A storage unit provides ample space for your personal belongings while moving homes. It also secures your precious items against damage by mechanical stress or environmental agents.

Besides, most storage units are equipped with climate-controlled rooms that allow them to safely house temperature-sensitive items.

The best part is that you don’t have to own a storage unit. Instead, several dealerships in Arlington rent these facilities to homeowners at competitive rates.

However, the efficiency of storage units depends on proper organization. In this post, we highlight tips for organizing your storage unit while planning your next move to Arlington, Virginia.

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1. Start With the Right Facility

As hinted, there are multiple places to rent a storage unit Arlington VA. But the trick is to choose a facility that caters to your moving needs.

First, you’ll need to compare rental fees and pick something that aligns with your moving budget. Then, consider the size of your belongings vis-à-vis the storage unit.

Selecting a compartmentalized storage unit with ample temperature-controlled rooms is also important.

2. Shun Garbage Bags for Boxes or Bins

It’s imprudent to toss your household items in a storage unit simply.

Instead, pack the belongings in a smaller holding container before loading them onto the facility.

While many homeowners prefer garbage bags due to their flexibility, these bags tear easily and can create a mess inside a storage unit. Consider plastic bins or cardboard boxes instead.

3. Choose Uniform Boxes

After securing a storage unit, take its dimensions and use those measurements to choose appropriately sized boxes.

The boxes (or plastic bags) may not all be the same size. However, they should be uniform to allow for easy stacking.

Smaller boxes (1.5 cu. ft.) are excellent for stashing fragile items like jewelry, while medium-sized boxes (2 cu. ft.) best suit everyday items like clothing and kitchenware. Larger boxes (4 cu. ft.) would be ideal for bulkier belongings like bedding.

4. Select Sturdy Plastic

Plastic is naturally stronger than cardboard and certainly more robust than garbage bags.

However, carefully research your plastic bins’ material before using them in a storage unit.

The containers should be fashioned from sturdier materials that withstand considerable mechanical stress and temperature fluctuations. Besides, they should be able to keep pests off your belongings.

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5. Use Transparent Bins and Label Them

While it’s unusual that you’ll stop over to peep into your house belongings mid-transit, keeping track of what’s inside each box while loading and offloading them is essential.

Therefore, look out for transparent plastic bins.

Labeling the containers also helps to track your every belonging. You could label the bins with a marker pen or painter’s tape or go high-tech with a QR code.

6. Disassemble Large Items

Bulky items like furniture can be challenging to pack into cardboard boxes or plastic bins, making them even harder to load onto a storage unit.

The only solution is to disassemble them.

Follow the user manual to dismantle the item and keep the pieces together for easy reassembly.

7. Stack Up

This is a no-brainer! Stacking is the best way to maximize a storage unit’s vertical space.

Place heavier stuff on the bottom of your storage unit and lighter ones towards the top. This helps to keep the boxes and bins intact during the trip.

In the same vein, don’t overfill the boxes and bins. You should be able to comfortably lift each container while loading it onto the storage unit.

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8. Install Shelves

In addition to stacking boxes in a storage unit, you could maximize vertical space by installing shelves.

Besides, shelves prevent individual boxes from bumping into each other while in transit.

But don’t go nailing shelves into a rented storage unit. Instead, buy freestanding shelves from your local hardware and place them in dedicated places within the facility.

9. Sort Items by Ease of Access

When you get to your new home, you’ll want to offload your belongings in a certain order.

Perhaps you want the bedding to go out first, followed by bathroom accessories, kitchenware, living room furniture, and outdoor stuff.

Sort the items in your preferred order of access to ensure nothing is out of reach when needed.

10. Create Aisles

Many people prefer to load their storage units from corner to corner. After all, the idea is to make every square inch count.

However, creating aisles makes a storage unit accessible. It lets you get all the boxes in.

The perfect aisle should run from the entrance of a storage unit through the center and to the back.

11. Don’t Overload Your Storage Unit

Regular household belongings may not easily overload a storage unit. But if you maintain a home garage and need to move bulkier stuff like steel components, then there are risks of overload.

Comply with relevant rules to avoid run-ins with traffic cops.

If you have quite heavy items to move, scheduling a couple of trips is better than overloading them in a single trip.

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Summary

Renting a storage unit is critical when planning a successful move in Arlington, Virginia. After securing the facility, you can implement the above strategies to maximize its utility for a stress-free trip.

Remember to also exercise diligence while looking for the perfect storage unit. To hone in on the best facility for your needs, consider factors like size, preinstalled compartments, temperature regulation mechanisms, and customizability.