The biggest self-storage mistakes

In many cases, storage tends to be an afterthought. “Oops…I have too much stuff.” “Hmm…we don’t have space for this.” This is especially true with off-site storage, because whether it’s for the short term or the long term, not everyone plans to have a storage locker for decades (although it’s pretty common, and we’re all for it!). You realize that you don’t have enough room at home or at the office, and that’s when you rent a unit.

There’s no ‘wrong’ way to do self-storage. But there are definitely ways to make it more convenient and more useful. Here are some of the biggest mistakes you can make when you have an off-site storage locker:

Being disorganized

Even the most organized people can end up with ‘stuff overflow’ during a busy time in their lives, and end up putting everything in storage without much thought. “I’ll organize this later,” you might think. But if you’re truly busy, it may be a long time before you get around to it – and that’s if you do get around to it at all. The next time you’re looking for your summer clothes or Christmas decorations, you could end up digging through boxes and bags for hours. If you’re able to stay organized, every trip you make to your storage unit will be much more quick and convenient.

Forgetting about what you have

It’s one of the dreaded symptoms of not being organized: you don’t remember what you have in storage. Out of sight, out of mind, as they say. You may have belongings in storage that you needed last week. You might have even forgotten about that side table you bought a few months ago but didn’t have space for at the time. Instead of letting your self-storage unit become a black hole of lost stuff, check out these 5 free apps for keeping inventory.

Forgetting to pay

Another ‘out of sight, out of mind’ mistake is letting monthly bills pile up. You don’t want to risk losing your unit, so the best way to stay on top of your self-storage payments is to have a credit card on file with the facility so fees are automatically applied every month. This way, it’s truly like having an extension of your home storage off site: you never have to worry about it.

Not protecting your items

With climate-controlled units and high tech security options, self-storage facilities like Maple Leaf can protect your belongings even better than you may be able to at home. But a big mistake is not protecting delicate items, even when they’re left in a unit under optimal storage conditions. It may sound like common sense, but don’t leave a box of heavy items on top of a stack of picture frames. Throwing silk blouses in a bag can leave them crumpled and wrinkled. Letting moisture collect on things as you bring them into your unit can cause mildew, rust, and corrosion. The storage facility is doing their best to control variables in temperature and humidity, and how you store your goods will make a difference in how effective your storage can be.