The dos and dont's of self-storage

Whether you’re moving home, downsizing your business, or just looking to declutter, self-storage is a great solution if you need extra space to store your belongings. That said, there are some important dos and don’ts to keep in mind when using a personal storage unit. Our experts are on hand to share their advice.

The dos of using self-storage

First up, we’ll cover a few tips to help you get the most out of your self-storage space.

1. Do visit the unit before settling on a size

It’s difficult to picture in your mind how big a storage space will be, which in turn makes choosing the right size for your self-storage space tricky. However, the last thing you’ll want is to choose a unit that’s too small and end up renting another personal storage unit later. That’s why our experts always advise visiting the unit you’re interested in first.

At MORE! Self Storage, our expert team will be happy to show you around and ensure you’re getting the exact size for your needs. If you can’t reach the site, give us a call and we’ll see if we can help over the phone. We’re also flexible with our units so sizes can be amended at any point in your storage journey.

To help you further, we’ve put together this handy storage unit size guide. This shows you how much you can fit in our units and helps you decide how much self-storage space you might need.

3. Do Choose Self-Storage That’s Clean, Safe And Dry

Your main priority when placing any items into a household storage space is ensuring they’re going to be well looked after. If a unit is unclean or damp, however, there’s a strong possibility that your belongings could become damaged. Similarly, if other people can access your unit, there’s no guarantee your items will still be there the next time you access them!

We pride ourselves at MORE! Self Storage on having clean, purpose-built facilities. Each personal storage unit is well maintained, and each person gets their own lock and key, so be reassured that no one else can get to your belongings.

4. Do label your boxes

Our top storage tip is to remember to label the boxes you’re putting into self-storage! Otherwise, you could potentially spend hours rooting through your unit searching for belongings later. The key is to make your labels bold and fully legible, and it can be a good idea to put them on all four sides of each box, as well as the top.

5. Do choose somewhere where you feel looked after

At MORE! Self Storage, our personable, expert staff will go out of their way to support you. We can guide you around our store, help you find the best storage sizing, and recommend appropriate packaging for your unique storage requirements. We sell boxes, bubble wrap and tape at our reception desk, so if you find yourself short then you can be assured that we have you covered. We like to think of both our self-storage in Basingstoke and our self-storage in Bournemouth as homes away from home, so making sure you’re happy and comfortable is our priority.

The don’ts of using self-storage

Next, we’ll round up our pointers on what you should avoid with your personal storage unit.

1. Don’t keep perishables

Household storage units aren’t designed to store perishable items such as food or plants. After all, they’re not refrigerators. Any organic matter will spoil eventually, and when it does, you’ll be faced with either a horrible smell or hazardous mould – often both.

2. Don’t stack boxes dangerously

Taking the time to stack your boxes safely in your self-storage space in the first instance can save you a world of bother later. Make sure you’re packing the biggest boxes towards the bottom and the lighter, smaller boxes at the top, as this limits the chance of a stack from toppling. For that matter, avoid stacking your boxes too high. If every stack is touching the ceiling, accessing your belongings is going to become difficult and fraught with danger.

3. Don’t wrap items in plastic

It may be tempting to wrap your belongings in plastic wrap, but this could end up being a costly mistake. While plastic wrapping can help for the initial transport of your belongings, if left over time then it will trap condensation. This in turn will lead to mould issues which will eventually damage your items. Instead, once your belongings are safely within your personal storage unit, make sure you’re removing any plastic wrapping.

If you find yourself short on appropriate packaging materials, don’t forget that we sell boxes, bubble wrap and tape!

MORE! Self Storage for your household storage

At MORE! Self Storage, our experts are always on hand to assist you with your storage needs. Whether it’s helping you to choose the right size storage unit or tips on decluttering, we’ll be happy to help.