Top 10 Tips for Effective Self Storage Unit Organization

If you’re a new StorageVille customer, congratulations! We’re glad you chose us to store your valued possessions, and that you’re enjoying your new storage unit. If you’ve never had a self storage unit before, you may have some questions – especially when it comes to organizing your stored items. Being experts of self storage units, we’ll give you some tips for self storage unit organization which are sure to help when you’re storing your belongings to be effectively as possible. Let’s get started.

1. Choose consistently-sized boxes to stack more effectively

You should choose just one or two types of boxes for maximum self storage unit organization. We typically recommend choosing a small or medium, durable corrugated cardboard box. Large boxes hold a lot of items – but they can be crushed at the bottom of stacks, if improperly packed.

If all of your boxes are the same size, you’ll have a much easier time stacking them, and using up all of the vertical storage space in your unit. Not sure where to find many boxes which are all sized the same? Visit our StorageVille locations – each store carries an inventory of useful moving supplies. Need document file boxes for your business or home office – we have those too!

Also, consider plastic or rubber totes, especially if you are storing items for long periods of time. When selecting a tote, look for one’s which are clear, as it will be easy to see what’s inside them.

2. Think about what you may need to access, and plan accordingly

Old family heirlooms or outdated electronics, for example, can be stored further away from the entrance of your storage unit. Things you may need to access in the future, like pieces of furniture or important documents, should be placed near the front. A little planning can go a long way, so you can avoid dismantling your entire storage unit to get the items you need.

Along with specific needs to access, also consider what you will be storing. We strongly recommend for anything coming directly from your temperature controlled home, to be placed into a temperature controlled self storage unit. Not doing so may be detrimental to your belongings, from damage caused by prolonged heat or cold.

3. Label, label, label!

We recommend labeling every side of a box and the top of the box, clearly marking the contents that are within the box. Consistent, legible labeling will help you stay organized and prevent issues of searching without any direction in the future. Labeling on every side of the box is useful in the situation where you have many boxes stacked.

4. Consider investing in shelving

Shelving lets you easily access your boxes without unstacking them. Due to this shelving can make your self storage unit organization much simpler. If you have an unused shelving unit, or can spare the budget for one, making use of it in your storage unit is a fantastic idea.

5. Disassemble furniture to save space

If you have older furniture that you’re not using any time soon, dismantle it to save pace. You can unscrew table legs and take apart IKEA and other flat-packed furniture. This tip could also give you quite a bit more room in your self storage unit.

6. Store items within other items!

Don’t take apart all of your furniture! Dressers, file cabinets, and even appliances with compartments like ovens or refrigerators, offer additional storage! Simply use the empty space within these items to store other similar possessions – like a Russian nesting doll. This will help you minimize wasted space.

7. Plan a good layout for your unit with a “path”

Your self storage unit will work best, if you define a “path” throughout your stored belongings. For example, you can put large and bulky items like furniture against the wall that is opposite to your boxes – this way you can access both of them, via a path going through the middle of your unit.

8. Create a “master contents” list

If you’ve labeled all of your boxes, you’ve got a good head start on this step. We recommend creating a digital “master contents” list. While packing boxes and totes, note their contents, and write them down. Then, you can create a list that will tell you what items are stored in which tote or box – making it far easier to get an “at-a-glance” view of your self storage unit organization plan.

This may seem like a lot of work, but compared to the hours-long task of sorting through unmarked and unlabeled boxes, it’s a total breeze! And the usefulness of this tip grows exponentially if you rent more than one self storage unit at a time.

9. Make a storage “map”

Using your master storage list, you can also create a storage “map” which shows where each item or box is within your self storage unit. If you are stacking dozens of boxes on top of one another, your storage map could be a lifesaver. Using the map you’ll be able to quickly see where a particular box or item is.

10. Consider a second self storage unit

Typically, it’s not a good idea to completely fill your storage unit – at least, not if you ever want to be able to access its contents!

Because of this, we recommend renting a second self storage unit if your current unit is roughly three quarters full, or you’re having difficulty moving around within your storage unit, due to the sheer volume of items. Besides the self storage unit becoming more useful, there is also less of a chance you could knock something over – causing additional expense or injury.

Make the most of your self storage unit organization with our help!

Don’t be afraid to ask us questions! We have the friendliest, most-helpful team in the industry! And we hope these useful tips will give you some fresh ideas on how to take control of your self storage unit, and ensure you can always get to the stuff you need.