance during cold weather or develop mildew during summer. Once you unplug all the cables, you can store them inside of the appliance. Another tip: you should leave the door of your appliance slightly opened to allow ventilation – this will prevent bad odors and condensation.

After preparing everything, cover pieces with plastic wrap and clean sheets, you can also cut cardboard pieces and cover your device with them. Remember to secure these cardboard pieces with tape and add additional layers of protection – for example, plastic or bubble wrap on top of it. This will protect them from dust and scratches.

Make Sure Everything Is Labeled

In order to be able to recognize and find desired objects around your facility, you have to keep everything labeled. It is unlikely that you’ll remember which exact box you used for packing Christmas ornaments if you were relocating during the holiday season last year. Once you need them again, there is no need to open up every container to check what’s inside when you can simply label it.

Storage Unit Should Be Clean and Dry Before Your Stuff Arrive

Before you load the chosen unit with inventory, it is important that you clean it. You can just sweep the floor, it shouldn’t take much time. This will reduce the chance that mold and mildew will get to your belongings after storing them here. For the same reason, you also pack previously cleaned inventory. Wipe off any dust and ensure everything is dry before storing.

Consider Investing More in Some Special Conditions – Controlled Temperature for Example

Ever wondered how to pack books for moving? Storing books is specific because paper can be very delicate and prone to damage if you don’t follow the proper storing procedures and recommendations. You have to make sure that books aren’t exposed to mold and sunlight. Silverware objects are also very delicate. Silverware shouldn’t be in an open-air space because oxygen can make it dark. That’s why spending more money on a unit that is temperature-controlled makes sense.

Consider Placing Pallets

Another great relocation hack is to put pallets on the floor first if you believe that there is a chance the unit might get flooded. Obviously, you want to do this after cleaning and before loading your facility with all the stuff. This is one of the ways to safely move your stuff. This is also recommended when you don’t expect floods because you just never know what else could happen.

Ensure Boxes Are Well Organized

If you properly label everything, it should be easier for you to organize things inside. When it comes to this step, you should also follow some of the main rules. For example, you should always put delicate objects and boxes with fragile objects on the top while keeping heavier ones underneath. You have to follow so-called “priority” criteria and place some more important items closer to you – things that you’ll have to take out from storage occasionally, such as seasonal clothes, for example.

Wardrobe Boxes Are Good Option for Storing Clothes

One of the good options for storing your clothes is to use wardrobe boxes. This is a great way to organize everything so your stuff won’t get wrinkled, plus it will be much easier to find what you want at the moment. You’ll basically have a cardboard wardrobe in your facility with easy access.

Consider Getting Additional Storage Insurance

No matter how hard you try to secure everything, if you have some priceless objects that are important to you among the things you want to store, it is always a good idea to pay for additional insurance. This will save you from unnecessary relocation stress – you won’t be losing sleep at night wondering what’s the worst that can happen to your belongings. You’ll know that everything is under insurance, and there is no price too high to pay for your comfort once you know it.

Now That You Know How to Protect Items in Storage Units, You’re Ready to Move

If you follow our relocation tips, you easily avoid any common relocation mistakes when it comes to organizing your facility and protecting inventory inside. The only thing left that you don’t want to forget when moving is to find professional cross-country movers to assist you with your move. Although you know how to protect and organize everything, it might be hard to move all of your inventory to the unit, so professional help can be more than welcome.