We’ve all done our fair share of packing in our lives and the same goes for trying to deal with storage. When it comes to storing the items from an entire household however the situation becomes a bit different. You often need to rent out storage so you can place everything within and for that reason you need to be aware of certain aspects of the whole process. We offer some tips to make things easier for you. Consider the storage facility you want to use, then check with local companies and follow these guidelines to choose the right company:

•    The storage facility has to have good security to keep your belongings safe.
•    Free access on your part at any time is needed so you can retrieve anything you need.
•    The storage units are of a decent size and you can increase or decrease the space per your actual need without too much hassle.
•    A good company will offer fitting storage units depending on the items being stored. For example high-value objects will be stored in high-security, completely concealed units to prevent anyone from checking their contents.
•    Climate-controlled storage facilities greatly widen the range of items you can store, as they offer a way to protect important documents and goods for years with the proper conditions.
•    The storage facility should be well-maintained and clean, as a truly professional company will keep one looking that way.
•    They should take adequate and appropriate pest control measures to keep everything stored completely safe.
•    Make sure there are no hidden surprises with the contract in fine print.
•    If you are moving your entire household you will need to make sure the facility has enough space to accommodate a parked removal vehicle.

If you need to pack for self-storage you will need to deal with some details ahead of time. Some companies offer the chance to pack your belongings for you, but you can easily do this by yourself if you have enough time on your hands. Before you pack however you will have to consider how to do it so you can have easy access to what you need without moving everything and opening a ton of boxes.

•    Estimate the rough value of every single item you are storing to help your insurance company.
•    Make sure you’re using good packing materials and boxes. This is important as in time the quality of the boxes used will worsen.
•    Make sure you use enough boxes and that nothing is left outside. Dust will find its way into whatever you leave exposed.
•    Fill up the boxes in such a way that they will not collapse into each other when stacked. Provide sufficient padding to fragile items so they will be safe from harm during your Ealing Move.
•    Label all boxes and their contents so you can find things quickly. Make sure you label on multiple sides so you don’t have to move things around too much. Keep an inventory so you’ll know exactly what is stored inside your unit.
•    Avoid stuffing boxes completely with heavy items as they will be impossible to move. They can also break quite easily as the extra weight will destroy their bottoms
•    Avoid packing items in plastic bags as any humidity inside will cause mildew, thus destroying whatever you’re storing.
•    Pack any books you’re storing flat so their spines won’t get damaged.