Using long-term storage for those things you don’t need every day is a great way to free up some space at home. With many households feeling the burden of extra belongings because of small homes lacking storage space, the demand for secure facilities such as Self Storage Bedford is currently very high. But how can you ensure your treasured possessions are going to be safe and will be unbroken when you come to collect them again?

moving houseHere are our top tips for packing for self storage to ensure your items are well protected.

  1. Don’t scrimp on boxes
    You are not going to be able to protect your items in old, worn boxes that barely stand up straight, so invest in some good quality packing boxes before you start.
  2. Wrap china and breakables well
    Make sure your breakables don’t have room to rattle around in storage by packing out the container with bubble wrap or loose filling material. Don’t use newspaper with china though, as the newsprint can transfer and stain your items.
  3. Fill your boxes
    In self storage your boxes will need to be stacked on top of each other, so fill them to the top to avoid them collapsing and damaging the items within. If your box is getting too heavy to move, use old clothes or bedding to fill up the space.
  4. Label thoroughly
    Make sure you label each box with its contents so you can retrieve your items easily without opening tonnes of boxes. If there are mixed contents, consider giving each box a number and then keeping a record of the contents in a file at home.
  5. Stack carefully
    Stack your boxes well and not too high. Leave a walkway through the storage unit so you can get to all the boxes easily.
  6. Dismantle furniture
    If you are storing pieces of furniture, consider taking it apart to make best use of the storage space. Items such as beds break down quite small if they are split into their component pieces. Tape bolts and other fixings in a food bag to the dismantled item, so you know where they are when you want to put it back together.
  7. Don’t touch the walls
    Try to avoid stacking boxes tightly against the walls of the storage unit, as this will reduce ventilation and could cause problems with damp. Cover furniture with dust sheets to keep it clean, but never use plastic covers as these can trap moisture and cause mould.
  8. Keep things clean
    Clean all garden furniture before putting it in self storage, and be sure to drain petrol from lawnmowers and other machinery before placing it in the unit.

There are some things you should never put into a storage unit. Things like food items, toxic chemicals, flammable liquids and live plants should be kept away from your unit. If you are in any doubt about whether you are allowed to store something, take advice from a good self-storage company before you do to avoid damaging your own or other people’s possessions.