Renting an affordable storage unit can be a great solution when your moving house, downsizing, renovating or temporarily moving interstate or abroad. But what should you put into storage and what should you keep out of storage? Read on to learn what goes in and what stays out of self storage sheds.
What to put in storage when moving Deciding what to keep and what to discard when moving out isn't easy. You will undoubtedly be left with a number of household items that you won’t be sure what to do with. This is where a Storage unit comes into play. To help you make an informed decision, here’s what you should put in storage, whenever needed. Furniture
Without a doubt, furniture is one of the most common items in storage units. Why? Most furniture pieces are rather bulky and they tend to take a lot of space. Furniture items most commonly found in storage units include: Beds that have been disassembled to their main components; Mattresses protected in plastic mattress bags; Tables and chairs, often part of a dining room set; Patio furniture, usually stored away for the winter. When placing any furniture in storage, consider disassembling the larger pieces to save space in the storage unit. Also, make sure all furniture items are clean and 100% dry to prevent the growth of mould. Seasonal items
Seasonal items such as clothes, shoes, accessories, etc. are one of the most frequent items people place in storage when moving simply because they won’t need them until the next season. Clothes and shoes. Various seasonal equipment. Holiday decorations. How to prepare items for storage: tips and tricks Large household appliances
Kitchen stoves, washers, dryers, dishwashers, and refrigerators are big and heavy, so you may not have enough space for them in the new home. If you happen to be moving into temporary housing and you know you’ll be moving out again soon, then it makes sense to store away some of your large appliances until you come to need them again. Files and documents
You should always keep your important documents with you wherever you move to. However, there are many documents and work files that are not that important and yet you have to keep them for a number of years until it is safe to dispose of them properly – usually destroy them Such records are ideal to keep out of the way and in a self storage unit. Examples of such documents include warranties for items you bought recently (you need to keep them safe until their respective warranty periods expire), receipts, certain medical records, financial documents, employment records, school records, etc.). Renting a reputable storage unit will give you the chance to keep those important but non-essential documents safe until you find a good place for them in the new home or you make up your mind what you should do with them.
Books and magazines
You can store books in your storage unit but sooner or later, you’ll have to decide what you’ll do with them. Regardless of how small your new place is, you should definitely have some books in it, at least your favourite ones. However, the living space may not let you move all of your books or magazines, so it’s only normal that you should consider placing your most loved volumes in storage until you come up with a better solution in time. Make sure you do sort out your book collection prior to moving out with the purpose of getting rid of the books you don’t like anymore or you won’t ever read again. Remember that books become super heavy when packed in boxes, so give away, donate or sell the copies that are no longer important for you. In the best-case scenario, the books you decide to put in self storage will be the ones you want to keep having in the future. What to keep out of self-storage
You should avoid storing things you no longer need in your unit, you are better off selling, donating or giving away whatever you no longer need or want. It will save you money and time down the track if you deal with those items appropriately before you move in to your storage shed.
Don't store perishable food items. They won't be any good when you take them out and they will probably attract pests into your storage unit which may destroy more valuable items.
Don't store flammable items. Purely for safety purposes, it is best not to store any potentially explosive materials in your storage unit. Always check with the storage facility management before storing vehicles or heavy machinery in your storage unit.