Moving house is one of the most stressful things you can do and we know that needing to place your possessions into storage temporarily can potentially add to that stress. Moving into a storage unit means you need to consider a few additional factors that aren’t usually an issue simply moving from one home to another. So today we’re sharing our top 10 moving tips to help make that process a little easier for you.
Tip #1: Clean and dry your fridge and freezer
When you’re storing your fridge and freezer you’ll be surprised how quickly mildew can develop inside if it’s shut up. Be sure to give the insides a thorough clean and dry them completely, then wedge the doors ajar slightly so air can circulate inside.
Tip #2: Don’t lose the screws
If you’re disassembling furniture to make better use of your space, place the screws, nut and bolts in a ziplock back and either tape it to item or label it clearly and have a dedicated box just for these.
Tip #3: Overpacking is not your friend
It seems logical to most people to jam as much into each box as they can….right up until you try and lift them and the box can’t take the weight and your back gives out. Pack smarter and make sure you’re not overfilling those boxes.
Tip #4: Use the right packing materials for what you’re storing
Protect fragile items with bubble wrap or packing paper, use mirror or artwork boxes and be sure to keep them upright to reduce the chance of damage. Storing wine? We have dedicated wine storage boxes made to protect. By packing correctly the chance of damage are greatly reduced.
Tip #5: Don’t store living items or food
Trust us, it won’t end well. Self storage is not the place to store your pot plants so take them with you instead. Perishable items includes things like crumbs and food bits in appliances to make sure you’ve cleaned and dried them out before storing to avoid unpleasant surprises.
Tip #6: Label EVERYTHING
We know it can seem tedious, but labelling your boxes and keeping an inventory of what you’ve placed in storage will be a Godsend if you ever need to find something as well as when the time comes to start unpacking. It really doesn’t take long to forget what’s packed where and what’s in storage and what’s not, so take that little bit of extra time to keep organised.
Tip #7: Vacuum pack clothing and fabric
You’d be surprised how much space things like clothes, sheets and towels (and even stuffed animals) can take up. There are many different sizes of vacuum sealing bags on the market so think about utilising them so those items can essentially be flat packed.
Tip #8: Try and stick to similar size boxes if you can
Packing boxes in a unit can often feel like a giant game of tetris. Think how much simpler that game would be if all the pieces were the same size! Boxes of similar dimensions mean you can pack and stack a little easier and there’s less chance of wasted space.
Tip #9: Protect what you can
Things like couches, loveseats and mattresses obviously can’t be boxed up but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t protect them. Consider using drop clothes, old sheets or protective plastic to cover and wrap these items to give them a little more protection.
Tip #10: Insurance is your friend
You’ve got enough on your plate while moving so we always suggest that you take out self storage insurance to protect your belongings while they’re being stored. Your possessions matter to you or you wouldn’t be storing them in the first place, so if it’s worth storing, it’s worth insuring. Have a chat to our team about insurance.
We hope these tips have given you some good ideas as you prepare for your move. If you’ve got any questions about any of them, or just need some advice, we’re happy to help. Just get in touch.
