Need Moving and Storage Services?
Although moving can be the perfect time to de-clutter, sometimes you may need a storage unit while (un)packing or you just want to preserve some attic space at your new place. Either way, there are a few tips & tricks that can save you time & headaches while renting a storage unit:
Full-service features at self-storage cost
Assuming you do not hire a full-service moving company to store & retrieve everything for you, it is still helpful to follow some of their practices. The key is doing “inventory” on your items: what did you store, where did you store it, and how did it look?
Pictures will not only help you remember where you put your mother-in-law’s fine china for Thanksgiving, but will also help in unfortunate cases where you need to file an insurance claim for theft or damage.
Make it accessible
Besides double-checking the facility’s hours of operation, you want to make sure you can easily access specific items without taking apart your whole unit. Sometimes this means unpacking your boxes (I like to think of a storage unit as another garage, and you don’t necessarily have boxes laying around everywhere in your garage, do you?) If not, shelving is an often overlooked but cheap way to organize without having to physically stack stuff on top of each other.
Never underestimate Mother Nature
Most people understand the added benefit of climate-controlled units (mildew is a mil-don’t!) but sometimes forget about other environmental effects, including pests. Although it is more up-front work, cleaning your unit beforehand is recommended (you never know what the previous person stored in there…). Additionally, raising items off of the ground helps prevent ants & critters from storing themselves in your stuff (another benefit of shelves!).
Moving is already stressful, so these are just a few helpful tips to make your move as easy as possible! Happy moving!