Dew Storage Center, LLC

Packing your belongings for short or long term storage is easy right?  Just throw everything into whatever box will hold it and cram it in the storage unit as tight as you can get it.  Wrong!  Below are several things you can do to make your packing easier and the storage of your personal belongings a more enjoyable experience.

• Before packing any items for storage, it is a good idea to take pictures or videotape of all your belongings.  In addition to pictures or videotape, remember to complete an inventory list of all your major items to be stored.  Never store those pictures, videotape or inventory list with the rest of your items.  Ask a trusted fried to keep those records for you in a fireproof and safe place.  Or, consider keeping them in a safe deposit box at your financial institution.

• It is a good idea to mark your valuables with your driver’s license number or the last four digits of your social security number.  You should engrave this number with an engraving tool or use a permanent marker.  Check at the local police station or library to see if they might have an engraver that you could use.

• Consider that temperatures inside a storage unit will differ greatly from the outside temperature.  During the summer, temperatures inside a storage unit can reach as high as 110 degrees on a hot day.  During winter months, sustained freezing can occur.  Therefore, do not store items that might get damaged during such temperature ranges.

• Consider purchasing an ABC range fire extinguisher and keeping it within easy reach just inside the door of the storage unit.

• Do not store dried foods or liquids inside store units.  Any dried or boxed foods will attract rodents into your personal belongings.  Once inside, mice, rats, and other bugs will eat more than the foods that were stored.  Liquids will freeze in the winter.  When they thaw, damage will occur to other items stored around where the liquids were.

• If the storage unit has electricity inside, do not attempt to plug in any type of refrigerator or freezer to try and keep some of your frozen meats.  If the power ever goes out, you will end up with a lot of spoiled meat, thousands of maggots, a smell that you will never get rid of, and end up throwing your refrigerator or freezer away.

• If you do store an empty refrigerator or freezer, make sure to prop the door open a little so air will circulate through the inside.  If not, mold and mildew will accumulate inside causing quite a mess.

• Make sure to drain all the hoses on your washing machine and make sure that the tub and water pump is empty.  If not, water will freeze inside the pump which may crack it.

• If you store a steam cleaning machine or carpet cleaner, make sure to drain all of the water and cleaning solution holding tanks.  Water will freeze inside the tanks, expand, and crack your tanks ruining your equipment.

• Do not store gas, oils, or any other flammable liquids inside a storage unit.  Always empty out the gas tanks on lawnmowers, snow blowers, chain saws, weed-eaters, etc. and leave the gas cap loose to prevent vapor build up.

• Do not store any guns or ammunition inside a storage unit.  Besides the possibility of theft, the ammunition could possibly ignite on a hot day.

• Wax candles or wax figurines will not do well inside a hot storage unit.  Consider asking a friend to keep these items for you instead of inside the storage unit.

• Do not load too much weight into one box. If you feel it has become heavy, divide the contents into two boxes. Remember, even though the boxes might seem sturdy, the taping on the seams will be the weakest point.

• Using a permanent marker, write down what each box contains and to what room it belongs. Do not write just on the top or on one side only.  Doing so may cause you extra time when trying to find the labeling while searching for an item or box.

• As an alternative to writing on the side of each box, consider typing out an inventory list and placing that list inside a Zip-Loc bag taped to one side of the box.  Or, obtain the type of plastic bags such as the Post Office or UPS uses and place your inventory in that.  Those bags have an adhesive on one side and will stick to your box better than using tape.

• Books, magazines and other paper files can get very heavy. They are easy to pack, but do not overload a box with too many.  It will be almost impossible to pick up an overloaded box.  Always place boxes with books on the bottom and stack lighter boxes on top.

• Consider wrapping paper objects such as books and magazines in plastic bags or plastic coverings before placing them in the box. This will prevent them either from accumulating moisture or from getting wet in case it rains.  A plastic garbage bag placed inside the box first will also work.

• Wrap each and every item with packing paper, tissue paper, bubble wrap, plastic foam or an old cloth. This will keep them separate, provide a cushion against damage, and will aide in unpacking the items.  For delicate items such as china and crystal, use extra paper or wrapping material.  Consider taping the ends of the paper or bubble wrapping to prevent unwrapping while packing or unpacking.

• Before placing any kind of wooden furniture into self storage, wax it well with wood wax or furniture polish. This will prevent moisture from affecting the wood and will keep the wood from drying out.

• If your furniture can be dismantled easily, do so. It will prolong the life of that piece and make it easier to store. If you dismantle furniture, collect the nuts and bolts of each item into a plastic bag and tape it firmly to the dismantled set. Be sure to label each bag as to what piece of furniture it belongs to, and where the hardware should be reattached during re-assembly of the furniture.

• Always place a thick cloth such as an old carpet, rug, pillows, old blankets, cardboard, or moving blankets between wooden furniture during moving and storage to prevent scratching and other damage.

• Place your mattresses and box springs in special plastic mattress bags available at any hardware store. This will prevent them from absorbing moisture and from losing shape.  It will also prevent your mattress from collecting dust while in storage.

• If possible, store your electronic equipment in its original box.  If you have already thrown the boxes out, try asking at your local electronic store for a box and packing material that will fit your equipment. Otherwise, wrap them as if you were wrapping glass or crystal.

• Always remove the batteries from your remotes and any toys.  Batteries will expand and contract during temperature changes and will leak over time.  Battery acid will corrode the inside of your remote rendering it useless.

• Do not place compact discs or DVD’s in plastic wrap. When the storage unit heats up, the temperature inside the bag will increase possibly destroying the disc.

• Apply a thin coating of oil to any metal or steel items before you wrap them. Sewing machine oil or WD 40 will help to prevent rusting.

• Place some moth-balls inside the boxes that your clothes, coats, or blankets are stored in.  Consider placing a couple of air fresheners throughout the storage unit to reduce odors.

Summary:
One of the most important things to remember when planning to move your stuff into a self storage access facility, is to start in time. Try not to rush through your packing or your moving. Other than the mental discomfort, your goods might get damaged and spoil your self storage experience.