Choosing a storage space that will fit all of your needs can be a difficult process. Whether you’re looking to pack away some extra furniture, free up space by storing your holiday decorations, or you’re in-between houses, finding a storage unit that works for you can often seem like a hassle. Fortunately, StorageArea can lay out the basics for you and even give you a few helpful tips that will make finding a storage unit a snap.
What Do You Need to Store?
Are you storing a number of boxes that can be stacked on top of each other or larger pieces of furniture that need more square feet? Get out the tape measure and a piece of paper to get a rough estimate of what you’re moving.
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One trick is to take all of your boxes and stack them in one area and measure how many square feet they take up. If you find out that your boxes and other items take up about 50 square feet then you probably want a 5’x10’ unit, which will give you exactly 50 square feet. Just times the length by the width—5×10, in this case—to get the total square feet of your potential unit.
Also, remember that most storage units typically have an eight-foot ceiling height. If you have furniture that’s over eight feet, consider that it might have to be laid on its side.
Do You Have Any Delicate Items?
Some items need a little more love. If you’re looking to store your wine collection, fine art, or delicate family heirlooms, make sure you look for a climate controlled storage unit to prevent rust, mildew, humidity, and pests.
A tip for storing your more delicate items is to first wrap them in acid-free tissue paper and then cover them in whatever other packaging material you want to use, such as bubble wrap, duck packing paper, or foam wrapping. The acid-free tissue paper will help keep your items from experiencing obnoxious aging issues.
For artwork, it’s best not to store them flat but sitting up and vertical. For wine, most experts say you should keep temperatures around 55 degrees though a few degrees more or less won’t hurt it too much. Make sure your storage provider has options for keeping your unit at the desired temperature and that their thermostats are reliable.
What Size Of Storage Do I Need?
5’x5’ – Perfect for a large closet. The size is ideal to store items like seasonal clothes or decorations, gardening equipment, children’s toys, small desk, bookcases, lamps, or chairs.
5’x10’ – Big enough for 1 regular-sized room. Ideal for boxes, couch, kitchen table, or chairs.
10’x10’ – Fits items from 1 large bedroom. Great for storing items from a larger space. The ideal items are bedroom or living room set, boxes, refrigerator, mattresses, wide bookcases and hefty appliances.
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10’x15’ – Holds up to 3 to 4 rooms. Sized for dining room sets or bedroom sets, full mattresses with frames, and large screen TVs. This unit can also fit items like: small cars or boats and other smaller vehicles like ATVs.
10’x20’ – Holds up to 5 rooms. Store your entertainment center, patio furniture, and refrigerator, multiple bedroom sets and large furniture. The unit can also fit items like trucks, trailers and other mid-size vehicles.
10’x30’ – This unit is best for the contents of 4-6 bedroom house. You can store multiple bedroom sets, mattress sets, large furniture major appliances, The best choice if you’re in-between houses and need to store it all.
Now that you know how to pick out the perfect storage unit size, visit StorageArea.com to compare storage facilities in your area.