Already thinking of how you can make some changes in 2020? With New Year just around the corner, many of us will be creating some resolutions, which often involve getting more organised and sorting our the home.
Whether you need to store your Christmas tree somewhere whilst you sort out your loft, or those new toys for the kids are cluttering up the hallway, it’s out with the old and in with the new meaning now could be a good time to look at household storage units.
But, before you commit to booking self storage units, have you thought about how you can make the best use of them and potentially save yourself some money? Here are our top tips…
Be brutal before storing
So many people we talk to end up storing belongings that they won’t ever use again or need, but just keep ‘for the sake of it’ or because they’re a secret hoarder – do you really still need that TV from 2005 when you’ve just got a shiny new smart TV?
This is a great time to be a bit brutal with your possessions, you could either give some to charity, sell them, or as a last resort head to your local tip. Then once the culling is complete, you’ll have a better sense of how much you need to store in your unit.
Read our article on how to become a minimalist which will give you some more useful tips >>
Choose the correct self storage unit size
One thing you don’t want to happen is that you choose your storage unit size, start filling it up and then realise you could have opted for one half the size, or on the other end of the spectrum, it’s far too small and you have to rent another one!
At Hogleaze Storage, we offer many different sized units across both our sites so you can store your belongings with ease. These include:
- 25 sq ft – size of a cupboard
- 35 sq ft
- 50 sq ft – size of a small bedroom
- 65 sq ft
- 75 sq ft – size of half a single garage
- 100 sq ft
- 150 sq ft – the size of a single garage
- 200 sq ft – the size of a small double garage
If you are unsure what size is best for you, get in touch with our team who will be able to advise by contacting us here >>
Know how long you plan to store for
In many cases when looking for household storage units, you will find that you can bag yourself a discount when you store for a certain length of time. Whilst it’s not feasible for some of us to know how long to store for and a rolling contract might be the best option, others may know they want to store for 6 months + or maybe a year or more if you are moving abroad or for extended travelling periods.
Here at Hogleaze, we offer flexible storing contracts for long and short term rentals.
Get the right packing materials
You want to make use of every bit of space you can get to within your household storage unit, so packing your belongings properly is a good place to start.
- Buy plenty of boxes and pack items carefully to save space. Make sure the boxes are full as this will also allow you to stack the packed boxes much more easily so you can take advantage of the height of your unit too.
- Utilise your items to store other smaller items – if you’re storing a wardrobe, dresser, or desk, use the space inside so you’re not wasting any precious sq ft.
- Label your boxes – if you have fragile items, you want to make sure you don’t overload those boxes, so leave them till last and make sure they’re labelled.
Did you know we can supply packing boxes, bubble wrap and tape? Just ask our storage experts when you enquire for a price list.
Store sensibly
A popular reason for requiring household storage units is due to home renovations, but it can be a real nightmare if you put your sofa at the back of your unit only to realise 2 months later you need to get just that item out. Think about the items you will need to collect first, and pack your unit in the right order to save yourself the hassle.
Speak to an expert
If you have questions about our self storage units and how to best store your household belongings, firstly take a look at our FAQ page.
If you still need questions answered, speak to our team at either our Weymouth site on 01305 830000 or at our Dorchester site on 01305 889777. We have become the experts at estimating the size of the unit you will require.