Tips for Packing Your Storage Unit at Southern End Self Storage
- Provide the best protection for your materials in storage – place everything in a box!
- Minimize stacking problems by using uniform sizes of boxes and stacking them no more than shoulder high.
- Leave a tiny air space between the goods stored and the storage unit walls.
- Avoid placing heavy or sharp objects on top of upholstered furniture.
- Protect your mattresses, sofas, and chairs with appropriate coverings.
- Reduce dust and dirt on your belongings -- cover the entire load with a light tarp.
- Use a high-quality lock on your storage unit door -- cheaper locks can rust.
- For absolute safety, keep a list of all items in storage as well as pictures, and descriptions.
Hints for Packing and Storing Specific Items
- Appliances: Tape all appliance doors shut when moving. Wedge doors open in storage. Secure all moveable parts with paper or wedge. Wrap a paper pad around each item for protection.
- Beds: Tie bed rails together with rope or plastic tape. As you take beds apart, mark all pieces so you know which goes with which headboard, etc. Place covers on mattresses to keep them clean during moving and storage.
- Books: Packed boxes can get heavy quickly! Pack them in small cartons and hold the total weight to under 30 pounds for easy lifting. Line all book cartons with plastic and fill empty spaces with packing paper. (Garbage bags work well as a liner).
- Bureaus: Treat your bureau drawers as extra packing boxes. Fill them with a few small and fragile items. Sweaters, blankets, and towels make excellent padding.
- Cartons: With a marking pen, list contents of each carton on the side. For load sizing, multiply length x width x height of each carton if that information is not already on the carton.
- Chairs: Protect all chair legs by wrapping them in packing paper. Leave slipcovers on upholstered chairs and cover them with plastic chair covers.
- Clothing: Clothing that ordinarily hangs in a closet should be packed in a wardrobe carton.
- Dishes: Don’t be in a hurry when packing dishes. Wrap each one with packing tissue and cushion them in the carton with crumpled packing paper. Keep dish pack cartons under 30 pounds for easy handling and safe riding.
- Glasses: Pack glasses carefully. Wrap with tissue and pad with crumpled packing paper just like dishes.
- Lamps: Pack lampshades in individual boxes with plenty of paper for padding. Lamp bases ride securely in bureau drawers, freezers and washing machines. For safety, pad them well with towels and blankets.
WARNING: Do Not Store Combustibles, Hazardous Materials or Perishables!
Items like old paint, cleaning fluids, gasoline can be dangerous when stored over a long period of time. Make certain all fuel is drained or burned out of gasoline powered equipment.
Do you have additional questions on storage? Contact Southern End Self Storage today!