Is your resolution to become less cluttered & more organized? If you are looking to get rid of some of the clutter that’s in your home, but not quite ready to completely let it go, it might be time to look into a personal storage unit. Too often, though, we see customers who move their belongings into storage units in order to help organize their homes, but end up with a storage space that’s just as cluttered! The true key to staying organized and decluttered is keeping all your belongings straight no matter where they are. If you’re planning on moving some of your excess into a storage unit, consider the following organizational tips!
Pick a Box Size
Picking a uniform box size for all of your belongings can help you maximize your storage unit’s capacity. The same size boxes fit together within the storage unit nicely. Always stack boxes with the heaviest boxes at the bottom of the stack and the lightest boxes at the top. If the contents of your storage unit will not allow you to use one uniform size box for everything, then use as many of the same size box as you can.
Label Each Box
Staying organized means knowing what is in each box. Plan ahead by grouping similar items together in boxes and then labeling the boxes in a spot where you’ll be able to see the label once the boxes are stacked and stored. We recommend being as detailed as possible when labeling boxes—even including each of the individual contents of the box and what room the items in the box came from.
Prioritize Accessibility
Once your boxes are categorized, packed, and labeled, make sure to prioritize them by how accessible you will need them to be. Things you hardly use should get a low ranking, and things you will need to be more accessible to you should get a higher ranking. This will help when you’re planning out where everything goes.
Plan a Layout Before Moving
Plan a layout that maximizes space—keeping in mind all the vertical space in the storage unit. You’ll want to plan a layout that places the items you need to access the most toward the front of the storage unit near the entrance, and the less-used items toward the back.
Create a Manifest & A Map
Lastly, once this is all done, you should have a complete list of all the contents of the storage unit somewhere handy, along with a detailed map of where everything in the unit is located. Trust us, you’ll thank yourself down the line for taking a little time to do this now instead of spending hours digging through all your boxes when you eventually need something!
