Life Hacks To Help Simplify Your Self Storage Experience
Whether you are planning a move or you are looking to downsize clutter to free up space in your home, packing your items for storage can be a hassle. With the occupancy rate of self storage units reaching an approximate 87%, it is clear that many people are in need of storage units. It is also indicative of the fact that packing is quite common for American households. Fortunately, there are a few life hacks you can follow to make packing and storage easier.
Save on Packing Materials
When it comes to packing, many people search frantically for packing materials such as boxes, Styrofoam peanuts and bubble wrap to help keep breakables safe. Fortunately, you can save money on your packing materials with items you already have on hand. For example:
- Shirts – Wrap your dishes and fragile figurines in shirts to prevent them from breaking.
- Socks – Place drinking glasses in clean socks to prevent them from clinking together and breaking.
- Cotton balls – Place items inside a bag of cotton balls to add a layer of protection.
- Suitcases and hampers – Save money on cardboard boxes and other packing materials by packing your items in suitcases, duffle bags, hampers, and baskets.
Make Items Easier to Find
When you get down to it, finding items you need in a storage unit can seem impossible. Even if you take the time to carefully label your boxes, you may find yourself frantically searching through a sea of boxes trying to find an item you need.
Although clear bins are often more expensive than cardboard boxes, it may prove worth it in the long run. Store your items in clear bins, so you can easily identify items that you have stored in a particular bin.
Cut Down on Your Work
It is not uncommon for mice and other pests to find their way into your storage unit. Unfortunately, mice may make a nice haven out of clothing and other items you have in storage. Fortunately, you can cut down on your work while keeping pests at bay.
Rather than removing clothing from dresser drawers, cover each drawer with a press and seal plastic wrap. The plastic wrap allows you to keep moisture and pests out of your clothing. Keeping the clothes in the drawers allows you to avoid the extra hassle of finding more boxes and bags. Furthermore, you will not have to worry about refolding all of your clothes when you are ready to move.
Another overlooked way to save time and minimize your work is to keep your clothing on hangers. Grab a large, plastic trash bag, push your closet items close together and work the trash bag around the bottom of your hanging items. Pull the trash bag up around your clothing and pull the drawstring on the bag tight. Viola! You can use this technique to pack your closet in minutes without having to worry about removing items from hangers, folding them, and packing them.
Prevent Unpleasant Odors
Although some storage units have climate control, others do not. Changes in temperature can cause unpleasant odors to occur. Fortunately, you can avoid those unpleasant items by doing the following:
- Prepare your Refrigerator – Clean out your fridge at least a week before you put it in storage. Leave the doors on the refrigerator open so it has plenty of time to air out. Place a box of baking soda in the fridge to absorb odors. Additionally, you will want to prop the doors of the fridge open when you place it in storage.
- Prepare your Washing Machine – Carefully remove all of your hoses from your washing machine and place the unit outside, preferably under a porch roof or other covered area. Allow the machine to sit outside and dry for a few days to a week before storing it to avoid any musty odors.
Many of these tips can make self storage a far more pleasant experience. The fact that you can save both time and money on packing and storing your items means less stress on your shoulders. Add to that the fact that you can avoid mishaps with bad smells or hard-to-find items and you will look at packing and storage in a whole new light.
For more information on self storage, check out a company like http://www.getepicstorage.com.