Has the pandemic made you feel like your house is too small? You’re not alone, as so much time indoors has many people feeling squeezed by too much stuff. Let’s look at how adding some extra storage space can improve your life.
3 Ways to Find Extra Storage Space
The surest way to feel less crowded in your home is to declutter. Unlike the home improvement television programs, we won’t kid you that decluttering is effortless. The three primary ways to pare down your possessions do take work but are worth the effort.
No.1- Organize Your Closets, Basement, and Garage
Are you maximizing the storage spaces within your home? Take a careful look inside your closets to see if better organization will lead to more storage space. Maybe you could add storage shelves to your basement and garage?
No.2- Part with Unwanted Stuff
There is no sense in keeping things that you don’t use or want anymore. We recommend that you ruthlessly purge your unwanted belongings. Consider donating them to your favorite Eugene thrift shops.
Here’s an excellent article from The Spruce on how to declutter effectively.
No.3- Rent an Off-Site Storage Unit
Renting an off-site storage locker is a terrific way to keep things that you can’t safely store at home. For a reasonable rate, a self-storage facility protects your items until you need them.
Read on to learn the benefits of renting extra storage space.
What to Know about Renting Extra Storage Space
A high-quality self-storage facility provides you the extra space you need at an affordable price. Here are a few things to consider to help you choose the appropriate unit type and size.
What Do You Need to Store?
What items do you want to store? It’s essential to think about what you want to keep because some possessions require a climate-controlled, more secure storage unit. Examples of things that need a higher level of care include
- Family photographs
- Valuable artwork
- Books
- Antiques
- Documents
In general, fragile items that could suffer damage from humidity and extreme temperatures should go into a more protected type of storage. Likewise, things with a high monetary value stay safest in secure storage.
How Much Space Do You Need?
Storage lockers come in a variety of sizes. Since larger units are typically more expensive to rent, you’ll save money by selecting a storage locker that suits your needs without giving you substantial unused space.
It’s not a bad idea to pack your belongings before determining the appropriate amount of extra storage space. Once you have a pretty good guess of how much space you’ll need, it’s smart to confirm your estimate with a self-storage rental agent.
Check for Insurance
Self-storage facilities are safe places to store your possessions. Still, unexpected problems such as floods, fire, and theft do happen. The most reliable way to recover from a disaster is to make certain that you have enough insurance.
There’s a strong chance that your homeowners or renters insurance policy covers off-site storage. Read your policy carefully to see if you have coverage. If you are unsure, don’t hesitate to call your insurance agent.
You might also want to consider purchasing insurance through your self-storage facility. Homeowners’ policies won’t necessarily cover the entire replacement value of property stored off-site. Buying additional insurance can give you peace of mind when you rent a storage unit.
3 Tips to Make Moving Day Easier
Moving your belongings to a storage locker is less stressful if you plan. Here are three time-tested tips that will make moving a bunch of boxes a breeze.
No.1- Use the Right Packing Supplies
You’ll save your back and sanity by investing in the right packing supplies. Transporting and storing your stuff in boxes designed for them makes life more manageable. Inexpensive sources of terrific packing supplies include
- Friends and family
- Home improvement stores
- Self-storage facilities
It’s also worth asking local grocery and retail stores if you can have their used boxes. You might walk away with free, gently used packing materials.
No.2- Inventory and Label Everything
The secret to successful storage is to inventory and label every box. Attention to organizing before you shut the door on your storage locker makes locating something months later much less complicated. It’s also beneficial to take a video of where everything sits within your storage unit.
No.3- Safeguard Your Access Code
Top-level storage facilities do numerous things to safeguard your belongings. With measures like video cameras, alarms, and security patrols, the contents of your locker are secure. Even so, you’ll need to do your part to keep your belongings safe.
Don’t share the code to the facility’s front gate. Protect your locker with a secure lock. Sometimes it’s the little things, such as keeping an access code secret, to prevent theft.
Last Thoughts
Lastly, renting extra storage space will make your home feel more inviting. Self-storage is a safe, affordable way to give yourself a more spacious home in Eugene, Oregon.
Armored Storage is Eugene’s affordable, first-class self-storage facility. Contact us for advice on how our storage options can fit your needs.