Storing Large Items While Maximizing Space In Your Storage Unit

A storage unit only holds so much, let’s make sure you take advantage of that space.

Let’s face it; storage units are not the most exciting thing to spend money on each month. We respect that you want to be budget conscience and make the most out of this additional expense. Storing large items may require more space, but you can squeeze more of your belongings into the unit if you can maximize your space.

If you need help deciding how to choose a unit to store your large items and how to maximize that space, we are here for you and have some ideas.

What Will You Be Storing?

Before heading over to speak with someone about renting a storage unit, take inventory of all the items that will be housed in it. Maybe you have a huge armoire and a dining room set plus all of the dishes and serving ware that needs a place to stay. Or perhaps you have an extra bed plus a few boxes. Knowing how much you have and how much space it consumes will make the decision process so much easier.

Decide Which Unit Works Best

After you take a look at what you have and have a good idea of how much space it will take up, you can choose a storage unit that is large enough to keep these items safe but not so big that you are wasting a ton of space. There are many different sized units to choose from, so make sure you measure your large items to know exactly what you need. If you are trying to decide between two sizes, it seems that the larger unit usually works out best. We have seen too many people run out of space with a truckload of furniture yet to be loaded. That is never a good time.

Making the Most of Your Space

Once you have a storage unit, it is time to play Tetris and fit all of your belongings inside. We have a couple of ideas on how you can maximize the space within your storage unit:

Disassemble Large Items

It may be really tempting to try and move your dining room table into your storage unit as is, but to make the most of your space, you should consider disassembling all of your large furniture pieces. Remove table legs and store the tabletops vertically against a wall. Take apart your headboard and bed frame or the baby crib that you are keeping just in case, and stack them so that they do not take up all of your floor space. Disassembling these items and placing them strategically throughout your unit gives you so much more space inside your unit.

Vertical Space is Your Friend

Make use of vertical space if you need some extra room. While we may not provide shelves in each unit, that does not mean you cannot add some. Having a couple of shelves will allow you to stack boxes above your heavier furniture items that should be kept on the ground level for your safety. Shelves will help you fit more in your unit while keeping items off the floor and also make organization a bit easier.

Keep Your Belongings Free From Damage

Avoid scratches, broken dishes and any other type of damage while you are moving your items into their unit and while being stored by taking these extra steps:

Wrap Fragile Items

You can think of a storage unit as a mini house. Your furniture gets dusty and dirty in your house if left uncovered, which will also happen in your storage unit. Wrap up your more fragile items in moving blankets or bubble wrap to keep them free from dust. The bonus is that wrapping the items will also keep them free from scratches or breaking altogether during your move. If you aren’t too concerned about an item breaking, you can cover it up with a sheet or towel while it is housed in your storage unit.

Get Your Items Storage Ready

It may sound silly and overly time-consuming, but we recommend giving your items a thorough clean before you drop them off in your storage unit. Use a quality wood cleaner on your wooden furniture pieces. Vacuum out cloth and leather chairs and couches. Failing to do this will only cause more dust, dirt and grime to be attracted to your furniture and cause discoloration and damage.

Large items are usually your most expensive, so you want to make sure they are not damaged while in storage. Hopefully, these ideas will help you prevent that. To see the different sizes of storage units we offer, give us a call so we can take care of all of your large and heavy items.