What to put in storage when moving

So, you have finally decided to move? If you are anything like us you have probably scoured the internet for any and all resources moving related. You have done everything those articles say. You’ve made a moving plan, created a moving checklist, and hired movers. You even got yourself one of those brand new fancy storage facilities to put your belongings in. However, what those articles don’t tell you isĀ what to put in storage.

There are some things that simply are not smart to be held in a storage facility. On the other hand, there are a couple of things that definitely need to be secured there. Thankfully, most of these things are quite on the nose, and really obvious. However, there are some things that you might want to take a second look before deciding to put them in storage.

What to put in storage when moving

If you have ever dabbled in the process of packing, you would notice that most guides that you can find online, highlight one important thing – decluttering. And for good reason, too. Deciding to pack your belongings can be quite overwhelming. So, finding out how and what to pack can be extremely dubious. That’s why most guides out there, recommend that you pack as least amount of items as possible. In other words, you want to pack only the bare essentials. Everything else can be replaced, removed, restored, or recycled.

a gray wooden sideboard
If you want to have a spacey apartment you might have to rethink what needs to get put in storage.

That’s probably when you first were greeted with the concept of “putting things in storage“. If you want to declutter you are inevitably going to need to put something into storage. Not all belongings can be packed or thrown away. Somethings you want to keep for later (ie furniture, books, etc.). That’s exactly where the science of learning what can go into storage comes into place.

1. Furniture

The reason why many people get a storage facility in the first place is for a place to place their furniture during the move. It’s definitely why most students use dorm room storage solutions. However, as you are going to see, putting furniture into storage might not be as good as an idea as you might think. Why? Well, because furniture losses in it’s durability as time goes on. So if you have a bed that’s older than 10 years you should probably get rid of it.

  • research suggests that you should get a new mattress every 7-10 years. Even earlier if you wake up with stiffness, dullness, pains, and discomforts. Or if it’s showing signs of wear and tear such as sogginess, rips, and holes, etc.

    A picutre of a padlock
    Storage offers you the comfort of knowing that all your belongings are under lock and key.

So in reality, you should only keep your furniture if it’s really worth it. Also, as a side note – selling your old furniture, and using that money to buy a piece of new furniture is also a strategy that we see people employ very often when moving. So you might want to investigate that frugal option as well!

2.What to put in storage – other large and bulky households appliances

Now another thing that we see people often place in storage facilities is household appliances such as dishwashers, refrigerators, and the like. However, keep in mind that the only time you actually want to store these appliances in storage facilities is when your housing is temporary. In that case, knowing that you have all your household appliances stored away for your new home can bring calmness to your everyday. In every other case, your household appliances shouldn’t be stored in storage facilities as they can suck up quite a bit of space.

3. Miscellaneous items

There are a lot of belongings that cannot fit into the above two mentioned categorized. Items such as books, pieces of art, magazines, important files, and documents. Now, while most of these items can be placed in storage, we recommend that you try a different approach. Something more… creative.

A picture of hardcover books
If you would like a slice of heaven just for you, consider making yourself a library out of your storage facility.

Create your own personal library.

While it’s easy to put books, magazines, and comics into storage, it’s also as easily forgettable. You know how the saying goes, out of sight, out of mind. That’s why we recommend that you create your own personal library out of your storage space! You just need to get yourself some bookshelves, a reading chair, and a lamp. And your all done! This will also help you in the path of solidifying your habit to read more books. Because you will now have a dedicated space made just for that. So that your brain knows exactly what it needs to do when you open those doors to your storage facility.

You can spend countless hours reading comics, books, or any other piece of art that you own. It’s like your own personal gallery of sorts.

What to put in storage – clothing

At last, but not least by importance – clothing and other seasonal items. Storage facilities are a great service if used right. Most people, unfortunately, use them wrong. People seem to think that placing things that they will never use in storage facilities is the way to go. However, as you can see from this article that can’t be farther from the truth. People should use storage facilities as a place in which you can temporarily place items that you will use later on.

So things like your skiing, rowing, and surfing equipment should all go to storage. There really is no reason to keep them at your house. Also, seasonal clothing items should all find their way here as well. Think of it this way, if you are not going to use it for at least 2 months, you should put it in storage.

In conclusion

Hopefully, by now, you understand exactly what to put in storage, and of what you should steer clear of. The idea is not to understand what items go into storage, and what items don’t. But rather the underlying concept and principle, which is to place only the items that you are going to use later down in line. That way you don’t fall into the trap of jamming things you will never use into your storage, only to be later found by one of those “Storage Wars” guys.

If you’ve found this article helpful, and are looking for a way to relocate your startup, make sure to check out commercial movers Columbus, Ohio, for the best deals. And if you act now, we will even throw in a free moving quote.

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