All the best Packing & Storage Tips

• Start by identifying how many boxes you need and put together a packing kit – boxes of different sizes, bubble wrap, tape, marker pens etc. – talk to our staff if you are unsure. We stock all the packaging supplies you will need.
• Pack heavier items in smaller boxes to ensure easier lifting.
• If you stack dining chairs make sure you stack them seat to seat with a cloth or brown paper to separate them.
• Wrap pictures and mirrors in bubble wrap so you can store them standing up.
• When packing furniture such as desks and tables protect surfaces with brown paper and wrap legs with bubble wrap or corrugated cardboard before you put them into storage.
• Cover items such as armchairs, sofas and equipment with, for example, a bed sheet.
• Always bubble wrap your breakables – use our packaging store for supplies.
• Make sure that cardboard boxes are filled to capacity – half empty or bulging boxes may tip or collapse.
• If you have important documents going into storage, they are best packed in archive boxes and labeled clearly on their sides or ends. Make sure once you arrive at your new space that you stack the boxes so you can read the labels.
• If you use our boxes, write the contents of each box straight onto the cardboard. This will save a lot of time when you need to access the contents.
• Put your heaviest and bulkiest items in your units first to provide a good base for packing. It may seem obvious, but you should always stack lighter boxes on top of heavier boxes. You may even want to mark your heavier boxes with an ‘H’ when you pack, so you can quickly identify them when you are putting them in store.
• Mark boxes with ‘fragile’ if the contents are breakable or use our ‘fragile’ tape.
• To assist with air circulation in your storage space, avoid leaning furniture against walls and try to leave gaps when stacking furniture surfaces.
• Think ahead and identify which items you may need to access more frequently and pack seasonal equipment such as skis or tennis gear at the front so they are easy to access.
• Refrigeration equipment should be fully defrosted and dry, and the door left open to allow air circulation and to prevent mould.

There are hundreds of reasons why people use self storage, and moving home is only of them. Our Hints & Help will help you on your way.

Do you have excess furniture you don’t want to throw away? Sports equipment you rarely use? Too many clothes for the wardrobe? Children’s toys and collectibles you want to store safely somewhere? It’s easy to make space in your life by decluttering your home.

Many people think of self storage as an extension of their homes – the extra room around the corner that they can access any day of the year. The room that happens to be highly secure and monitored by 24-hour CCTV…

If you are thinking about decluttering, a simple first step is to audit your environment – take a good look at what is in the way! Some items may suit short term self storage while others, for example furniture, may require long term storage. Make a list of everything you don’t need to use or access very often – things you could do without on a day-to-day basis, but you don’t want to throw away.

Your list will probably contain some of the following:

• Furniture such as tables, chairs, sofas, beds etc.
• Filing cabinets
• Clothes such as wedding dresses, children’s clothes, winter or summer wardrobes
• Garden tools and equipment
• Sports equipment
• Musical instruments
• Books and files
• Collectibles and memorabilia
• Computer hardware and software
• Electrical equipment – fridges, televisions

Wouldn’t it be comforting to know that you can store all of these safely, and access them when it suits you?

• Award winning facilities and customer service.
• Free Wifi and refreshments.
• 24-hour CCTV security with individually alarmed rooms and secure access-controlled entry via PIN code.
• Drive-up units available on the ground floor.
• No security deposit to pay.
• Forklift service (excluding Stonehouse), along with use of trolleys and pallet trucks.
• Flexible storage. You only pay for the space you need, and you can move to a smaller or larger room whenever you like.
• Packaging materials (boxes, bubble wrap, tape and more) available to purchase on site.
• Short or long term storage. Minimum term is just one week.
• Experienced and professional staff on hand seven days a week.