Storage and Packing Tips
How to pack a storage unit so your things stay in good shape and you can find them again.
Before you pack
- Make a list of what is going into storage. It helps you choose a size with our unit size guide, and you will want the list later.
- Buy boxes in one or two sizes. Boxes that match stack straight and do not tip over.
- Get a disc or cylinder lock for the door.
Packing boxes
- Fill each box all the way so it does not crush, but keep it light enough to lift. Books go in small boxes.
- Label each box on the side, not the top, with the room and what is in it.
- Wrap dishes and glasses one at a time and stand plates on edge.
- Use plastic totes for clothes, bedding and papers.
Furniture
- Take beds, tables and shelves apart. Put the bolts in a bag and tape it to the piece.
- Cover couches and mattresses with cloth covers or mattress bags. Plastic wrapped tight against wood or leather holds moisture in, so leave it loose.
- Stand couches and mattresses on end if they are made for it. It saves a lot of floor space.
- Do not set furniture or boxes right on the concrete. Pallets or a few boards underneath let air move and keep things dry.
Appliances and equipment
- Clean and dry refrigerators, freezers and washers all the way, and prop the doors open so they do not mildew.
- Drain the fuel from mowers, trimmers and anything else with a gas tank. Fuel is not allowed in a unit. See what you cannot store.
- Wipe metal tools with a little oil so they do not rust.
Loading the unit
- Heavy items and appliances go in first, at the back and on the bottom.
- Leave a walkway down the middle so you can get to the back.
- Keep the things you will need soon near the door.
- Leave a small gap between your things and the walls so air can move.
- Back the truck up to the door of a drive-up unit and save yourself the carrying.
Packing for a climate-controlled unit
Your things are protected from freezing and heat, but pack them as if they were going into any storage unit: wrap furniture in cloth covers rather than tight plastic, stand mattresses on end, and keep boxes off the floor on pallets or boards. Label boxes on the side and leave a walkway.
Protect what you store
Your homeowner's policy may not cover items in storage. We offer tenant protection plans.