If you are lacking storage space in your home or office a commercial unit is generally a safe alternative. They may be in remote areas and seem unprotected, but when you take certain precautions to protect your stored items you shouldn’t have any problems. These basic precautions include properly wrapping and packaging items so the chances for damage are greatly reduced. Properly prepared storage packaging will not allow items to shift about during any move to a unit or away from one. Furthermore, proper packaging protects your valuables from any damaged caused by dust, humidity and heat while sitting for long periods of time in storage.
Make an Inventory List First
Before packing item one, make sure to make a list of all items to be stored. The list will become an important tool when making a “packing plan.” Make sure to list items with general descriptions such as “small, medium or large” if the actual item name does not in itself indicate its size. This will help dictate the size of a storage box to be used for specific items.
Additionally, it will help to know the approximate size of the storage unit. This will dictate a layout design where particular boxes will sit and just how they will be stacked. Always buy more flat boxes and rolls of tape than you need to avoid an additional trip to the store when you come up short on supplies. Most stores selling packaging supplies will allow unused items to be returned.
Always Use Quality Packing Materials
A good rule of thumb is always consider every item kept in self storage is going to be there longer than you think it will. This is why you should always use high-quality packing materials making sure to provide long-term protection for your valuable goods. Don’t be fooled into using common household materials for your packing needs. It is not a good idea to use newspapers, although that seems to be one of the first things people reach for when it comes to wrapping fragile items. Using newspapers tends to scratch some very fragile items as well as often leading ink smudges. Furthermore, the use of newspapers for wrapping tends to attract rodents and insects. Additionally, refrain from the use of another common household item typically employed for storage; the plastic trash bag. Plastic is a good retention commodity for moisture. Often, moisture can build up inside a closed trash bag damaging the items inside. When preparing your valuable items for either short- or long-term storage, choose high quality packing materials that can be located at a local home improvement outlet, commercial storage facility, or possibly a moving company. It might be best to invest in these packing materials. However, if you are set toward saving money, try lowering your expenses by obtaining free boxes. Here are several sources that might be able to help you out:
Your Workplace – This should be your first “social” networking location since you spend a lot of your time on the job. Offices receiving supplies of computer paper may be a good source for finding sturdy, dependable – and possibly “free to you” – boxes. If you work at a retail furniture store, you may be able to “liberate” specialty boxes like ones used to ship a mattress. Acquaint yourself with people who handle the receiving of company supply orders. These individuals usually see lots of different kinds of boxes come and go every day. The same individuals may be responsible for recycling cardboard boxes and may be more than happy to provide you with what you need. Often, large companies when informed that an employee is planning a move will be more than cooperative supplying boxes that otherwise will be thrown away or recycled
Retailers – a good place to look for sturdy cardboard boxes are at local liquor stores. Generally these boxes are typically broken down and tossed away. You would be doing the liquor store owner a favor by taking these boxes off his hand so he’s not filling up his dumpster.
Community Recycle Center – where you can check to see if people have dropped off cardboard boxes. People are moving all the time, and many communities provide a local center for disposing of unwanted cardboard. You may have to collect broken down cardboard boxes and re-tape these, but they will be free. And depending upon the size of the community and the traffic that the recycle center experiences, this may be a one-stop source for all your boxing needs
Check online with websites that specialize in listing free stuff available. You may benefit from somebody else’s purchase of brand-new boxes to make their move and now are willing to “bless” others with usable material.
