Remodeling your home is a difficult endeavor and, to be honest, kind of messy. Everything is covered in dust and there are building materials all over the place, while you’re dealing with multiple contractors who need access to different areas of the house. To top it all, you’re also trying to protect your belongings from the potential damages that might occur on the construction site your house has become. One way to avoid that hassle is to rent a self-storage unit for the duration of the renovation. Whether you’ll be remodeling the entire home in one go, or room by room, having somewhere safe to store your belongings will be a huge help.
We all know that packing can be quite a tedious chore, but, with a little bit of patience and by following the steps we’re recommending below, you’ll be able to get the job done in no time.
- Use this opportunity for decluttering your home. Remodeling is a golden opportunity to get rid of all the items that are simply taking up space in your home. Clothes and shoes you haven’t worn in years, toys your children no longer use, stacks of papers and magazines, old electronics and appliances – all of these can be sold, donated, or recycled.
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- Prepare your kitchen appliances for storing. You might feel that it’s too much work, but get your kitchen appliances (fridge, stove, dishwasher) out of the way and into self-storage when remodeling. These are expensive items, and you certainly don’t want them broken. Prior to packing and storing, do a deep clean and make sure the appliances are perfectly dry inside and out. Secure the doors with tape to prevent damages.
- Pick the right packaging. People tend to use whatever boxes they have around the house for packing, which is perfectly fine for things that don’t break. But you don’t want the boxes carrying expensive china or your prized record collection to disintegrate during the move. For such items, purchase sturdy boxes. Most storage facilities and moving companies sell them.
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- Start packing room by room. It’s the most logical approach when storing your items short-term. It makes unpacking a lot easier. Follow the same logic when you put the boxes into the self-storage unit: keep items from each room together. It will be less of a conundrum when you take everything back home.
- Use color-coded markers for each room. It’s essential to write on each box what it contains. Labels might peel off – use permanent markers instead. A neat trick is to use a different color for each room of the house: green for kitchen, red for living room, and so on. This way, you’ll know at first glance where each box needs to go.
- Hope for the best but prepare for the worst. Remodeling usually takes longer than planned. Whether you’ll continue living at home during that time, at a hotel or with relatives, make sure your family has what they need at hand: clothing, shoes, favorite toys, electronics, chargers, and school and work stuff. Pack a suitcase for each of you separately. Set aside a few boxes with frequently used items and put them in an easy-to-reach spot in the self-storage unit. It’s easier than rummaging through dozens of boxes to find your toddler’s favorite squishy toy.
- Protect your valuables. Important papers (birth or marriage certificates, financial documents), jewelry, and precious family heirlooms should be packed safely and separately from the rest of your items. Pick a durable metal box with a lock and store your valuables in it.
- Enlist the help of friends, family or a moving company for voluminous and heavy items. Don’t try to move your fridge or a massive wardrobe by yourself. It’s not safe, and you could end up damaging the object or, even worse, hurting yourself.
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- Purchase insurance that covers your belongings. Whether you take the in-house insurance provided by the storage facility or you prefer to shop around for a better offer, it’s important to get some sort of policy that covers the value of the things you stored.
- Transport your items in a suitable vehicle. Almost all self-storage companies rent vans or trucks that you can use to transport all your items in one go, without the hassle of multiple trips and trying to fit large boxes into small cars.
If you’re looking for storage in your area right now, check out STORAGECafé, a nationwide storage space marketplace that helps you find and rent a storage unit in no time!
