When renting a storage unit like one from Stop and Store Storage Fareham, it is often not top of your list to see how you can maximize the space. But with a little organisation, you can save a significant amount of money and make your storage experience far better.
If your possessions are organised, they are easier to find. Also, you will be able to fit much more into your unit, rather than renting additional space. This can be easily achieved with just a little thought and organisation.
How to Maximize Space in Your Storage Fareham Unit
There are many approaches to maximising your storage space. These will include:
- How you stack your boxes
- The type of boxes you use
- The use of plastic crates
- What about vacuum bags
There are many things which can help reduce the amount of space you need. With a bit of sorting you will save that space.
Heavy or Light
Always store your heavier items at the bottom. One of the biggest problems when coming back to a storage unit after it has been filled is finding items, if they were not organised correctly. You will be lifting very heavy boxes from the top in order to access boxes at the bottom.
This can be back-breaking and inconvenient. Therefore, store your heavier boxes, such as books at the bottom on the floor. The other benefit is that it will not crush other boxes which are below them.
Store Your Larger Items First
At Stop and Store Storage Fareham we recommend having a think about the larger items, as well as things that you will not use on a regular basis. It is best to store these first at the back of the unit, to avoid having to move them every time you want to find something.
But remember that if you do use these larger items on a regular basis and they are at the back, then it will be inconvenient to get them out. Just a little bit of thought about where they should go in the unit, based on their size and how regularly you use them will pay dividends later.
Frequently Used Items
The same goes for things that you use on a regular basis. Obviously, it is much more convenient to have these stored at the front of your storage room near the door, so they are accessible at any time. You do not want to have to move numbers of boxes in order to retrieve that one item which happens to be stored at the back of your unit.
Don’t Use Bags, Use Boxes
In order to get the efficiency out of your storage unit do not use bags, but instead, use boxes and ideally plastic boxes.
Bags are flimsy and break and it is difficult to see what is in them. They are also difficult to organise. Boxes can be stacked and labelled, and it is much easier to find what you need.
Use Shelving Racks
If you have the space and you access your unit on a regular basis, another great way to keep organised is to shelve out your unit.
One of the benefits is that it will stop the possibility of one box crushing another, due to their weight. It also becomes much easier to find items, particularly storing boxes on lower shelves. Shelving also enables you to take advantage of the height of the unit.
Catalogue and Keep Your Unit Organised
The type of storage shelving that you will require will depend on what you are storing. There are different types of systems from budget options to more expensive solutions. The decision should be based on the load-bearing capacity of the shelving.
Also, the flexibility in terms of shelving heights. Do some homework on the best type of shelving and racking units for the type of storage you are looking to do.
Vacuum bags are a great way of saving space. All your bedding and any other clothing can be stored and packed in a vacuum bag. All you need to do is plug the bag into your hoover in order to suck any excess air out of the bag. They become very compact very quickly and take up far less space.
Make an Inventory
One of the best tips when using a storage unit is to put together an inventory of everything that is stored in your units. Labelling boxes is essential. If you can put an inventory together in, for example, a Word document, this become searchable.
Then you can easily find whether your item is stored in the unit and whereabouts. In many cases, people who use storage units, may not return for months or even years. This is a valuable resource in order to find those items when you do come back.
It is also worth printing out this list and taping it to the wall of the storage unit or to the back of the door. If you are at the storage facility and do not have access to the list on your computer, then this will act as a guide for anyone visiting the unit and looking for a particular item.
These are just a few tips on things you should think about when renting a storage unit for any length of time. Firstly, it will save you money because you will not need as much space. Also, it will save you time because you will know exactly where everything is within your storage unit. It will be in the appropriate order to avoid having to move heavy items out of the way in order to retrieve that one item which happens to be at the back of your unit!
Stop and Store Fareham, provide storage units ranging from lockers to 200 sq ft. We are conveniently located in the Fareham Shopping Centre.