6 Self Storage Mistakes To Avoid

Jul 14, 2022 Are you moving homes and looking to keep all your extra items in self-storage units? This is a good option because you will have fewer things to pack and move when shifting homes and can reduce your house moving cost in Adelaide. You can hire a professional removalist in Adelaide to help you move these items at your own time and pace whenever you are ready to move them to your new home. However, while keeping these items in self-storage units, you should avoid the following mistakes so that all your belongings are safe and sound:

1. Not Checking The Size

When you opt to keep your belongings in a self-storage unit, you must check the size of the unit because:

If you pick a storage unit too small, all your boxes will be cramped inside, and your belongings might get damaged.
To avoid this, you must plan your storage and make an inventory of all the items you will store.
You can then choose a storage unit based on this inventory and get help from the removalist service in Adelaide as well.
They could help you pick out one that suits your needs if they have their own storage units. You can always backload your items and only pay for the space on the storage unit.

2. Using Poor Packing

You must pack all your items securely and adequately because you don’t know how long they will stay there. It is a good idea not to use newspaper when packing your items, even if using a climate-controlled unit. This is because newspaper deteriorates over time, and the ink could run all over your belongings and smudge them. It is better to use bubble wrap instead or use packing paper. You should also ensure that your boxes are tightly packed so no rats and mice can get in.

3. Not Getting Insurance For Your Items

It is a good idea to get insurance for all the items you will keep in self-storage units. This is because if something happens to your items in the units and you don’t have insurance, you will have to cover the cost yourself. You should choose homeowner’s insurance to cover your items partially, or if you are using a removalist service in Adelaide, you can ask them about their storage insurance.

4. Not Checking The Security Features

If you want to keep your belongings safe in these self-storage units, you must also check the security features. Check if there are CCTV cameras to see if anyone is accessing your storage unit or not. It would be best if you also opted for a storage unit that has security guards and is well protected.

5. Storing The Wrong Things Inside The Units

You should also be aware of what you will store in these units. The following items should not be stored in a self-storage unit:

Food items:
It is better not to store any perishable items like food in storage units as this will rot and become worse over time. It will also attract pests and rodents who will damage your other belongings.
Flammable goods:
You should not leave any flammable and hazardous goods in your unit as these are dangerous. It would be best if you kept them in specialised units only.
Plant:
Keeping plants in storage units will only kill them as they need constant sunlight and water to survive.

6. Not Labelling Your Items

When you put all your boxes in the storage units, you should label them all so that it is easy for the professional removalists Adelaide to unpack and move them to the right areas of your home. You can also label the boxes and write how they should be stored. For instance, you can write this side up on the box so that the movers know how to place it in the unit to keep it safe.

Some More Tips:

Make sure you keep the heavier items at the back and bottom and keep the lighter items on top so that nothing gets damaged.
You should leave enough space to get into the unit so that you can constantly check on your items with ease.
Make enough space in your storage unit by disassembling furniture and putting mattresses sideways. You can always ask expert removalists in Adelaide more about this so that they can help you load the storage unit correctly.
Always plan your storage in advance so that you can make adjustments accordingly.
You can also decide whether to sell or donate some of these extra items if there is not enough space in your storage unit. This will give you some additional money for your moving costs and expenses.