Self storage units are different kinds of warehouses because the custody, care, and control of the goods remain with the tenants hiring the storage facility. The tenants of the facility hire the space as well as the storage units on a monthly rental basis and lock it securely by using their own locks. The warehouse buildings have drive up facility for ease of access to the stored goods kept in small storage units of various sizes to suit customer requirements.
The need for storage units arises most in situations when people are in transit while moving home or office when they need to store their belongings at some safe and secured place for short term or long term. Sometimes, people use it to free up some space in their homes. Since it is the responsibility of the person renting the storage unit to store the goods properly, it is very important to figure out the right way of doing it. Proper packing of the goods for safe storage is only the beginning of the process because there are bigger issues to handle like optimizing the storage space for the most economical use. It means that you must take a few extra steps to ensure that you make the process of choosing and packing the self-storage unit easy that suits your needs perfectly.
To tackle your storage issues like a professional, the below tips should come in handy.
Choosing a storage unit
When you are using a third-party warehouse to store items, it means that you are relying on them heavily for safe custody of your goods regardless of its value. Perhaps you would not store anything of major value in the storage facility but still, whatever goods you put in the storage units must be safe and secure without chances of any damage. In this regard, the choice of the storage company becomes very critical, and you must work with a company that is reliable and has credentials to prove its worth. Going through reviews and customer experiences should help to locate a trustworthy storage company like the Centennial storage units, and you must avoid the lure of low cost that can often be deceptive.
Take time to search
Choose a storage unit by considering the factors of convenience, size, and price that makes the most sense for the situation you are facing. To tick the right boxes, you must have time on your side when searching so that you can evaluate your options thoroughly that helps to meet your requirements without any compromise. Shortage of time can be detrimental for doing proper research, and you might not get the best options. On the other hand, taking too much time is also not good because you might miss some opportunities. Start the search reasonably early and have a plan in place that gives objectivity to the search process and helps to avoid last minute rush that can harm your interest.
Create an inventory list
Staying organized by knowing all the items you intend to put in the storage unit eases a lot of pressure because you know exactly what sizes of the units you need and what would be the expenses. To achieve the goal, create a list of inventories that you want to send for storage. It might not be a very detailed list of each and every item but at least a general idea about what goes into the storage unit. At least having the size of the boxes, small, medium or large should help to make the best selection of the size of the storage unit.
Packing
Packing and stacking play critical roles in making optimal use of the storage unit and for quick retrieval of items that you might have to access often. Although you might not need most of the items for quite a few months, there could be some items that you would like to access in between. Easy identification and access to the boxes that display what is inside together with proper packing for safe storage is a must.
Proper labeling of boxes
Trying to remember what you put in the boxes would be like trying to achieve the impossible. But at the same time, you must know precisely what goes into each box. Labeling the boxes correctly solves the problem, and the process of unpacking becomes so easy. Even if you want to look for something while the goods are in storage, the labels will make the task easy.
Do not store high value items
Although the storage facility has adequate security measures, do not put anything of high value in the storage unit. Generally, there is nothing to worry once you put the goods in the storage facility but then no security system is 100% foolproof, and there is some chance of damages or loss of items, although the percentage might be just too small. Better be safe than sorry and do not put any family heirloom, valuable artwork or similar items in the storage unit so that you do not regret later.
Safe packing
Pack the goods with complete care so that it can withstand the strains of handling. The goods must sit tight in place with no room for movement within the boxes. Stack the boxes in an organized way so that should you need to access it interim, there should not be any problem to identify and access the boxes. Boxes that contain items that you might need more often must find a place at the front end while leaving less used items at the back.
Wrap the items properly when you put it in the boxes and use adequate protective materials like bubble wrap and paper shredding while taking special care to pack fragile items. Use blankets and moving pads for covering furniture. Place the boxes on pallets or boards and do not store any combustible and perishable items.
Arrange for insurance coverage for the goods you place in the storage unit. The storage company can help you to take separate insurance in case there is no provision to add it to the existing homeowners’ insurance policy.