Whether you’re running out of room at home or simply want more livable space, finding offsite storage can deliver many benefits. But how much space do you need, and how can you maximize the efficiency of a storage unit? Regardless of why you want to declutter your home, we’ve put together a brief guide on the art of efficient packing. Here, you’ll find tips to make the most out of your storage unit’s space while keeping it nice and organized in the process.
10 Ways to Maximize Space in Your Self-Storage Unit
Rather than just throwing all of your things into your storage unit, consider some tips for organizing it in a way that works for you. The following can help you maximize the space within your unit and create a layout for easy access.
1. Declutter Your Belongings
Set aside time to go through things before moving everything into your storage space or changing your current storage unit layout. Packing away things you no longer need or use will only waste your time and cause issues when packing a storage unit to maximize space. While this might take some time, it’s well worth the end result. Go through each item and determine whether you use it often, seldomly, or not at all. Consider donating or selling items you haven’t used in years or don’t plan on using. You can also eliminate any duplicates of items to help keep your storage unit organized. If the thought of decluttering your whole house at once is overwhelming, start with one room at a time and make it a long-term project.
2. Organize Before Packing
Once you’ve gotten rid of unnecessary items, it’s time to think about how you want to organize your storage unit. Rather than just throwing everything in at random, a pre-planned layout can help you optimize space within your storage unit and make things more easily accessible. To organize your unit for frequent access, put things that you won’t be using that often in the back and keep those that you will need to access frequently closer to the front.
3. Pick One Box Size to Use
One of the most interesting storage unit tips and tricks we’ve learned is using uniformly sized boxes to save space and keep things orderly. While you might not have a bunch of small or medium storage boxes lying around, try to resist the urge to start picking up random ones around your house. Using same-size boxes can make it drastically easier to stack boxes and use vertical space wisely. It also helps reduce the risk of over-stuffing boxes, making them too heavy to move or stack. So, store items in one box size, stack them vertically atop larger appliances or furniture, and enjoy a well-organized unit that’s easy to navigate—a great way to save space and keep your belongings in check.
4. Take Inventory and Label Everything
Organize your items and pack them in boxes based on categories to help you maximize space and accessibility. This will give you a good idea of what’s in what box. However, to make things even better, try to take inventory of everything in each box and then label the boxes accordingly. This can seem tedious, but it helps you remember which items in your unit are in which boxes. Then, if you need to retrieve something, you’ll know exactly where to find it and won’t have to dig through boxes and create another mess.
You can also create a map of your boxes and how they’ll be laid out in your storage unit to make it easier to find things later. Feel free to be as detailed or vague as you want—it’s all about what works best for you.
5. Disassemble Furniture
Some pieces of assembled furniture can take up a lot of space; others can be put away in the corner of your unit. To maximize your storage space, try to disassemble any large or awkward pieces of furniture, so they take up less floor space. You can learn more tips for storing different types of furniture here.
6. Put Down Pallets
While it won’t do much to help with saving space, putting pallets on the floor can create better airflow throughout your storage unit to keep things in good condition. Plus, in the rare case of water leaks or flooding in a storage facility, the pallets keep your things off the floor and safe from damage.
7. Utilize a Smart Loading Strategy
When it’s time to start putting things inside, follow a systematic approach. This will not only help with storage unit organization but also keep your belongings safe and help reduce the risk of damage.
Start by putting larger items or heavy items along the outer walls of the floor space (atop the pallets). Line the back wall and two sides to use all of the available space possible. Then, you can stack lighter or smaller items on top, as long as they don’t risk causing damage. Place boxes atop furniture, but only after the furniture has been protected. You should also avoid stacking anything with sharp edges or hazardous material atop fabric, upholstery, antiques, and artwork. You can move to the interior area once you’ve lined the back walls.
8. Save Space for Aisles
Organizing a storage unit for frequent access requires room to walk around. Make room for small aisles rather than stack items within your storage unit from wall to wall. This will allow you to navigate your unit and retrieve things you need throughout the year without taking everything out and spending hours unpacking, searching, and repacking. Usually, this means renting a storage unit that’s slightly bigger than what you think you’ll need. If you’re unsure how much space you’ll need, consider this guide on storage unit sizes.
9. Maximize Vertical Space with Shelving
One way to make good use of the middle of your storage unit or the walls if you don’t have too much furniture or large appliances is to add vertical shelves. These can be lined along the wall or in the middle of your unit, as long as you leave an aisle space so they can be accessed. Get industrial shelves or use shelves you already have to stack boxes, decor, or any of your other items in storage.
10. Try to Minimize Empty Space
You’d be amazed at how much “empty space” can be in poorly organized storage. The key is packing your storage unit together as tightly as possible without risking damage to your belongings. Get creative with some of your smaller items in open areas or crevices to fill gaps and avoid wasted space. You don’t want too many loose items, but awkwardly shaped things like curtain rods can find a home between unevenly stacked or towering boxes.
Another way to save space and make packing more efficient is to use certain items as extra storage solutions. For example, your dresser drawers don’t need to be empty when put into a unit. Instead, put in your vacuum-sealed clothing bags or prepared electronics, and you’ll reduce the need for a few extra boxes. This is one of the best tips to maximize your space without creating more chaos.
What To Look for in a Storage Facility
Finding the right self-storage facility to store items like antique furniture, electronics, and seasonal clothing can be difficult. You want to find a facility to help keep your belongings safe, in good condition, and protected from the elements. Ideally, you should always utilize climate-controlled storage options to help stabilize the temperature and humidity. This offers more protection and can help reduce the risk of premature deterioration.
To keep the items in your storage unit safe, head over to The Lock Up Self Storage. We offer short- and long-term self-storage units that are temperature-controlled and protected by security features like perimeter alarms, CCTV, and unique, individual access codes. With a range of sizes, our storage units provide you with all the extra space you need. Plus, with every new self-storage unit rental, The Lock Up offers a free moving truck and free locks. Each truck features a 12-foot box with blankets and dollies, free of cost. To find a facility near you, contact The Lock Up today at 1-866-327-LOCK or find a unit online.
