Having an organized storage unit is essential to finding your items without hassle. Knowing how to pack your items properly will save you time in the long run. Whether you are moving houses or need extra storage space, we have the answers. We at Albuquerque Self Storage have made packing your storage unit easier with these hacks listed below.   

Essential Packing Hacks for Efficient Albuquerque Self Storage

Do you find packing to be a huge chore that you keep putting off? If you are procrastinating packing your items or you need clarification about how to start, this blog will get your packing kick-started. We will discuss the steps to packing efficiently and effectively by showing you how to pack, what to use, and where to put your items in the storage unit.

Purge Your Items

The first step is to pack what you actually need. Avoid taking up space in your unit with unnecessary items. It is likely that items in your house go untouched for a whole year. Rather than letting them take up extra room, donate them to your local charity shop or sell them on eBay to generate some extra cash. Find your local Goodwill donation center using this link. 

Type Of Boxes 

Investing in sturdy boxes can make all the difference to your packing. We recommend using strong cardboard boxes instead of plastic boxes if you have many items. This is because they are more stackable, allowing you to maximize space in your unit. If you don’t have that many items for your unit, you could get plastic storage bins because they have better durability and can be reused for other purposes later on.

Create An Inventory 

There is nothing more frustrating than trying to remember what you have packed. Creating an inventory digitally or on paper will allow you to stay organized in the packing and unpacking process. Go through each of your rooms and identify what you need to pack to prevent items from getting misplaced and forgotten about. When you are packing, you can check each item off one at a time. Putting time into creating an inventory will drastically reduce confusion when packing, especially if you have other people helping you. 

Detailed Labeling For Boxes

Once you have an inventory list, pack your items into boxes with clearly defined categories. For example, boxes from your bathroom can be categorized like ‘Bathroom Cleaning Products’ and ‘Bathroom Electronic Appliances,’ with each individual item packed listed on the box. This will save you time when you unload your boxes, as you can place them straight into the room where they are needed. 

You don’t want your storage unit to look like a sea of cardboard with no idea where to find your kitchen items. Therefore, when labeling your boxes, remember to label each side of your box. This is important as the label will always be visible to you no matter how you pack your boxes in the unit. 

Box Sizes

Keep in mind that box size can affect how effectively you can stack your items in your storage unit. We recommend that you stick to most of your boxes being the same size and having a few bigger and smaller ones. For example, get ten medium-sized, three small, and three large boxes. This will allow you to pack your storage unit without wasting space. 

Weight Of Boxes

Refrain from putting all your heavy items in the same box. It can be tempting to get big boxes and thoughtlessly stuff all your items into them. However, you must remember that you need to lift these boxes. Save your back by spreading out your heavier items amongst more boxes. 

It is guaranteed that some boxes will be heavier than others. Don’t risk your TV being crushed. Pack your boxes in weight order, with the heaviest at the bottom and the lighter ones on top. This will create a stable foundation and significantly reduce the chance of boxes falling off and damaging your items. 

Walkway

It is essential to consider how you will pack your storage unit – especially if you are renting a larger unit. Creating a walkway in the bigger units improves the accessibility to your items.

Pack your boxes on either side of the walkway and against the back wall of the unit. This will prevent you from having to hop over boxes when trying to find your items.   

Clothes 

Don’t take the clothes off the hangers when you are clearing out your wardrobe! Put your hung clothes in durable bin bags which can be placed on top of boxes. This means when you unpack, you can hang your clothes straight into your closet. Nonetheless, the clothes can also fill those stubborn spaces in your unit where nothing seems to fit.

For the clothes not on hangers, roll them up into tight bundles and place them in a suitcase you have lying around. Suitcases are a great way to transport your belongings when moving, as you don’t have to lift them up. This means they can be wheeled back and forth from your storage unit, saving time and energy.  

Length Of Storage

For easy access, pack the items used most frequently at the front of the storage unit. If you are moving homes, it’s good practice to pack a box of essentials and leave it at the front of the storage unit as well. For example, an essentials box might include sheets, toiletries, and a change of clothes. The purpose of this ‘essentials box’ is strictly for convenience. When an essentials box is easy to find, you don’t have to unpack all your belongings at once. You will easily locate the items you need to get you through your first night in your new home. 

Delicate Items 

Wrap your delicate items with sheets instead of bubble wrap. This helps to save money and abstains from creating more trash. For example, socks can be used to protect your mugs and towels can be used to wrap your TV. Make use of the materials that you already have!

Vacuum Seal Items 

Save space in your unit by making items more compact. For example, light items like your comforter and pillows may take up more room than necessary. Vacuum Seal these to create more space for your other items. 

Ziplock Bags

Ziplock bags are handy for small pieces that you don’t want to lose. For example, you can put jewelry, nails, and cords into ziplock bags. Ziplock bags are clear, so it is easy to identify what is in them. You can save even more space by placing Ziplock bags inside your shoes and then placing your shoes into a box. 

Call Albuquerque Self Storage

If you are trying to find a storage unit that is the right size for your needs, look no further. We offer units from 4×6 to 15×22, meaning we can find the perfect unit for you. Get in contact with us at (505) 294-8884 to learn more. We look forward to hearing from you!