Whether it’s furniture or home accessories that you don’t currently need but may do in the future, or it’s your life’s belongings while you wait for your new place to be ready to move into, moving things into storage can be incredibly stressful, especially if you’re doing it for the first time.
But, fortunately, there are a few things you can do to ensure the transition from home to storage is as smooth as possible, and that your belongings are as protected as possible once left in storage.
Here are five ways that you can ensure your storage items remain safe, in good condition, and ready when you need them.
When it comes to packing up and getting things ready for storage, it’s easy to quickly bundle everything into boxes, tape them up, and send them on their way.
Sure, that process is certainly the quickest when it comes to packing up, but it can be an absolute nightmare when it comes to unpacking!
We’ve heard many nightmare stories of people carefully dismantling furniture and packing it away, only to come back to it in the future and have no idea which box the instructions are in.
Or worse, they end up with chairs without legs, sofas without cushions, and wardrobes without doors.
That’s why it’s so important that you take the necessary time to pack all relevant parts and instructions together, regardless of how long you plan to store them for.
Not only does this keep everything in order, but it also protects your possessions in several ways.
For starters, it protects expensive item’s value. After all, it’s a little trickier to get a good price for a three-legged dining table if you can’t find the final leg!
On top of that, by keeping your possessions together you make it easier to label them clearly for careful handling in the future, an important aspect of protection we will touch on in further detail later in this article.
It might take a little longer, but your future self will be eternally grateful.
Of course, anyone who is packing up and moving things to storage has the best intentions when it comes to being careful with their belongings. But unfortunately, mistakes do happen, and without the right protection it can lead to significantly damaged goods, such as scratched tables or cracked TV screens.
Even professional moving companies can make mistakes, which is why when you’re packing up your stuff, bubble wrap needs to be your new best friend.
For more expensive items, you can use bubble wrap to completely cover them. A great example for this would be a large TV or an expensive mirror.
However, bubble wrap can also be used in other ways. For items with sharp edges, like tables and wardrobes, you can use bubble wrap on the corners to protect them (and your other belongings from the corners).
Speaking of TVs and mirrors, it’s important to know that not all boxes are made equally. Standard boxes are a fantastic option for packing things like books, but when it comes to other important items like TVs, mirrors, art, or even clothes, you need to invest in specialist boxes that are specifically designed for the items in question.
It might seem like a faff now, but it would be much more frustrating to realise the way that you have packed these items has caused them to get damaged in transit, or has made them susceptible to damage whilst in storage.
At our Box Shop, we have a ton of different storage and transit options for any item, ensuring the moving and storage process doesn’t drive you hopping mad!
Storing items can seem like a very simple process.
Get boxes. Put stuff in boxes. Take boxes to a storage unit.
Simple!
But in actual fact, there are quite a few other aspects you need to consider to ensure your belongings are truly protected whilst in storage.
Even with specially shaped boxes like the ones we offer, you also need to consider other packing essentials, such as packing paper.
Packing paper can help fill in any gaps between your items and the edge of the boxes, preventing them from moving during transit and protecting them from taking a damaging bump from sharp turns or speed bumps.
You could even use left over paper or newspaper as your packing paper, essentially anything that can mould to the shape you need and make your packing more compact.
For example, you could also wrap a blanket around precious items or use sofa cushions as bases for crockery boxes.
These are items you’re likely already planning to take with you when you move your items, so why not put them to use along the way?
Last but certainly not least, label everything!
So many of us think we will remember what is in each box based on its shape, style, and where they placed it in their storage unit, but you’d be amazed how quickly all that information disappears, leaving you scratching your head, trying to work out what is what.
And when you’re in the throes of moving your things, the last thing you want to do is quickly grab a box and chuck it in the back of your car, thinking it is bedding or soft furnishings, only to hear a loud crash as your finest china goes everywhere.
Label boxes according to their room, what each box contains, which way up it should be stored and moved at, and, most importantly, label anything that is fragile and has the potential to get damaged.
Labelling stuff is super easy. Grab some sticky notes and marker pens, and you’re good to go!
As you can see, there are several steps that you can take to ensure that all of your precious belongings are carefully protected whilst in storage.
We know how important it is to be confident that your belongings are protected in storage.
At Kangaroo Self Storage offer a wide range of moving and storage solutions, including custom boxes and any packing accessories you could possibly need.
We hope you found this guide helpful. However, if you need help or information regarding the various storage options available, why not fill out our enquiry form or give us a ring 0800 0121528 where we would be happy to help you choose the perfect self storage solution. With numerous facilities across the country, you're sure to find one near you, including:
