It is important to know what size storage unit is right for your needs. It is also necessary to know the best ways to prepare your items for long or short-term storage.
We have gathered a list of storage tips to guide you in choosing your storage space and to help you safely and effectively prepare your belongings for storage at our facility.
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Unit Size Estimator
Suggested Sizes
5 x 10 storage unit – A couch and a chair. chest of drawers or dresser, mattress set, plus small items and boxes. Also may be used for outdoor furniture, lawn mowers, garden tools, etc. or bicycles and/or motorcycles.
10 x 10 storage unit – Furniture from a one-bedroom apartment without appliances, also small items and boxes.
10 x 20 storage unit – Furniture from a two-bedroom house with appliances, miscellaneous items and cartons. Also may be used to store a car or truck and other small items.
10 x 30 storage unit – Furniture from a three-bedroom house with miscellaneous items and cartons. Will hold contents of a 40 ft. moving van. Also may be used to store a car or truck and other small items. Also boats or RV’s and some furniture and cartons, depending on the height of the garage doors.
Fragile or Delicate Items
Bedding, Clothing, Curtains, Drapes and Linens – Clothing, curtains, and drapes should be stored on hangers. If hanging cartons are not available, such items should be carefully folded and stored in dresser drawers or cedar chests along with bedding and linens. Some facilities sell wardrobe style cardboard cartons, which help protect your clothes. Food crumbs or stains should be removed before storage and avoid storing anything that may attract pests.
Books and Documents – Pack books flat to protect their spines. Do not place boxes directly on concrete floors, but use pallets or skids to prevent pockets in the boxes. Do not pack fragile items in the same box with books and do not overload.
Dishes and Glassware – Place a layer of packing inside the bottom and at the top of boxes containing glassware. All glass items should be individually wrapped: net cups and bowls and stand plates, saucers, and platters on edge. Wrapped glasses should be placed near the top of cartons. Again, fill all pockets with packing. Label all boxes containing glassware, and do not place heavy items on boxes containing glassware.
Holiday Decorations – Save the original cartons that contained delicate ornaments and pad the ornaments with packing paper or news print. Wrap strings of lights around a piece of cardboard before placing in a carton lined with packing paper.
Lamps – Wrap large lamp bases in padding, wrap smaller lamps and place them in boxes, and pack delicate lamp shades separately. Do not use newsprint to wrap lamp shades or any other goods that may be damaged by ink stains. Do not store heavy items on cartons containing lamps or lamp shades.
Mirrors, Windows, and Screens – These items should be stored on edge, not flat.
Records and Phonographs – Records should be stored on edge to prevent warping. When moving a record player, the tone arm and turntable should be secured to prevent damage.
Appliances
Appliances – A refrigerator or freezer should be thoroughly dry and stored with its door slightly ajar. Some goods can be stored inside large appliances and boxes can be stacked on top of stoves, refrigerators, and freezers. Make sure that stoves and cooking equipment are cleaned before they are stored.
Furniture – Disassemble beds and tables and wrap table legs in paper. If a table will not disassemble, place padding on the floor and place the table on its top with the legs pointing up. Use dresser tops for stacking cartons and dresser drawers for linens or small delicate items. Keep upholstery off the floor. Most lightweight chairs can be stacked “seat to seat” or placed upside down on tables which cannot be disassembled. Finally, place a light cotton (e.g. a bedsheet) dust cover on your furniture. Some facilities sell covers for your convenience.
Metal Items
Bicycles and Other Metal Items – To retard rust, wipe all metal surfaces with a rag containing a few drops of machine oil.
Tools – Metal tools should be cleaned and wiped with a rag containing a few drops of machine oil to retard rust. Long-handled tools such as rakes, shovels and hoes should be clean, lightly oiled and tied in bundles.
