Tips For Using A Storage Unit

Moving your items into a storage unit might be the best solution for removing junk and other unneeded items from your home. Yet, the act of packing and moving these items into a storage unit can create some potential problems. If you are preparing to place some of your possessions into storage, there are a few tips and considerations that can reduce the risks of you experiencing these issues during your storage experience.

Pad The Bottom Of Your Boxes

The threat of items breaking is one of the more prominent issues that you may be worried about. Unfortunately, improper packing can greatly increase the odds of items breaking due to routine and seemingly insignificant movements of the boxes.

You can help to enhance the protection of your items by making sure to thoroughly pad the bottom of any boxes before you place items in them. Ideally, you should consider using bubble wrap or dense packing paper. These materials can absorb much of the energy from any impacts, which can reduce the risk of items in the box suffering damage. If you opt for packing paper, make sure the color is pure white. Otherwise, you may find that some of the items in the boxes will absorb the pigments from the packing paper, which could lead to permanent discoloration. Padding the bottom of the boxes can be particularly important when loading items in a storage unit, as it can be easy to accidentally drop these boxes when arranging them in the unit.

Prevent Mildew

Mildew can be extremely damaging to paper, artwork and clothing. Preventing mildew will require ensuring that the humidity in the unit is low and that there is ample ventilation. Achieving low humidity can best be done by renting a climate-controlled unit, as these have powerful environmental control systems that can maintain custom temperatures and humidity levels for each unit. Additionally, you should avoid encasing your items in any materials that will prevent airflow, such as plastic bags or boxes.  

Keep A Bag Of Sand In The Unit

During the winter months, it can be common for ice to form around storage units. This can make it extremely hazardous to load or unload items from the storage unit. In addition to the risk of suffering bodily injury, it can be easy to lose your balance and drop these boxes. By keeping a bag of sand in the unit, you will be able to quickly make the ice safer for walking by sprinkling it around the entrance to the unit.

For more information on self-storage units, contact a company like I-70 Self Storage.