How To Pack Your Things For Self Storage

Before you even pack your things, make sure you clean them first. Dusting and vacuuming items like furniture will prevent them from smelling musty later on.
 
Make sure that there are no cobwebs on lamps or clocks as well before they go into storage - if there are any, use a soft brush or cloth duster to remove them. If there is visible dirt on the surface of an item that cannot be removed with water and soap (such as gold jewellery or silverware), then use a soft brush or cloth duster first followed by a dry microfiber cloth for polishing purposes.

When packing, you should ideally put items that are similar or belong in the same room together. For example, you could put your cutlery, plates and bowls in one box, and all your pots and pans in another. You'll also want to put items that you might need sooner at the top of each box, so they're easily accessible when unpacking.

It may be tempting to use a thin Sharpie or rollerball pen that you have lying around to mark your boxes, but these can fade over time, leaving you with illegible labels. Use a label maker if possible; this will ensure that each label is large enough and easy to read from a distance. Make sure you're labelling the boxes too rather than the objects inside them as when it comes to getting items out of storage, you'll have to rifle through the boxes until you find what you're looking for. You can label the boxes by room or by item, whichever works best for you.

You can protect large furniture items with bubble wrap and foam - simply look for cut-to-fit pieces of high-density polyurethane foam at hardware stores - and use cardboard to protect the corners. If you're concerned about your items getting damaged while you're moving everything into the unit, wrap a piece of corrugated cardboard around the perimeter of each item and tape them together. This will keep everything sturdy.
 
Use a trolley or dolly to move large furniture items too rather than attempting to carry them yourself. These are pretty cheap at hardware stores, but check the load limits to ensure the one you buy is strong enough for what you need to transport.

The most important step in planning your packing is to start early. The more time you have beforehand, the more likely it is that you'll be able to get everything boxed up quickly and easily. Begin with any items you know you don't need access to, like seasonal clothes or sports equipment, and leave anything valuable or essential until last.
 
If you want to make the most of your self-storage unit, getting the packing right will be essential, so if you are pressed for time, you could consider hiring a professional moving company to help you with this. As well as organising and packing your belongings, they'll be able to transport your boxes for you and make efficient use of the space inside your unit.
 
For all your moving needs, contact O’Grady’s today. We provide a professional and affordable service to get you from A to B.