It’s almost that time of the year again when the birds return, the temperature rises and the world just seems a little brighter after winter has passed.
That is until you realize how much spring cleaning you have to do. Good thing you got that storage unit last year to help with all the clutter!
Oh. You mean that’s full too? What happened!? Don’t worry. You can still apply many of the same spring cleaning tactics you use at home on your storage unit. After you’re done you’ll have more room for the items you don’t need at home, like winter clothes. Use the tips and tactics below to get your unit clean and organized.
- Jog Your Memory: It’s been a long time since you’ve been to your neighborhood storage facility. Depending on how you organized your storage unit initially you may or may not know what’s in there. If this it is the case, it’s worth taking the time to get everything out, survey the contents of the unit, make a list and add labels to boxes. I like to go one step further after everything’s back in the unit by taking a picture of the list with the camera on my cell phone and emailing it to myself, so I’ll always know what’s in the unit. That way I can leave the hand written list in the unit for the next time it’s accessed.
- Do It Better This Time: Assess any packing errors made the last time you organized the unit. Was it a pain in the rear end getting to that sports equipment all the way in the back when those antiques you haven’t used in ten years were at the front near the door? Put the things you need to access most near the front and save yourself some trouble next time. If you packed heavy boxes on top of ones that were only partially filled those on the bottom may have caved in since the last time. Re-box those belongings, fill the empty space with packing peanuts and stack the heaviest stuff on the bottom. If you have more tips for optimal storage unit organization, please leave them in the comments!
- Sometimes You Need To Let Go: That lime green shag carpet you “rescued” from grandma’s house couldn’t find a place in your home last year, so you stored it. It’s not going to find a place in there this year either. Do you really need it? Try to be honest with yourself. Unless something has real sentimental value, it may end up costing more to store it for a year than it would to buy it new in a year. Organizations like the Salvation Army and Purple Heart Pickup offer free pick up service for many donations. All you have to do is ask. If this seems like too much work I’m sure you can find a dumpster…
Using these tips should have your storage unit ready to absorb the unneeded items in your home. Just think about how nice it will be to finally have the Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas decorations out of the garage.
Have more spring cleaning tips of your own? Let us know in the comments section.
Image courtesy of artur84 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
