Whether you’re moving home, a business owner after business storage, or looking for somewhere to store your household clutter that has piled up, hiring a storage unit could come in handy. You will want to ensure your belongings are safe and secure in a storage facility, our possessions hold sentimental as well as financial value. 

At Now Storage, we’re here to offer some snippets of advice and pointers on how to protect your belongings in a storage unit.

Use a secure padlock

A wise tip to protect your personal possessions in a storage unit is to use a sturdy high-quality padlock that is difficult for thieves to break. Here at Now Storage, we supply you with high-quality secure padlocks on-site along with 24-hour CCTV-monitored surveillance, so there’s no need to purchase your own padlocks.

Find a reliable self storage provider 

Choosing a reliable competent self storage provider is key to protecting your belongings properly. Here at Now Storage, we always put customers and security first by taking excellent care of your possessions with our steel-enforced storage units. Please note, there are certain items we don’t allow you to store, including jewellery and money. You’re better off putting them in a safe.

Don’t give your money to a self storage company you don’t feel will do a good job of protecting your valuables. Do your research and everything will work out!

Keep an up-to-date inventory 

To protect possessions in a storage unit, keeping good track of them is a vital starting point.  You always want to realise as soon as possible and take action if you ever feel like something might be missing.  

An inventory helps you keep track of your belongings, so you would notice straight away if anything were to ever go missing. Make sure you keep your storage unit inventory up to date, recording any items you take out and new items you put in. 

Take photos of your belongings in storage

As well as having an up-to-date inventory listing your items in a storage unit, take photos of your possessions. Having photographs of items in your storage unit could help you make a successful insurance claim and give you peace of mind. 

Taking photos will also help to jog your memory by reminding you where your belongings are located in the unit, so you can access them quickly.

Put labels on your boxes

Another great way to keep track of your items in storage is to add labels to all your boxes. 

A key part of protecting your belongings in storage is making sure they avoid getting broken or damaged at any point. When moving house or putting items in a storage unit for business, you may be handling fragile objects such as glasses, plates, ornaments, TV and computer screens, light bulbs, and placing warning labels on boxes will help with this. 

You may even have to put special items holding sentimental value for you in a storage unit, such as wedding china, family photos, or baby clothes. Use labels and marker pens to remind yourself and others to handle such items with care, and to keep good track of everything.

Clean your belongings

Will you be storing items like muddy football boots, lawnmowers, or hedge trimmers? You ought to clean such items before putting them in a storage unit. Home and garden tools can easily get damaged through rust and not being maintained regularly. Keep things clean and tidy and give your belongings a good scrub before putting them in a storage unit!

Place heavier boxes at the bottom, lighter ones on top

Believe it or not, there’s virtually an entire strategy book on stacking boxes in a storage unit. To help protect your belongings, stack the heavier boxes at the bottom of the pile, and the lighter ones at the top. You don’t want to do it the other way round and have your heavier items crushing the lighter ones!

Think carefully about what size storage unit you will need

Another wise protective step is to hire a storage unit that is the right size to hold your belongings. You don’t want to overpack a small unit and damage your precious possessions as they squish together. At Now Storage, we offer units from 40 sq ft (the size of a large garden shed), right up to the largest at 320 sq ft (large enough to store the possessions of a 6-bed house).

You now should understand a fair bit more about how to protect your belongings in a storage unit. To find out more, telephone the Now Storage head office on 0800 0787 110, or send us a message on our website.