A Guide On How To Manage Your Self-Storage Unit

Self-storage units have become a standard storage solution for homeowners and business people. However, no one prepares you for the self-storage engagement process. Learning from experience can be a costly affair. Thus, it is essential to learn basic tips on managing your self-storage unit before renting. Follow the following tips for the safe and efficient storage of your property in a self-storage unit.

Create an Item Inventory

As a best practice, always keep an updated inventory of items kept in your self-storage unit. Remembering all the stored items is not easy. Thus, develop a list including an item description and value. Make sure you retain the list at your premises, probably in softcopy. In this way, you can always refer to the inventory for tracing purposes. Listing the inventory can even help you monitor whether an item is stolen. In addition, the inventory can assist in making an insurance claim in case of property loss or damage.

Organize Your Storage Unit

Organizing items in your self-storage is a strategic process. How well you organize the self-storage unit affects the space and retrieval. There are several tips for proper organization. Start by surveying the storage unit to have a rough idea of where to keep stuff. Then, load the large items first. In this way, you create more storage space on top of heavy loads. Also, ensure that you leave aisles in between the items for easy access. Importantly, label the storage casing and create a diagram showing the location of items as per the inventory for easy retrieval.

Proper Storage

There is a right and wrong way for storing any item. Thus, make sure that you understand and follow storage guidelines. Primarily, keep as many items as possible on the floor of the storage unit. However, ensure that the items are lifted few inches from the ground using wood pallets. This precaution enhances aeration and reduces the risk of mold. Then, go for plastic carriers rather than cardboard boxes since they are durable, stable, and airtight. Also, consider installing shelves to stack boxes and maximize the height advantage of a self-storage unit.

Safety and Maintenance 

Despite the availability of facility security measures such as patrols and surveillance, take personal safety actions. As such, invest in a quality security lock. Also, make a habit of regularly visiting the storage unit for monitoring purposes. You can also do cleaning and dusting during the visits. Besides, you can assess any damage and damp patches during the clean-up. As a result, your property will stay in a safe and optimal condition.

A self-storage unit comes with the responsibility of proper management. Hence, take care of how you pack, organize, and maintain items in the unit for convenience and safe storage.