Moving and Storage Tips

Moving and Storage Tips for Your Valuable and Sensitive Items

Space Saving Tips

The inside of an appliance is often forgotten space. Store pillows, blankets, linens, or towels inside your washer and dryer, and place small boxes on the racks of your stove and shelves of your refrigerator. By doing this you can save as much as 3 cubic feet of storage space per appliance.

Furniture drawers can hold small, delicate items. Be sure to wrap each item individually in bubble wrap or newsprint before placing in the drawer.

Place shelving units and bookshelves along a wall and fill the shelves with small boxes.

Remove legs from furniture (such as tables) and store on end to save space.

Disassemble metal bed frames and stack in a corner of the unit. Place screws and bolts from disassembled furniture in a plastic bag, label the bag and tape securely to the appropriate piece of furniture.

Sofas and Couches should be stored vertically on end to maximize storage space. If you have both a sofa and loveseat, lay the sofa flat and place the loveseat upside down on top of the sofa.Stack chairs seat to seat. If the seats are wooden, consider covering each seat with a hand towel for protection.

Boxes can be stacked on top of each other. Heavier, sturdier boxes should be placed at the bottom of the stack. Make sure you pack each box tightly, leaving no space. Fill any gaps with newsprint. This will prevent the box from collapsing over time. Use boxes in uniform sizes of small, medium and large. They will stack better and save space.

A Dryer can often be stacked on top of a washer. Cover the washer with a sheet or moving blanket to prevent scratching. Fill the shelves of bookcases with small boxes.

Protect Your Belongings

Cover upholstered items such as sofas and mattresses to keep them clean and protected.

Wrap chair legs with bubble wrap to protect them from dings and scratches.

Cover table tops with blankets or quilts to prevent scratching. Wrap mirrors and pictures in bubble wrap, taking extra care to ensure that all corners are adequately covered. Consider placing them in mirror boxes for added protection.

Wrap fragile items (such as dishes, glassware, decorative figurines) in bubble wrap. Make sure to tightly fill the box to prevent shifting. Don’t forget to mark “Fragile” on all boxes containing breakables.

Pack books flat to prevent damaging their spines. Our 1.5cu ft boxes are the ideal size for storing your books.

TV’s, computers, stereos and other electronic equipment should be stored in their original boxes if possible or in boxes that are similar in size to the original box. Be sure to wrap equipment with bubble wrap and fill in any gaps in the box with paper.

If you will be storing clothes that would normally hang in your closet. Consider purchasing wardrobe boxes with built-in rods and hanging your clothing while it is in storage.

Make sure all items are clean before storing them. Polish wooden furniture. Wipe down metal objects with oil to prevent them from rusting.

Remove the bag or clean the canister of your vacuum cleaner before storing it.

Store long-handled tools inside garbage cans or tie tools together in bunches and store in a corner of the unit.

Do not store items (especially clothing) in plastic garbage bags. Plastic garbage bags trap humidity and can cause items to mildew.

Prepare Appliances and Lawn and Garden Equipment for Storage

Before storing your appliances, be sure to do the following:

Make sure washers, dryers, dishwashers, refrigerators, and freezers are dry and free of water. This will prevent freezing and mildew.

Don’t forget to drain water from the holding tank and plastic tubing of your refrigerator and to clean defrost pan located underneath.

Clean appliances completely. Make sure that the refrigerators, freezers, and ovens are free of any food particles that would attract bugs and vermin.

Leave doors of refrigerators and freezers slightly ajar or even remove the doors while they are being stored.

Be sure to drain any fluids when storing your lawn and garden equipment.

Moving Your Items into Storage

Before placing the items into your moving truck, consider where they will be placed in the unit. Organize your load so that the last items loaded into your moving truck will be the first items placed in the back of your storage unit. If appliances are going to be placed in the back of the unit, load them last.

Always keep refrigerators upright when moving them to prevent damaging the unit.

Place items you will need access to at the front of the unit. If you are going to need access to everything in your unit, consider creating “aisles” that allow you to easily reach your items at the front or back of the unit.

What Should NOT be Stored in Your Storage Unit!

Combustible, Flammable, Hazardous or Toxic Materials – gasoline, kerosene, propane tanks, lamp oil, motor oil, acid, corrosives, fertilizer, paint, cleaners, chemicals, fireworks, explosives, weapons, or ammunition should not be stored in your storage unit. Perishable Foods or Animal Products attract pests and should not be stored in your storage unit.

A Special Note About Boxes

You may be tempted to obtain free boxes from supermarkets and liquor stores but before you do so consider the following:

• Boxes of mismatched shape and size are more difficult to stack.
• The tops of the boxes often do not close completely making them more difficult to seal and could collapse when other boxes are stacked on them.
• If the boxes have been used previously for food, they can harbor bugs or attract bugs if any food residue is left, which can infest your storage unit and belongings.

With that being said, this doesn’t mean you have to buy moving boxes. Ask your friends and neighbors if they know anyone who has just moved who might have moving boxes they would like to get rid of. Check at your recycling center and see if they have any sturdy moving boxes there. However, do try to find thick boxes that are of standard shapes and sizes, and will close completely.

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