Self-storage is a great solution for decluttering your home or business. It’s definitely more affordable (and often more feasible) than a renovation!
For many, their self-storage rental is a place where they ‘dump’ the stuff they do not want or need day to day. These items sit in storage until they are once again wanted or needed. Because they are out of sight, and the storage unit is not frequently visited, storage units can easily become unorganized chaos.
The reason this is a big deal, and one that we’ve dedicated a blog post to, is because a clean storage unit is a more functional storage unit, and most importantly your belongings have a better chance of not getting accidently damaged or lost amongst what you have stored. Plus, in cases where you are using self-storage to stage your home, to move, to sell your home, to manage through a divorce or to downsize, you usually frequent your unit more often, and move things in and out as you need them. If your self-storage unit is messy and disorganized, finding what you need can take hours rather than minutes and can be a frustrating, stressful experience.
Because your time is precious and we want people to have a positive self-storage experience, we are sharing self-storage unit cleaning tips and advice for how to keep your storage unit looking and feeling clean.
...and spoiler alert – there are many tips that don’t involve cleaning supplies.
1. Organize & Systemize
Oh, how we love to organize!
Investing the time to pack and organize your items in your storage unit in a systemized way has huge advantages, especially if the items you are storing are still needed and used. Here are some tips and tricks:
2. Store Off The Ground
Having your stuff off the ground using pallets and shelves allows you access under your stuff and helps keep boxes and other storage items from getting damaged and causing a mess all over the floor. Plus, if you end up having a spill or leak from some of your items, your stuff is safe off the ground, and the mess can be more easily cleaned. Storing off the ground also gives your stored items some room to breathe, and it improves overall air circulation in your self-storage unit, which helps protect your belongings.
3. Say Cheese - Take Some Photos
Ok, we know your stuff cannot talk and smile, but a picture (or pictures) of what you have stored in your storage unit can come in handy when you’re looking for something and don’t know if you put it in storage, the garage, the basement or lent it to your neighbour. Take photos from different angles to get decent quality pictures of what you have stored as a whole, and where to find it.
4. Always Be Decluttering
Your storage unit can accumulate lots of stuff when you store long term. If you’re storing things that you no longer want or need (for whatever reason), these things just take up space, which you are paying for. And no matter how amazing your self-storage unit rental price is, paying for space that you no longer need or paying for a unit and not having enough space is just not good. If you’re always decluttering, your storage unit will always only contain the items that matter most to you (or are of use to you).
And bonus - if you happen to need less space, you can look to reduce the size of your storage unit. Here at Storage Solutions, we always work with our customers to help them rent the right size space, which means moving up in space when you need it, and when possible, moving to a smaller sized unit.
We’re big fans of the Keep-Toss-Donate-Sell system. You simply sort your items by these 4 criteria. And we know that it can be daunting to sort, so consider making it a family affair or ask a friend to help you out.
5. Only Store Clean & Dry Items
This is an important tip for keeping your storage unit clean, but also for keeping your stored items in pristine, ‘working’ condition. If you store items that are wet, damp, soiled, muddy, salty, unwashed (clothing and bedding) or dirty, these items can become ruined. Mold, mildew, rust, and nasty odours are all issues that result from storing dirty or wet items. And often, these items touch or impact other stored items, which cause damage to them.
6. Cover Up Your Appliances & Furniture
In addition to being big ticket items, appliances and furniture take up a lot of room in storage units. Furniture can also be awkward to store. We have blog posts dedicated to appliance storage and furniture storage so do check those for expert tips, tricks and advice.
7. Never Store Food Items In Your Storage Unit
Not only will storing food in a storage unit attract pests, but it will also spoil, cause a nasty smell and possibly damage items under or around it. And if you happen to spend a few hours at your storage unit decluttering, doing a seasonal swap out, or just moving things in to stage your home to sell, and you happen to bring food and drinks with you, before you close and lock your storage unit door, take your garage and leftovers with you. Here is a list of what not to store in your storage unit.
8. Store The Essentials…For Cleaning!
Keep a broom, dustpan, a small duster, and a couple of garbage and recycling bags in your unit. These are handy to have around when you visit your storage unit. You could have a dry spill, or something could break (we hope not!) while you are moving things in and out, and if you have the key cleaning items on hand you can cleanup right away. If not, you may end up leaving the mess there with good intentions to clean it the next time you visit, but if you don’t remember (because life is busy and filled with so many other things and priorities), the mess may linger and catch you by surprise on your next visit.
9. Cleaning Tips
If you’re able to tackle the advice we’ve shared so far, cleaning your storage unit, with your stored items inside is straightforward. Dusting will be the key housekeeping task you tackle. If you are storing carpets, rugs or covered furniture or appliances, a small handheld vacuum may come in handy to quickly suck up any accumulated dust.
If you have not been to your self-storage unit in a while, and you are not 100% certain of everything that you have store in it, we suggest that you come with a few more cleaning supplies like rubber gloves, disinfectant wipes, paper towel, garbage bags, broom, dustpan, and duster.
10. Don’t Be A Stranger - Visit Your Storge Unit!
This is very important if you are storing long term. Checking in on your stuff 2-3 times a year will help you clean and maintain an organized storage unit, help ensure your stored items are in great condition, and it also gives you a chance to check in on the self-storage facility you are entrusting with your personal or business items.
Following the tips and advice we have shared in this blog post will help you protect your belongings while they are in self-storage AND if you need to grab something from your storage unit, or do a seasonal swap out of your stuff, these items you want or need will be easier to find, and you’ll be in and out quickly…AND they will help your storage unit stay clean. That’s win-win-win!
At Storage Solutions Milton and Storage Solutions Woodstock, we have a large variety of self-storage units for rent. Visit our YouTube channel for online tours of our Milton self-storage facility and Woodstock self-storage facility, and videos of the different sizes and types of storage units we have for rent.
If you know what size storage unit you need to rent, you can rent 24/7 online through our website.
Not sure what size unit you need? No problem! Check out our sizing & pricing page to help you figure out the right sized storage unit to rent. If you would like more information about renting a storage unit from us or you'd like personalized help figuring out the best type of self-storage unit for your needs, call or send us a text at 905-854-1008 or email us at info@storagesolutionsontario.com.
For more helpful tips & tricks, advice, and a good laugh, keep up with our self-storage blog and like or follow us on Instagram & Facebook.
Your friend in self-storage,
Storage Solutions