If you are preparing for a long-distance move to, let’s say Houston, you will need to consider several things. First, you will need to hire long distance movers Houston to transport your items. Most of the time, some of these items will need to go to a storage unit. And that is when you will need to prepare your items for storage. Before that, you will obviously need to find a great storage unit for your purposes. There are a lot of things that you can do in order to maximize the safety of your items. From creating an inventory list, through opting for plastic bins, to strategic packing of your items, this article will have it all!
If you want to really prepare your belongings for a stay in a storage unit, this guide is for you! Without further ado, we present to you:
Prepare your items for storage – Useful guide
Here are the things that this guide will cover:
- Search for suitable storage unit
- Create an inventory list
- Clean and vacuum your belongings
- Use plastic bins instead of cardboard boxes
- Disassemble large items and prepare appliances
- Prepare your items for storage and pack them into a storage unit strategically
Search for suitable storage unit
The first thing that you need to do is to find a storage unit that is perfect for your belongings. The main thing that you will need to decide on is whether you need climate-controlled storage. Do not mix this with air-conditioned storage, however, as they are simply not the same thing. Climate-controlled storage regulates humidity as well as air temperature, a really important distinction. If you have plenty of items that can easily get damaged by high humidity levels, you will need this particular storage unit.
However, for the most part, you will not really need it. If you don’t really know if you need one, make sure to ask a moving company that you are renting the storage from. If you are renting a storage unit in Orlando, you will need Orlando long distance movers. Simple as that. Your storage unit also needs to accommodate your needs, as well. You will want a unit that you can access in your own time, preferably.
Remember, the better the availability, security, and amenities, the more expensive the storage unit becomes. You can still find some great deals if you look for them that might combine all of that with a low price, as well. Make sure to devote some time to searching for the perfect storage unit!
Create an inventory list
You will also need to create an inventory list of all of the items that are going to storage. The fact of the matter is that sometimes items in the storage can get misplaced or damaged. You will want to have proof that your items were, in fact, inside the storage unit. It will also make it a lot easier for you to remember what exactly is in the storage unit. It definitely beats spending a lot of time opening boxes and figuring out what is in which box, in the case that you forget. If you have a photographic memory, you can safely skip this part. For the rest of us, an inventory list is a great tool. There is no right and wrong way to create an inventory list but there are some guidelines that you can go through before creating it.
Prepare your items for storage – Clean and vacuum your belongings
Before you can place your items in the storage unit, you will need to properly clean them. Start by vacuuming every item before you place it inside a box. Apply some cleaning solutions and wipe them clean before placing them in storage. This will prolong the shelf life of all items considerably and it will minimize any risk to your items. It does take some time off your hands, though, but it is a necessary process to do. While you can always hire someone to do it for you, this is really something that you want to do on your own. You don’t really need to make everything spotless, either. Simply devote some time to make sure that your items have the least amount of risk while they are staying inside a storage unit. That is all.
However, if you have no time to prepare everything on your own, you can always hire a professional mover and get their full packing services. They will gladly pack and transport all of your belongings to the storage unit you have previously rented out.
Use plastic bins instead of cardboard boxes
Using plastic bins for your items is a great “life hack” of sorts. You see, plastic bins can be transparent so you can easily see what is inside the box and where it is. They are also infinitely more stackable than the boxes. You can save a lot of space by using these and making use of all the vertical space in the storage unit. Thus, you can rent out a smaller unit, which will save you money in the long run. These bins are a great packing solution and you should at least consider using them.
Disassemble large items and prepare appliances
When it comes to moving large, bulky items and appliances, they will need some additional work. Everything that is really large, heavy, bulky or any combination of the three will need some disassembling. It is alright if you don’t know how to do this, simply ask someone who does! Or have someone do that for you, that is even easier. But for the most part, you will only need a tiny bit of know-how. It is not really complicated. Unless you want to disassemble a really expensive safe. That is something that is perhaps best left to the professionals. All in all, make sure that your items are well prepared for an extended stay in the storage unit. You never know how long will they have to stay there.
Prepare your items for storage and pack them into a storage unit strategically
Finally, when the time to pack your items inside a storage unit comes, you will need to employ some strategy. Consider which items you are likely to need first and place those items last. Other than that, consider the vertical space and how you can utilize it the most. Make sure that whatever you do your items are not “wiggly” or in any danger of falling over.
