Everything You Need to Know About Storage

A consideration prior to talking about storage: make sure you are not using storage as a way to postpone making decisions about your items. To save time and money (lots of money in the long-term), make sure you go through all of your items and that you are keeping only those items that you need, love, and will use in the future. Store with a purpose and an end date in mind. 

How to Store Your Items

There are two different ways to store your excess items: at the warehouse of a moving company or in a self storage unit, also known as a mini storage unit. 

Using Moving Company Warehouse Storage

This type of storage is an excellent choice if you are going to be using a moving company to move you into storage, and then eventually to your new place. 

One reason is the continuity of valuation (mover’s term for insurance). If you are using the same company to move your items into storage, there will be coverage on these items through the duration of the move, storage, and move back out. 

Another positive is that the crew will load the storage crates using the same moving pads and protection they used in picking up the items. The crates will be loaded by a professional mover, so that all items will be properly protected.

One negative to storing at a warehouse is that there will likely be a charge for accessing the items. If you want access, this will need to be scheduled ahead of time so the warehouse can make your crates accessible. There will also likely be an hourly charge for a crew member to help you navigate the crate and your belongings.

Renting a Self Storage Unit

Self storage units provide a place for you to rent and store your belongings, usually on a monthly basis. The major positive side to this option is unlimited and free access to your items. The negatives include a disruption in the protection of your items, removal of pads and protection by the moving company, and uncertainty of safety. Certain things can vary based on the self storage facility selected. 

If you use a moving company to move your items into the unit, their insurance of your items will end upon them leaving the unit. Separate insurance would then need to be purchased from the self storage facility. 

Also, the moving company will remove their moving pads upon delivery, thus moving pads will need to be purchased prior to the move or provided by the moving company before picking your items up. Without pads, the items will not be able to be stacked effectively, and a larger unit will be needed.

If you plan to use a moving company to assist with the move out of the self storage unit, consider the access to the unit. If you are moving long-distance, it would be advantageous to be able to fit a semi-truck in to load up. If not, there is the potential a smaller truck would be needed to move the larger truck, and the cost will be higher due to extra handling.

How to Pick the Right Sized Unit

Another common question we get is, “What size storage unit do I need?” If you are choosing to store your items with a moving company, the answer is easy – you will not need to know. The salesperson or coordinator at the moving company should be able to inventory what you are moving to storage and give you an estimate of cost based on this. 

If you are storing at a storage unit, the answer is a bit more complicated. Typically, there are different sizes of units available.

The next question to ask is how tall the units are. Items can usually not be stacked much taller than 5 or 6 feet. We will take the most popular size, 10ftx10ft, and assume items can be stacked 5 feet tall. This gives us 500 cubic feet to work with in volume. Each cubic foot holds 7 lbs, so a 10x10 unit holds about 3500 lbs. An average room holds about 1500 lbs, meaning that 3500 lbs will be the equivalent to a two-bedroom apartment. 

Things to consider that may affect the size space you need:

• How stackable are the items? 
• Is there a lot of square furniture, like end tables and nightstands, or bulky furniture, like a sofa or sectional? 
• Are you moving a lot of boxes and totes that are easy to stack, or items that cannot be stacked, like garden tools and floor lamps?

Advice for DIY Moves Using Self Storage Units

If you are planning to use a self storage unit and move without the assistance of a moving company, here are some tips.

• Don’t lay a TV on its side; it will affect the electrical components.
• Don’t pack with newspaper; the print will rub off and dirty items and your hands while unpacking.
• Empty all appliances of water, let them dry, and tape down any loose parts.
• Stack heavy items on the bottom of piles and light items on top.
• Think about moisture. Use pallets on the ground and moving pads to protect your belongings.
• Cardboard boxes placed on furniture can scratch the surface. Use pads in between to prevent damage.
• Place items that you will need access to in front. This can include décor for holidays, supplies for vacations, etc.
• If you have shelves, make them functional and use them to stack boxes and smaller items.

Looking to start the moving process for you or a loved one? Contact us today for a smoother transition.