Are you scratching your head in front of a storage unit with a tower of boxes that keeps falling over? You’re not alone. Packing a Brilliant Storage Limited little storage area well is like playing Tetris and using common sense. It can save you money and headaches in the long run.
Begin with the basics: boxes that are strong and the same size. Stacking is easier with uniform shapes, and they also assist keep things from tipping over. Choose boxes that are easy to lift, even when they are full. That box full of books? Don’t put your back at risk just to seem neat.
Put labels on everything. You could recall what’s in each box now, but after three months, looking for grandma’s teacups can feel like looking for a needle in a haystack. Write down what’s within on at least two sides and mark anything that is fragile.
Think of your heaviest things, like appliances, stacks of books, or weights from when you were working out at home. Put these pieces on the floor or at the bottom of a stack. Put lighter, more fragile things up high. This stops boxes from becoming crushed and mid-stack avalanches.
Leave a modest space in the middle or on one side. You’ll wish you had it when you need something from the back if you think you don’t need it. Imagine trying to crawl over six layers of boxes or furniture. Not enjoyable, huh?
Take apart big pieces of furniture. To save a lot of space, take off the legs of the table, stack the chairs, and take apart the bed frames. Put labeled baggies of bolts and screws on their matching objects so you don’t have to look for them later.
Fill any space that is open, such drawers, shelves, and even bags. Put clothes, linens, or smaller things in. This not only saves space, but it also gives fragile things a little extra padding.
If your unit doesn’t have temperature control, use plastic containers or covers to keep dust and humidity away from your possessions. Put things you might need to get to quickly (like Christmas decorations or certain papers) near the front so you don’t have to crawl through a game of box-Jenga to find them.
Think ahead, pack smart, and label things appropriately. It’s easier to use a well-organized tiny storage unit, and every time you open the door, you can relax.