At Hogleaze Storage, we see a wide range of items being left in our Dorset storage units. From sentimental pieces to higher worth items like antiques and furniture – we’ve seen it all!
With this in mind, we wanted to provide you with some top tips for storing your valuables.
Label everything and keep a record of it
Regardless of which valuables you are storing, for peace of mind when you come to take it out of your unit, labelling everything is essential. It will allow you to also know what items will be fragile as well, avoiding any breakages along the way!
Before you fill up your storage unit, it’s important to also make an inventory of what is being stored. This way you will have documented every item and won’t have to worry about forgetting where you’ve put it.
Protect those precious antiques
A very common item to be stored at Hogleaze Storage is antiques, as many people don’t want to sell them but just don’t have space in their home anymore.
Fortunately, by storing these valuables in a secure storage unit, you can be rest assured that you won’t have any damp problems, which is a frequent issue people can get when storing antiques in garages, sheds or outhouses.
Antiques come in all shapes and sizes so it’s important you protect them as best as you can:
- Use cardboard corners – these are handy for sharp breakable objects such as mirrors or units
- Use bubble wrap for smaller items
- Cover with sheets or fabric covers to avoid scratches, bumps, bruises and further damage
- Box ‘em up!
Keep your storage unit and valuables clean
The last thing you want to do is get your valuables dirty or ruined when moving them from your home into your unit.
Some items, such as books, need to be kept dust free to preserve them, you especially don’t want a case of mould building up on your precious items. A quick dust around your unit every now and then can make a big difference.
Remember: Don’t use harsh chemicals on valuables as this can tarnish them.
Make full use of your storage space
You want to make sure you make use of every inch of your unit whilst still making sure it’s accessible and has been stacked safely to ensure breakables or valuables stay intact.
So whether you have a 25sqft or 150sqft space to play with, think carefully about your storage stacking:
- Stack longer items such as mirrors horizontally to avoid them falling over
- Stack similar sized items on top of each other
- Don’t try a balancing act just to get more in your unit, know when enough is enough
- Consider if you will need to access items at the back, make a small galley if your unit is big enough
- Use boxes to avoid things falling over
- Use the labelling technique we mentioned earlier
- Ensure all boxes to be stacked are full, especially when storing books
Check the security of your storage unit
When choosing somewhere to store your valuables, your first thought will probably be ‘are my valuables safe?’ Hogleaze Storage puts the safety of your items first with the following measures:
- CCTV cameras
- Key fob entry
- Surveillance
- Alarmed entry
- Number plate recognition on entry
- Insurance for your goods stored can be arranged
Contact Hogleaze Storage for your storage units
Hopefully, this article has given you some food for thought when it comes to keeping your valuables safe in a storage unit.
For more tips and advice, follow us on Facebook, alternatively, for a free storage unit quote, get in touch with our Dorchester team on 01305 889777 or Weymouth on 01305 830000.