Storage units can be great for temporary storage when moving or long-term storage for items that need to be kept but just won’t fit in the home right now. When extra storage is needed, choosing the right size is important. Organizing the storage is crucial as well, as this makes it easier to get to anything that might be needed. Below are some tips that can help keep the storage unit easy to access.

Purchase the Right Lock
The right lock doesn’t help organize the storage but does make it easy to get in and out. Choose a lock that works well with the rolling storage doors, that is easy to unlock with a key, but that is difficult to pick to avoid theft. If you’re not familiar with the doors used on storage units and would like more information about how they work to choose the right lock, there is more available from Dynatect.

Pack Heavier Items at the Back
Heavier items should be placed on the bottom and at the back of the storage unit. Stack lighter boxes on top of the heavier boxes, with the lightest boxes at the very top. No matter how long belongings are in storage, this helps protect the items in the lightboxes from being squished and ensures everything won’t come toppling down after the door is shut.

Pack Around the Walls First
Start packing around the walls first to make sure there is plenty of room to walk through the middle of the storage unit. This makes it easier to stack the boxes carefully and allows for a walkway down the middle to reach even the boxes in the back if they are needed. If the storage unit ends up being filled completely, the boxes needed more frequently will be in the front and easily moved to gain access to boxes further back.

Label All Boxes
Label all boxes on a side and the top so it’s easy to tell what’s in them. It’s a good idea to use a permanent market and packing label on the boxes so the information stands out. When placing the boxes in the storage unit, make sure the labels on the sides face the inside walkway created in the storage unit so they are easy to read and the right box can be found quickly later on.

Pack Important Items in the Front
Anything that is more important should be packed in the front of the storage unit. Once all of the heavy and less-needed items are packed along the wall and the back of the storage unit, the more important or more frequently-used items can be placed on the top or in the leftover walkway down the middle. This makes it easy to access them and to move them out of the way in case a different box needs to be used.

If you’re planning on getting a storage unit, whether it’s for long-term or short-term storage, make sure everything is carefully organized. This will make it easier for you to access anything you might need from the storage unit and ensure everything inside is easy to find if it is ever needed. Keep these tips in mind while you’re packing and loading the storage unit for easy access the whole time you use it.