Author: Ashley Perkins

How To Organize Your Self-Storage Unit

While Store It America has many different size storage units, you’d be surprised how much you can fit into a 5x10 foot unit. This size is actually equivalent to a one bedroom apartment. Want to figure out how to make it all fit? Before you start to get overwhelmed, take a deep breath and follow our packing tips to organize your storage unit.

• Accessing Boxes While In Storage: If you will need access to items in your storage unit while it’s filled, you’ll want to do some planning. This will help prevent you from rummaging through all of your boxes and totes when you need to retrieve a belonging. The items you will need access to the most should be packed in last and kept together in the front of your storage unit.
• Packing Heavy Boxes: Pack your heavier items, such as books, in smaller boxes. This will ensure that your stuff doesn’t get too heavy and break the bottom of your box. (For added security, make sure you tape the bottom of these boxes multiple times to strengthen the box)
• Organizing Boxes: Keep in mind the different things you may need/want to access while your stuff is in storage. Group these items together. Try to group similar items in each box to create a common theme:
  • Seasonal Clothing
  • Camping Gear
  • Decorations
  • Kids Toys
  • Tools
  • Documents
• Box Sizes: Try to keep your box size consistent. This will help when you need to stack boxes on top of one another. Keep in mind that while using large boxes may seem convenient because they can fit more things, transporting these boxes can be difficult. The weight in these boxes may break the bottom causing everything to drop out. Large boxes are also more difficult to remove when needed to grab something out of them, not to mention they are awkward to carry.
• Accessing Boxes in the Back of your Unit: Create a walkway when you place your boxes in the storage unit. This way, if for some reason you need something you’ve placed in the back, you don’t have to take everything out to get to it.
• Label the Boxes: Make sure you label each box! This is important! The more descriptive you are the easier it will be to retrieve items and the less hassle you’ll have when unpacking these items. Be sure to indicate what items are fragile, what room it belongs to, and details of the contents in the box.
• Keep Track of Your Belongings: Keep a list of everything in the unit. This will help when you need to find something in particular. If you have things labeled correctly, it should be a breeze.
• Taking Care of Fragile Items: Fragile items should be wrapped in bubble wrap, newspaper or even towels. Make sure you mark these boxes as fragile!
• Spacing: Make sure when placing your boxes and containers in the storage unit that you keep distance between your items and the walls. This will allow proper airflow. This will ensure your belongings safety with extreme humid conditions. 
• Furniture: Break down furniture that you’re storing and stack as best as you can. Don’t forget to place a sheet or blanket between your items so your belongings don’t get scratched.

If you want to keep your belongings in great condition while in storage, you will definitely want to use a temperature controlled storage facility. Properly storing your possessions in a temperature controlled unit will protect from temperature damage, corrosion, and wood damage caused by extreme temperatures. Let’s be honest, living in the Midwest we are exposed to extreme temperatures that change from one day to another could change completely tomorrow.

How do the elements affect our possessions?

• Freezing and thawing causes wood and metal to expand and contract, resulting in warping, weakening, splitting, and cracking.
• When leather and clothing are exposed to extreme heat and cold elements they can turn yellow and start to degrade. 
• Papers and fabrics can gather mold and mildew stains when exposed to the elements.
• Electronics can be ruined by extreme cold conditions.
• Paintings and fine art can shrink or expand in extreme temperatures.

Ideal Temperatures for Items:

• Art: Between 60 - 75 °F.
• Delicate Fabrics: Between 35 - 75 °F.
• Delicate Paper Items: Between 35 - 75 °F.
• Electronics: Between 50 - 80 °F.
• Metal: Between 35 - 75 °F.
• CDs, DVDs, and Video Games: Between 65 - 70 °F.
• Vinyl Records: Between 65 - 70 °F
• Wine: Ideal environment for storing wine is low light, around 55 °F.
• Wood Furniture or Instruments: Between 55 - 85 °F.

Properly storing your belongings will protect them and save you money! Keep your stuff as good as new!

Ask our experts how storing your items in our temperature controlled units will benefit your belongings.

3 Ways Businesses can Benefit from Using Self-Storage

1. Free Up Office Space
   • Has your company grown but you can’t afford to move into a larger facility just yet? One of the easiest ways to free up current office space is by using self-storage. Storing things that are not needed in day to day operations will provide much needed extra room in your facility.
2. Free Up Floor Space
   • Does your space get crowded when a new shipment of goods comes in? Some businesses just don’t have the room to keep everything at one that location. Or maybe there is extra equipment that takes up too much space. Having a storage unit will keep the overflow concise and clear up space while also protecting items from theft.
3. Security for Important Documentation
   • Do you store have an abundance of sensitive business documentation around? If so, renting out a storage unit could be the best option. For your peace of mind, Store It America has around the clock security to securely stow important possessions such as client files, employee documents, human resources paperwork, all of which can pile up fast.
   • *Pro Tip: For additional security, use a locking filing cabinet inside the storage unit to keep the files protected from others in the company who has access to the storage space.

Store It America offers commercial and business self-storage rentals that provides specific needs. Find one of our facilities at our Iowa or Illinois locations, Davenport, Des Moines, Clinton, or East Moline, closest to your business. Give us a call and we can give specific recommendations for your company that suits your needs.