Basics of Property Management: Screening Potential Tenants

Long-Term Storage Solutions: Tips For Organizing Your Storage Unit

19 January 2015

Jesse Obrien

Placing some of your less-frequently used items into a self storage unit, such as Cardinal Self Storage, is a great way to free up some extra space in your home while also ensuring your belongings remain safe. Unfortunately, accessing these items once they are in storage can be quite difficult if your storage unit is not properly organized. This is why it is so important to have a plan of attack before putting your items into storage. Thankfully, the tips outlined below can help make completing this task quick and easy.

Tip #1: Color Code Your Box Labels

Taking the time to read the label on each and every box can be incredibly time consuming. Furthermore, when dealing with boxes that are not easy to see, you may find that you need to move several other boxes out of the way simply to read the writing on the box's label. Doing all of this work only to find out that the box does not contain the item you are looking for can be nothing short of infuriating. Thankfully, color coded box labels can quickly take the stress and frustration out of this situation.

When labeling your storage boxes, assign a specific color label to each room in your home or category of items. For instance, you may wish for all kitchenware to be labeled with a blue box label, while your extra linens are identified with a red label. Using this type of color-coded system will allow you to quickly identify what boxes contain the items you are looking for.

Tip #2: Always Leave Space Between Rows Of Boxes

The hardest part of accessing items in your storage unit will typically be making your way to the back of the unit. All too often, individuals find themselves needing to unpack a large portion of their storage unit simply to create a path to the items in the back of the unit. This can be both time consuming and labor intensive.

Leaving a path or aisle between each row of boxes or other stored items can make accessing all areas of your storage unit much easier. While this approach may require you to rent a slightly larger unit, you will find that it is well worth the investment when the time comes to access some of your stored belongings.

Tip #3: Create Your Own Map

It may be several weeks or even months before you return to collect some of your stored belongings. While you may know exactly where these items are located on the day you put them into storage, you will likely find that your memory is not so clear several months down the road. This is why it is always a good idea to create a map of your storage unit.

When creating a map of your unit, be sure to indicate the exact location of all large objects, such as furniture and appliances. This will allow you to use these large items as landmarks when looking for smaller items. Next, mark the location of specific categories of items. For example, you may wish to mark the location of your seasonal decorations or clothing. When you return to your storage unit to collect these items, you will also need to ensure that you update your map to reflect the missing items. This will ensure that your map remains accurate for the next time you need to access the unit.

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