The first thing you need to do before you enquire about storage space is decide what items you’d like to store. This will have an impact on the size unit you will need, there is no point paying for a 50sq ft room and only filling 25sq ft of space. If you need help deciding on the right size unit initially, we can always help you estimate the space you will need. Speak to our team for advice on 01684 892236 or email sales@malvernselfstorage.co.uk.
When filling your new room, always try and put your heaviest and bulkiest items in first. This makes a good base to fill your room and get the best use from your space. Always stack lighter boxes on top of heavier boxes to avoid damages. You may even want to mark your heavier boxes so it’s easy to determine which box is which so you can quickly identify them when you are putting them in store.
Don’t fill large boxes with books, always pack heavier items in smaller boxes so you can manoeuvre them easily.
Our top tip for packing pictures and mirrors is to put them in a box with cardboard in-between them (flat box) and to pack them in tight enough to prevent movement. This minimises the risk of damage when transporting them to our storage facility and when they are stored.
When storing dining tables and chairs, stack armchairs in pairs seat to seat and use packing paper in-between to stop any marking. Ensure chairs that stack on top of another have similar protection to seat area.
Cover items such as beds, sofas and armchairs with protectors. This prevents items from becoming marked or dusty whilst in storage.
When it comes to packing breakables such as kitchen crockery and glasses, packing paper is the best material to use. Wrap to prevent chipping, ensure plenty of scrunched paper around items to prevent breakage. Tightly pack items into a double walled small to medium box.
Make sure that cardboard boxes are full. Half empty or bulging boxes may tip or collapse. To ensure you don’t overfill boxes of breakables, pop a cushion or other soft items in last.
Think ahead and identify which items you may need to access more frequently. Pack seasonal equipment such as skis, surfboard or camping equipment handy for easy access as needed.
If you are storing documents whether it is personal or business, the best way to store these is in archive boxes. These offer easy access if needed and are also hard wearing as long as they are filled correctly. Labelling the boxes is a must as once you start filling your space with them it will be hard to locate the exact box you are looking for if they haven’t been labelled. Make sure once you arrive at your new space that you stack the boxes so you can read the labels.
When filling boxes ready to put into storage, either write the contents of each box straight onto the cardboard or use our specially designed tape which has each room of a house on (up to 4 bedrooms) which you can circle and then stick on the box. This will save you a lot of time when you want to access your room and locate a specific box of items.
Mark boxes to remind you that these need handling with care with ‘fragile’ if the contents are breakable or use our ‘fragile’ tape shop here.
To assist with air circulation in your storage space, avoid leaning furniture against walls and try to leave natural gaps when stacking furniture.
