Moving can be a very stressful, overwhelming and daunting event for an individual, family or business.
When we move we must physically, mentally, and emotionally deal with everything that we own all in one process. There are also so many moving parts, and not everything is within your control. Sometimes a safe and secure place is needed to temporarily store your stuff during a move (and help keep your sanity intact).
Whether moving to a first home or office space, a new space, or packing up and trekking across the country, there is a lot to plan, coordinate, organize, and of course, pack. We often never realize how much stuff we’ve accumulated until we have to take stock of it all, pack it all up and move it to another space.
Tips for Making The Moving Process Less Stressful
We here at Storage Solutions understand the stress of moving, and know first-hand that self-storage can help you simplify the moving process, and make it less-stressful during various stages like packing, staging and renovating:
Packing
- Self-storage can help you pack and organize things more efficiently.
- If you find that you have a lot of belongings to go through, and are overwhelmed, you can pack in stages, and move things into storage to clear up space, especially those precious things that you can’t bear to get rid of but are not needed right away in your new home or space.
Staging:
- When moving homes, you may have to sell your current home, which can be just as stressful – a lot is riding on that sale, and the conditions around it.
- It’s a proven fact that decluttering and creating space (or the illusion of space) significantly helps to sell a home, often faster and for a higher price.
- Self-storage is a safe and secure place to temporarily store your clutter during this selling phase.
Renovations:
- Often your new home or office needs modifications or updates.
- Renovating can get messy, and stressful fast.
- Self-storage is an easy and affordable way to safely store your items, so they are not in the way or at risk of getting damaged during renovations.
- With your belongings safely out of harm’s way, renovations can be tackled quicker, which means you get to move in sooner.
When thinking about using self-storage for moving, you may be wondering how much of your stuff you can put into a storage unit. Here at Storage Solutions, we offer 4 different unit sizes. To help give you an idea of what each size of unit can hold, here’s a space comparison:
- 8x8 Storage Unit – comparable to a walk-in closet.
- 8x10 Storage Unit – comparable to a tool shed.
- 8x20 Storage Unit – comparable to a single car garage or the contents of a 2-3 bedroom home.
- 8x40 Storage Unit – comparable to a two-car garage or the contents of a 3-4 bedroom home.
You also may be wondering what items can safely be put into storage during a move. One of the great things about self-storage is that almost anything can be placed in our units:
- large and small appliances
- electronics
- furniture
- clothing
- bedding
- documents
- seasonal items
- tools
- sports equipment
- bicycles
- strollers
- lawn mowers
- snow blowers
- snowmobiles
- motorcycles
- cars, and much more!
If you are planning to use a self storage unit to ease the stress of your move, once you’ve figured out what items will be stored, the next step is to plan out how you will best organize your storage unit. This is often overlooked, but key! Planning your storage space helps you maximize the physical space and accessibility of your belongings. It also keeps them safe throughout the full moving process.
Moving Storage & Organization Tips
Here are 4 helpful self-storage moving and organization tips:
- Label your boxes: In order to make searching for things and unpacking a lot easier, it’s wise to label each box with the contents, assign it a number, and dictate which room the items belong in once they’ve reached their new destination.
- Moving large appliances: Make sure to defrost refrigerators and freezers, and completely drain washing machines prior to moving them. Doing so will help you avoid causing water damage to your other stored items. During transportation, secure the doors, hoses and electrical cords. Once in your unit, prop open the doors to prevent mildew problems.
- Organize your storage unit: Where you place your items in your storage unit does matter. Place items that you rarely use at the back of the unit, and items that you use most often at the front. This ensures that you can access them easily if and when needed.
- Give your belongings space: When moving your things into a storage unit, especially when stressed out, it’s common to have the ‘just get it done’ mentality, and jam in as much as you can, lock it up and walk away. It is critical to maintain airflow between your stored items to prevent mold and mildew, even if self-storage is only being used for a short period of time). Leave space between the walls and your belongings and leave an aisle down the middle which will create breathing room and promote airflow throughout the unit.
When you combine moving and storage, you definitely help simplify and minimize the stress of moving.
Make Moving Less Stressful with Self-Storage
If you’re thinking of moving or have begun the moving process, we hope you'll consider Storage Solutions for your moving storage needs. We have helped many customers over the years with their moving storage needs for personal and business moves. If you have any questions, contact us! We’re happy to find answers for you.
Your friend in self-storage,
Storage Solutions
