Storage Tips
Plan ahead
Don't just load your furniture and boxes willy-nilly into your storage unit. There are 3 things to take into account when planning how to layout and stack everything in the available space:
Safety first
DO NOT store anything combustible, corrosive or explosive, nor any perishables. So, no paint cans, gasoline, chemicals, plants or foods.
Protection from damage
Prevent humidity
Too much humidity can lead to mold, mildew, paper rot, rusting of metal parts and warping of wooden items.
Humidity can be reduced through proper ventilation. Here are a few things you can do to provide it:
Lay flat cardboard or wooden skids on the floor of your unit to help circulate air.
Also leave a few inches between your items and the unit walls.
Leave microwave, freezer and refrigerator doors open for ventilation.
Prevent breakage
Stack pictures, stained glass hangings and mirrors on end, not flat, and don't put anything on top of them.
Keep them vertical, not leaning, as glass can sag over time if not kept upright.
Prevent moth damage
You'll want to pack your woolen items with cedar chips or moth balls right in the box.
For overall protection, you can also place some out in the open.
Prevent scratches
Prevent scratches to your appliances and furniture by covering them with moving blankets and putting cardboard on corners.
Prevent deforming
Avoid storing heavy items on top of sofas, mattresses or armchairs.
Accessibility
Maintain quick access to any items you might need to get at during the storage term, such as business files or seasonal items.
Tightly packed
If you need to pack your unit tightly, keep your 'quick access' items aside until the end, and
put them in last.
That way they'll be at the front, close to the door, when you come back to retrieve them.
Loosely packed
If you have more room to work with (a bigger unit or fewer items), create a walkway inside your storage space
so you can access all your items easily no matter where they are in the storage room.
Efficient use of space
First things first
Move your heavy or bulky items into the room first. Not only will it be easier to maneuver them into place, they will also provide a good base on which to stack other items.
Fill the gaps
As you place your appliances and furniture, there will be gaps between them and sometimes in or under them.
Fill the spaces with boxes or other smaller items as you go, so as to use the space most effectively.
Fill the inside of appliances with non-fragile items like pots and pans, or with soft bulky items like linen and towels in protective bags.
Likewise, dresser and desk drawers can be used to stash items in bags or boxes of appropriate weight and size.
Stand mattresses and sofas on end.
For non-stackable straight chairs, store alike chairs seat to seat with cloth or paper in between.
Stack large pictures and mirrors on end (straight, not leaning), either inside a wardrobe box or in a safe, vertical slot between stable stacks of boxes.
Stabilize your stacks
Using standard size boxes will help make them stackable and maximize space.
Put heavier, non-fragile boxes on the bottom and lighter or fragile ones on top.
If you've packed your boxes properly so that none will collapse or bulge, you can make a tall stack stable by using same-size boxes and placing them in brickwork fashion, then tying a rope and/or shrink wrap around the top layer.
