Change is a permanent constant of life, and here you are, getting ready to move to another city or country. Not everyone wants to move into a new town or state using a moving truck, which is why renting a storage unit for your belongings is the best course of action.
Many people are a mess when planning to move and forget that there are DOS and DON’TS to moving or using a storage unit to store personal effects. This article gives you a highlight of what you need to know when you decide to put your life’s memories into a 5×5 or 5×10 storage unit.
Device A Moving Plan
Anyone picking up an entire house or apartment would need to make an airtight plan that would not make the process overwhelming for you. Yes, you might think you have got it figured out in your head without putting it down on paper or drawing up a schedule, but packing at random can be exhausting, so you need a plan.
If you have four weeks to move from your apartment, then you should streamline your packing schedule along with that timeframe. You should have set goals for every week. For instance, you could use the first week to gain moving supplies and other equipment and complete details on securing a storage unit for your belongings within the same week.
Do not forget to create a movers schedule for those coming to help you move the items into storage or to your new location; it enables you to avoid having too many people around at once.
Securing A Storage Unit
Getting a storage unit requires strategic planning and research. You would want your storage unit areas to be located in areas that will not put your seasonal items like clothing items, shoes, and other accessories in danger of getting damp or spoilt while being piled up in a room without cross ventilation.
It is in your best interest to choose a storage unit as an insurance cover. As seen on boxandlock, storage units should come with insurance cover as part of their rental packages. So, when you are on the lookout for a suitable storage unit, be guided because unforeseen circumstances like burglary, theft, or fire accident may occur, and insurance cover for it is a step in the right direction.
Your choice of storage unit also depends on the period in which you want to keep your belongings in a storage unit. You can either use the temporary storage option for short-term storage, while self-storage units are suitable for long-term storage. Also, ensure that the storage companies prioritize security like having CCTV surveillance and guard patrols.
Sorting and Packing Your Belonging
The hallmark of your moving process is sorting and packing your belongings, utensils, and other upholstery. Moving supplies such as boxes, tape, bubble wrap, fillers, labels, and scissors are pretty crucial to this process. Make sure you have sorted out your belongings to know which ones you want to box for storage, which ones to move with you to the new location, and those that will be donated or gifted out.
You will need boxes of all sizes or clear plastic bins to pack your belongings. The heavy items should go into small containers for easy lifting, while we should collate the lightweight items into big boxes. Do not forget to pack similar items together like your kitchen utensils, plates, teacups, etc. It makes it easy to locate them when you need them. It would help if you rightly labeled all your boxes. Make it a point to add a list of items in the box on it; it will make unpacking it easier.
Items in Storage
Be mindful of the items that you put in storage units to avoid them being damaged. For instance, wear protective covers for your furniture to prevent them from gathering dust and put your files or documents in Ziploc bags to avoid water getting to them. Protect your collectible art pieces and large household appliances from getting rusted while in storage.
You should not put food, wet, or scented items in storage as they could attract molds to the storage units and affect your other belongings.
Also, when storing these items, you need to arrange them in order of priority as you may need them at intervals—sorting them by weight to avoid heavy ones pressing down on lightweight ones, or placing them in a way that gives space for other items.
It is pretty essential to note that preserving your belongings while you’re moving hinges on your ability to sort and pack your items in an orderly manner and to get a good storage unit to help you hold them till you need them.
