Organize Your Storage Unit with These Tips

Many people with storage units find themselves in a bind when they need to find something quickly and it's lost in a sea of unorganized boxes. Even if you choose to access your storage unit frequently, your life can be made much simpler if you've organized everything in a way that makes it easy to find.

So whether you're a business owner that stores your inventory in your storage unit, or are just the usual renter storing your belongings, it may be time to bring a little more organization to your unit. This can help you save time each time you come to grab something, and it will also give you peace of mind because you'll know exactly where everything is!

Self Storage Organization Strategy

To get started with the organization mindset, it's good to begin with a strategy. Making a plan, categorizing items, labeling everything, and mapping out sections are just a few of the ways you can generate a self-storage unit strategy. Let's take a closer look at some methods that ensure efficiency and accessibility to your stuff.

Do Inventory

You probably don't need everything you're putting into storage. In fact, it's likely that there will only be a small amount of your stuff that you need to get to. Take inventory of what you're storing so you can identify what you'll need access to. Plus, even if you don't think you need something, you might still wonder where it is or find yourself in need of something unexpected. An inventory of your stuff will make it so you don't have to remember everything you store. Creating a spreadsheet for this can help the process!

Plan Your Layout

A map of where things should go is essential. You can create an actual map, or simply sketch out your planned layout. You'll first want to take note of all the things you have that you'll need to put in your storage unit. Just think of it like the Marie Kondo method. Take everything out so that you can put it back inside in a way that makes the most sense.

Categorize Your Items

It's much easier to find things if you know what category they are in and where that category is stored in the unit. Make yourself a little map of the categories and where they will go in your unit, and tape it on your unit wall if that's the best way for you to remember! You could have categories such as documents, clothes, decor, etc. Or if you are storing products for your company, you could have categories that make sense for those.

Label Boxes and Containers

It will help you a lot in the future if you label everything, even if it's in clear containers. It makes the process of finding things much easier because you can skim read the labels to find what you need faster. Labeling all four sides is also helpful in the event that something accidentally gets moved.

Prioritize Location By Frequency of Use

If you know you're going to need something more often, place it closer to the front. If you know you won't be needing something as frequently, it may make sense to move it towards the back.

Use Shelving Units

If you aren't fond of the idea of stacking a bunch of your items on top of each other, shelving units are a great way to avoid this and still provide visibility. Strategically using shelves can help you keep your most important items easily accessible, too. At Elevate Self Storage, this is one of our favorite tricks, so we're happy to offer our customers shelving units to lease for $10 per month.

Put Large Items Along the Walls

In order to make it easier for you to navigate and access the items in your storage unit, you'll want to put large items by the walls and smaller items toward the front. This also helps give you a clear view of all the items you have in your storage unit. Setting up this way can also help you maximize the space you have.

Create Pathways for Access

You aren't helping yourself if you start loading stuff into the back of your storage unit and continue to load all the way to the front without leaving walkways. Because you've categorized everything, it may make the most sense to create walkways between each category. This helps create visible sections in your storage unit and enables you to easily get to each category as needed.

More Pro Tips for Self-Storage Organization

Believe it or not, you can organize your unit just as well as a professional organizer! In addition to the steps we outlined above, there are a few other secrets to storage success. Here are a few tips and storage unit organization ideas.

1. Consider Investing in Clear Bins: Clear bins are a great choice over cardboard boxes. They provide a level of visibility that just can't be matched by cardboard boxes.
2. Disassemble Furniture: This may sound like a lot of work, but it actually can help you maximize your space and be able to organize your storage unit more efficiently. You'll then want to put them toward the back of your categorized area of choice in a vertical position.
3. Opt for Wardrobe Boxes: Wardrobe Boxes are a great choice for your seasonal clothing. It helps them keep their shape and in good condition.
4. Drain Fuel from Tools and Equipment: You don't want to visit your storage unit to find that oil from your equipment has soiled your other things. Make sure to drain any fuel from tools and equipment and then rub them with oil to prevent corrosion and rust.

It's also crucial to make sure you have the correct size storage unit—not too big or too small— to ensure you can access and find your stuff easily and efficiently.

More articles to help you be a self-storage master:

Do's and Don'ts of Self Storage

Understanding Climate Control