How to Protect Items in Storage Units With the Best Packing Tips

As you may know, long-distance moving is one of the most stressful events in your life, and taking care of your stuff is the biggest stressor. You want your stuff to be transported to another location safely and without damage. Find out how to store your stuff in the best way possible and make your relocation most efficient.

Get Rid Of All the Stuff You Don’t Need – Declutter Your Home

Whether you plan to rent a warehouse because you are renovating your home or relocating to another state, it would be excellent if you could declutter your home a bit. Not only will you occupy less space in your warehouse, but you can make some money along the way. Make a yard sale or donate unwanted items. Either way, your new home or renovated house will look much better if it is not filled with tons of stuff. Make sure to be organized while decluttering because you do not want to throw something important away because you are in a hurry. After all, you are putting your stuff in a warehouse, and you can get rid of some stuff after your relocation is over.

Decide What Goes in Storage Unit and What Not

No matter your reasons to move, or whether you are moving last-minute, if you wish to move efficiently, you will need to make an inventory list of your household goods – the first step for a smart relocation. Take some time and start your decluttering weeks in advance to have time to arrange yard sales and pack your stuff for the warehouse.

Go room by room and start making a to-stay and to-get-rid of piles in every room. Clear one room to use for sorting and packing everything up. If you have a garage or basement, this will be an excellent choice, but if you don’t, you can pick a room you do not need that often for this purpose. Put all unwanted stuff in this room. After you are finished with the yard sale, you can use this room for filing your boxes. While you are making these piles in your rooms, create an inventory list of things that you are keeping and storing along the way. This list will be helpful when you ask for a quote on your long-distance moving service as well. Also, your estimation of the value of your household goods will be much easier if you have everything on paper.

Choose Which Kind of Storage Unite Is Best For You

If you are renting a unit for a longer time period, the great solution is to rent a self-storage unit. But if you are cross-country moving and need storage service for a couple of months, then taking the one at your relocating company is the most reasonable solution. Because most of these companies offer free storage units for the whole month to their customers, your anxiety about relocating will be less if you choose one company to do everything for you. This way, you will not have to look for an auto shipping service, for example, or a storage service separately.

Pick Space With Climate Control

No matter if you are relocating in winter or in the summertime, your warehouse of choice should have climate control. No extreme weather conditions should affect your belongings, and if there is climate control, you can rest assured that no moisture or humidity will damage your stuff. This is especially important if you plan to pack paintings or some antique stuff in there. Check out this video for more tips on how to protect framed items when moving.

Clean Your Stuff Before You Pack Them

There is nothing worse than picking up your belongings from the warehouse only to get bad-smelling furniture and clothes. And this is one of the most common relocating mistakes people make – they don’t clean their belongings, and they end up with more work later on. This is why it is crucial to do a deep cleaning of your furniture and wash and vacuum everything thoroughly.

Nothing Can Be Done Without Right Materials

• Getting the right packing materials for your move is one of the most important packing tips and tricks we can give you, especially if you plan to put your belongings away for a longer period. Go through your inventory list and start making plans on which supplies you will need. For example, you will have to pack books in reinforced boxes for heavy stuff, while for packing your dishes, you will have to take some protective materials as well. There are different types of packing materials, and you probably do not have to buy all of them, but here are some of the basic materials you will definitely use:
• Best-sized boxes,
• Bubble wraps and packing paper,
• Duct tape and duct tape gun,
• Cushioning foam,
• Sheets and blankets,
• Plastic wrap,
• Vacuum bags,
• Contractor bags.

Be Strategic When Self Storing Your Stuff

It doesn’t matter if you are loading your Tesla relocating truck or your warehouse unit. When putting a lot of stuff in a small space, you will have to get more creative and store your things like Tetris pieces. Make sure to put your things in such a way that your path is clear, and you can reach everything. And your unpacking will be more comfortable as well. All fragile stuff should be stored on top of everything. When you pack electronic devices like TV, it would be great protection if you have the original box for it, but you can buy a box for TV separately if you don’t. But if you secure your belongings with bubble wrap and blankets, you will do just fine. Just double-check if they are stored between other heavy things, so they do not fall easily. Stuff you plan to use more frequently should be stored last so you can reach them.

Pack Your Furniture Smart

Large and bulky stuff should go on the sidewalls, and to be on the bottom, be assured you disassemble everything that can be disassembled. Your sofa and couch should be wrapped in plastic wrap, while wooden parts like legs should be wrapped with some sheets before you apply plastic. This way, you will prevent damage because of the condensation. When you disassemble everything, put small parts like screws and knobs in a zip lock bag and duct tape this to a piece of furniture that belongs to.

Best Tip on How to Prepare Your Wooden Items for Storage

When we talk about relocating furniture, we have to pay special attention to wooden furniture. The first thing you have to do is to prepare your furniture for relocation. This is especially important if you have some expensive stylish sofas, but it can be useful when relocating Ikea furniture as well. If your furniture needs some renovations, now is a great time to do so. If not, you will have to put some wood wax on your stuff to be fully protected from moisture. As we mentioned above, plastic or bubble wraps should never go directly on your wood. The best way to protect it is with sheets, blankets, and towels. Use duct tape to fasten sheets.

Don’t Forget to Label Your Stuff

When relocating your entire house to another location and pack everything in boxes, you will want to know what box. So you can easily get that thing without going to the trouble and going through all your boxes once they are closed and stored. This is why labeling is important. Even if your stuff is going to a warehouse, you will forget what is stored quickly. Use a combination of labeling systems. For example, use color to mark a certain room, number to mark how many boxes are from that room, and write what is inside the box. Do not write everything on the box. Just write fragile dishes. But you should have a list of every item from every box on paper with you.

Your Fragile Stuff Will Need Extra Care

Knowing how to protect fragile items in moving is the most important thing if you wish to have a stress-free relocation. When dealing with packing fragile items, you will have to wrap everything from bottom to top and fill the insides with paper or bubble wrap. When you start putting everything in a box, your heavy stuff should go first, then a layer of cushioning, and then lighter stuff. Reinforce the bottom of your box with some duct tape, and double-check you do not fill it to the top. You will have to leave some space for cushioning here as well. If you have some wine glasses, the great way to store them is in a sectioned cardboard box.

You Will Need Insurance for Your Stuff as Well

When you start looking for storage facilities, double-check if you have insurance coverage as well. If you decide to take a warehouse from your cross-country moving company, ask them if they are providing coverage for storing stuff as part of your moving insurance. Some cross-country movers only provide full coverage for stuff their movers packed as part of the packing service. So keep that in mind when looking for a company. Also, check if your chosen long-distance movers have a USDOT number because every long-distance moving company must be registered on a Federal level.

Don’t Hesitate to Call Professionals Who Know How to Protect Items in Storage Units

There are so many things people have to do when relocating over long distances. You will have to find a job in a new state, find a place to live, find a school if you are relocating with kids, and other things. As we mentioned before, relocating to a new state can be overwhelming and challenging. This is always better if you hire professionals to handle the whole process for you. And if you decide to hire professional cross-country movers, check if they have all the services you need. Because coordinating packing, storing, and car shipping with a bunch of different companies will only make things even stressful.