So you have made the decision to use self storage and you’re not sure of how to fill the unit as best as possible?

1. Furniture layout

If you happen to have bulky furniture for your storage room, we always suggest putting these in first so you can work out the space as best as you can. It means when you’re putting your last items in that it’s only small boxes and not a gigantic couch. You need to summon your inner Tetris skills to really plan out loading your unit.

If you are putting in a couch, we always suggest pallet wrapping the couch so it does not get dusty or damaged during the move and also putting the couch on its side so it takes up the least amount of space. All our units’ heights are large enough to accommodate the average couch on its side. Armchairs can then be stacked on top of each other.

If you have a large dining table, see if you can remove the legs to make it easier for storage. If the legs don’t come off, you can put the table on its side and up against the back wall of the unit. This way you can make the most out of the area where the legs are sticking out. I would then stack all the dining room chairs up to the ceiling of the unit.

If you have beds for storage get out your Allen keys and dismantle them as best you can. This will make the beds way easier to stack. If you have a mattress these also can be left to the very last. Simply slide across the top of all the other items in the unit.

2. Boxes and packaging

We see time and time again customers bringing in poor-quality boxes that simply cannot be stacked. The storage units will only work if you have the items in decent quality boxes so you can play Jenga with them right up to the ceiling.

We suggest getting double-walled cardboard boxes or decent-quality storage crates. To keep the costs down the cardboard box option is the best way to go. A solid plug is now coming up! We sell a full range of double-walled cardboard boxes.

3. Label Everything!!

Once you have got your boxes, be sure and get a marker and label the boxes as you go. This will make unboxing down the line so much easier. It is also very handy when you’re in the middle of the move and need to make sure you are packing the right things. The boxes can be simply labelled by room or you can go into serious detail and write down each item within the box.

4. Mapping out the unit

If you plan on getting a large unit I would suggest mapping out the unit in order of importance. For example, it’s safe to say you can leave the Aldi ski gear you used on that random trip 6 years ago at the back of the unit and keep the essentials right at the front of the unit such as clothes, shoes and the flat-screen television. Make sure anything you may need during the storage time is kept out front and is easily accessible. The map will save time when everything is ready for collection down the line or if you happen to book a ski trip while your gear is still in storage.

5.Make a list

This one kind of goes hand in hand with tip three of labelling everything, After the labelling has been done, it is well worth numbering the boxes and adding these to a full inventory. This ensures no box is left behind when delivering them to storage and makes moving back home so much easier. You can use this list when packing the storage room and tick off the boxes as they are added.

I hope the tips above help with the storage move and as always, we are on-site to help with anything you may need. If you need storage or any advice on moving feel free to give us a call on 1800 94 6666