So, you’ve decided you need to store some items in a storage unit. Unfortunately, the easy part is over but that doesn’t mean the rest of the process has to be difficult! Moving is stressful regardless of the situation but moving your items into a storage unit doesn’t have to be. Check out these best practices for moving into a self-storage unit and pack your stress away. 

Choose the Right Unit Size

After deciding that you need to store items you’ll need to review your storage unit options to find the right fit for your needs. Storage facilities can come in a number of varieties offering varying construction styles, unit sizes, and amenities. Before signing up for the first self-storage you find consider these questions first: 

1. What exactly do you need to store and how much space will it require? 
   • Most facilities start their units at 5×5 feet and can go up in size or even offer vehicle and RV storage. 
2. Will you need amenities such as climate control? 
3. Do you just want enough space to store your belongings or do you want more room to move around the unit or to have available for future storage needs? 

Once you’ve answered these questions you’ll want to spend time researching self-storage facilities near you that fit the criteria you’ve established. Take this time to compare rental costs and review customer feedback if it is available. Even better, take some time to call the facilities you’re reviewing to ask about your storage needs and any questions you weren’t able to answer on your own. 

After deciding on the right facility and unit size, call ahead or go online to reserve your unit ahead of your move-in date. Taking the time to reserve, and even pay for, your unit ahead of moving can save a lot of headaches on the day. No one wants to be doing paperwork on moving day or to show up only to find that there are no available units in the size you need. 

Albuquerque Self Storage is proud to provide a wide variety of storage solutions from personal to business and even vehicle storage with no deposit needed. Call today and speak with one of our storage professionals about finding the right storage unit solution for your needs. 

Plan It Then Pack It

You’ll be amazed by how quickly you can fill up a 5×5 space so it is always best to know exactly what you plan to store before packing it up and moving into your unit. Here is a short list of tips and tricks to help you become a master packer. 

1. Create a comprehensive list of every item you plan to store and be sure to make a couple of copies. This list will serve as a good checklist when packing everything up to move into your unit for the first time. Then be sure to keep it with your items in the unit after to serve as an inventory. 
2. Working from your list to develop a packing plan. Some people pack by room, while others by item type. Choose the method that works best for you and be sure to note it on your item inventory list. This will help you in the future when you need to retrieve items from your storage unit. 
   • One tactic that might help you is to pack light items such as pillows, blankets, etc in large boxes and heavy items in smaller more manageable boxes.  Another tactic is to pack away your softer items into bags and use them as cushions between the more fragile items.
3. Mark out the dimensions of your storage unit on the ground using masking tape and assemble the boxes, containers, and any cumbersome items in that space to get an idea of how you want to pack your unit. 
4. Finally, pack your items up and be sure to clearly label all your boxes on multiple areas so it can be seen no matter how you place the box in your storage unit. It helps to label what room the contents belong in too! Shouting, “What’s in the box?!” over and over isn’t the best look.  

Moving Into a Storage Unit! 

Now that you’re all ready to move in there are a few final steps to take before you shut the door and heave that sigh of relief. 

1. Inspect your storage unit while it is empty and note any damage or inconsistencies from what you expected and immediately report it to the storage facility office. Don’t store any of your items until the matter is resolved. Test the lock too! But, if everything looks good then start unloading the car. 
2. Take a moment to organize your boxes and containers from the back of the unit to the front. 
   1. A good rule of thumb to consider is storing the items you’ll need access to least often on the bottom and very back of your unit. 
   2. When storing items you’ll retrieve more often, such as seasonal decor, remember you’ll want to be able to easily rearrange the front of your unit. This will prepare you for the next time you’re back to store the items you pulled last time and retrieve what you need next. Nobody wants to be caught digging for skeletons the day before Halloween! 
3. Have a plan for your heavy boxes and items. Whether or not you’ve got your friend there to help you, having a hand truck or furniture dolly can save you a lot of physical stress and time when moving your heavy items. As a note, don’t leave your friend unattended or else they might start practicing their clean and jerk with your heavy items. 

Lock it Up

Your last box is in and your inventory list is stored at the front of your unit ready for your next visit. The only thing left to do now is close the door and lock it!  

Many storage facilities require you to provide your own lock so be sure to ask when you reserve your unit. Albuquerque Self Storage provides locks for all of our units regardless of price or size. Call today to learn more about our other amenities. 

Hey, you just moved into your first storage unit, congratulations! Now, what are you going to store next? 

Living in an apartment can be difficult when it comes to fitting all of your stuff inside. A studio makes it all the harder. So we at Albuquerque Self Storage wanted to provide you with some ideas for apartment storage solutions. 

It’s that time of year again: the flowers are in bloom, the rain is starting to fall, and the temperature is gradually warming up. You know what that means? It’s spring! And with spring comes a little something called spring cleaning. It happens to the best of us — we accumulate a lot of clutter over winter, or want a fresh start to the year. Which means it’s time to clean, organize, and declutter. 

When it comes to storing things for a home, it’s much more straightforward than a business. Business storage is usually temporary, and has a lot of moving parts that can’t easily be replaced. The first step is to take an inventory of what you need to store, whether it’s a few desks or a whole office’s worth, and then figure out how long it all needs to be in storage. 

It’s warming up again outside, so do you know what that means? It’s time to hit the road again and enjoy the water with your car, motorcycle and boat. If one of the three have been in storage all winter, then there are a few things you’ll need to check before you can fully enjoy them. Here’s our guide on how to take your boat, car, and motorcycle out of storage. 

Storage auctions have been popularized by hit television shows such as “Storage Wars.” But are the auctions really like how they’re portrayed on TV? To some extent, yes! If you want to get in on the fun and try to find some hidden treasure, there are a few things you should know that the shows don’t tell you. 

No matter if you own a home, rent, or live with your family, you will always need a way to store your belongings. After all, sometimes the floor just isn’t enough room and that’s okay! We at Albuquerque Self Storage are all about creative storage solutions for your home so you can declutter, get organized, and love the space you’re in. 

Moving is a daunting task and it’s not easier when you’re moving out of a rental. Sure, you don’t have to make large repairs or deal with selling, but there are things you’ll need to be aware of. 

Unexpected events, both good and bad, happen all the time in families. These events can be as little as a family member giving you an heirloom that you don’t know what to do with, or a family member moving or dying. Either way, it comes with downsizing. 

If you’ve ever inherited or bought a storage unit in an auction, then you know how dirty they can be. Chances are, they haven’t been touched in a long time, which leads to an exciting adventure of uncovering what’s inside, but it also leads to a bit of a mess. So we at Albuquerque Self Storage put together a guide on how to clean out a storage unit.