Sometimes, you just need somewhere safe and secure to store your belongings for a few days or weeks. Maybe you’re getting started with some home renovations, and need to clear some space. Or perhaps you’re moving home and want to get settled before dealing with unpacking everything.
At other times, however, you may need longer-term domestic storage. You might be planning to pack up sentimental items that you don’t want to throw out, but don’t want cluttering your shelves. Or maybe you’re off travelling, and want to know your possessions are in good hands while you’re gone.
Whatever the reason, long-term self storage can be exactly what you need. Below, we’re sharing our top 4 tips and best practices, to ensure your long-term storage plans work out well for your needs.
1. Pack items securely
If your items are going to be stored away for the foreseeable future, you don’t want to be constantly worrying about them. You can remove this worry entirely by making sure to pack everything up in the best way. The #1 rule of packing for long-term storage is to avoid plastic bags. They can trap moisture from the air and leave things feeling damp. Instead, use a combination of strong boxes or cartons, dust covers, packing foam, bubble wrap and tape to ensure everything is well secured. We have a full range of packing materials available in our Box Shop.
2. Label your boxes
Have you ever bought gifts in the January sales, wrapped them, then had no idea what they were in December? The same thing can happen with long-term storage. You come to retrieve your boxes after 12 months, and don’t know where to start because you’ve forgotten what’s in them. Labelling can help. It always helps to do this on the side of your boxes so you don’t need to unstack them all to read what’s inside. Clearly label your cartons so that you can find anything you may need easily, without having to unpack everything. Pre-printed room labels are available in our Box Shop. It can also be useful to draw a little map of your unit, too.
3. Consider the seasons
When possessions are going to be in storage for all four seasons, select a storage unit that’s going to keep them safe and secure whatever the weather. Our units are climate-stable to prevent extreme temperatures that could damage your items. They’re also clean, dry, safe, secure, and weatherproofed. Even though your possessions are going to be in storage for a long time, there’s no reason they shouldn’t be in exactly the same condition when it’s time to collect them.
4. Remember: plans change
A long-term contract may seem like the most sensible solution if you’re putting your items away for months or years. But plans change. The problem with long-term contracts is that you pay for a specific period, even if you need the unit for the entire time. We’re proud to be a flexible facility, allowing you to pay only for the exact number of days you use your unit. We know that needs, requirements, and preferences can change quickly. Your storage plans should be able to, too.
Thinking of storing your items for a significant period of time? We can help. Get in touch to find out more about our long-term storage solutions, and how we can keep your possessions safe and secure.