Having a storage unit is really great, you can free up your home from clutter and still have access to all of your belongings. But, over time, these units end up having a lot of items within. When the time to organize your storage unit comes, you may have some serious work ahead of you. However, if you follow this advice prepared for you by ZippyShell Lousiana, it is going to be a lot easier. In this article, we are going to provide you with a number of ways to make efficient use of your unit. You will learn all about the necessities of cleaning, inventory lists, and proper containers, as well as some of the ” life hacks” which will make your storing experience a lot better.
How to properly organize your storage unit? Useful tips!
In a nutshell, here is what you will need to do:
- Clean your storage unit annually
- Create an inventory list in order to organize your storage unit
- Use plastic boxes and bins instead of cardboard ones
- Label all boxes
- Put boxes with heavy items on the bottom
- Place frequently used items by the door
Clean your storage unit annually
The first thing you will want to do is mark one day as your “storage cleanup” day. Your unit will accumulate dirt over time and it is a lot easier to clean it annually than once in a couple of years. By doing so, you are going to have less work ahead of you. Which is really important mentally, as no one likes spending an entire day cleaning their long-term storage. Just make sure that you have the proper tools for the job before you head in. You are going to need a few chemicals, a mop, and a couple of cleaning cloths.
Create an inventory list in order to organize your storage unit
To start organizing things, you first need to know what exactly is in the storage unit. Your first task is to create an inventory list of all of your belongings that are in storage. That way, it is going to be a lot easier to ponder on how and when you might want to use those items. It will also come in handy in the future parts of the organizing process. If you are planning on using local moving and storage services in the near future, this list will be all but essential. Furthermore, it will serve as proof in case of an accident or theft. While storage units are usually quite secure, those kinds of events can always happen. It is good to have something that proves what exactly was in there.
Use plastic boxes and bins instead of cardboard ones
Cardboard boxes are great for storing items, there’s no question about that. But they kind of suck when it comes to organizing. They all look the same, after all. If you want to have a better overview of your belongings, consider utilizing plastic boxes and bins for your storing purposes. They can be transparent and you can see what is in them without even opening the box. They are easier to stack and are more durable, as well.
Truth to be told, plastic boxes and bins are far superior to regular cardboard boxes but they are a bit pricier, too. If you want to get ahold of quality plastic bins and boxes, you can always contact us and we will find a solution for you. You can use these containers for relocation purposes down the line and they are going to last you a lifetime. They are a worthwhile investment.
Label all boxes
Regardless of the type of containers that you are going with, proper labeling is key to any organization. You can make it as elaborate or as simple as you wish. Combine this with the inventory list for even greater effect. Searching for a box labeled “Dog supplies” is much easier than opening every box to see if they are in there. It will save you valuable time and effort in the long run. There are many labeling systems that you can use but our advice is to combine number and color-coding systems. That way, you will have several means of finding what you want. The numbers work great if the container is within reach but if you have a large number of boxes it may be difficult to see the numbers on the ones in the back. Which is where color-coding comes in.
Of course, your labeling system will be largely dependant on the number of boxes in your storage unit. For smaller storages, simply writing what is in each box works. But for storages that are warehouse-sized, you may want to figure out an optimized labeling system. It is a lot of effort initially, yes, but it is going to make finding what you need when you need it a lot easier. Spend some time to save even more time is the mantra here.
Put boxes with heavy items on the bottom
You always want to have the “heavier” boxes on the bottom. The items within can handle much more weight on them, due to their own. Of course, temper this with common sense and do not place any boxes containing fragile items on the bottom, regardless of their actual weight. The goal here is to make your items more secure and easier to access. Anything that can support quite a bit of weight goes on the bottom and everything that is fragile on top.
Place frequently used items by the door
Finally, you are going to have items that see much more use than others. You may want to keep them near the door, for convenience. That way, you are going to be able to simply open the door, grab what you need, and go out. Anything that you use on a weekly (or even a monthly) basis qualifies for this spot.
