Storage Tips
1. Preparing goods for storage
- Clothing or Bedding: Launder bedding, window dressings and clothing, then pack them right on a hanger inside a wardrobe box. By using wardrobe boxes, you will save yourself from having to iron your things as you move them out of storage.
- Books/Magazines/Records: Pack them flat, not standing on end (which can cause damage to the spines). Books are extremely heavy, don't pack too many in one box or mix them with fragile items. Never over pack boxes, overfilled boxes can rupture and topple when stacked.
- Appliances: Moisture can cause damage to your refrigerator and freezer, make sure that these items are clean and dry, leaving doors slightly ajar. Place what you can inside any of your appliances - utilize all available space.
- Gas Powered Items: Drain all gasoline and oil from small engines.
- Pictures/Mirrors: Larger pieces should be stored in specially designed boxes. Smaller pictures should be wrapped in bubble wrap or newspaper and stored inside boxes with clothing or linens.
- Leather Items: Treat with a leather conditioner and protect them with plastic covers.
- Mattresses/Box Springs: Protect them and your furniture with specially designed plastic covers.
- Furniture and Tables- When possible, remove legs and disassemble to conserve storage space. Wrap with furniture pads or old linen to protect from soil, scratches and moisture. Wrap the legs together with paper and tape them to the protective wrap placed around the corresponding item. For tables that can't be disassembled, store them top down with the legs pointing toward the ceiling.
- Photographs: Photographs can curl over time. To keep them flat, place them between two pieces of cardboard and tape them together or place individually inside books.
- What NOT To Store: We prohibit the storage of any items that are: illegal, stolen, hazardous, flammable, explosive, perishable, environmentally harmful, or that may be a risk to the property, person, or guest of our facilities (example: fuel, acid, chlorine, paint, etc.)
2. Organize your storage space
- When packing your storage room, create a center aisle for access to all items.
- Leave a few inches of space between your items and the wall for better ventilation, never stack or lean items against the exterior walls.
- Most of our facilities have pallets available for customers to use in their unit for ventilation underneath their items.
- Group the items you are least likely to need during the time you are storing your belongings and place these pieces in your space first.
- Store heavier items on the bottom and lighter items on the top. Situate the boxes so that you can read the label which lists their contents.
- Place the things you are most likely to need closest to the door for easy accessibility.
- Securely latch and lock the door to your space using a high-security padlock.