Spring Cleaning

Why do people always assume that spring is the best time for cleaning? The reason is simple – storage rotation. In many parts of the world, the seasons are about to change dramatically – and that means pulling stuff out of storage – everything from seasonal wardrobes to seasonal tools such as lawnmowers and gardening tools. At the same time, you may have a lot of things that you’d like to put back into storage: snowblowers, sleds, winter sports gear, holiday decorations that never got put away. There’s no denying that it’s an ideal time to clean – if you can find the energy.

There are two ways to handle spring cleaning: the gradual method and the all-at-once method. If you can spare a weekend to do nothing but clean, the all-at-once method has a distinct advantage, in that you can get the whole job done at once – especially if your entire family can be persuaded to help. But if you can’t free up an entire day or weekend, you are stuck with the gradual route. Don’t worry – it can be done! Here is a week-by-week planner to help you accomplish your spring cleaning well before Memorial Day:

Week 1: Focus first on the stuff that you need to get rid of: the things that you plan to give away, throw out, or recycle. Go through one room at a time, sorting clutter into these three categories. Tackle one room of your home each day this week. Each day, when you are done, end the day by taking trash bags to your dumpster or bins, and packing the trunk of your car with bags and boxes of things to be given away or recycled. At the end of the week, at a time when you are running other errands, stop to unload your already packed trunk of donatable items.

Week 2: Next, go back to your closets. Empty and clean each closet. Put back into the closet only what you will need there for the season. Anything else you can pack up and put into the trunk of your car, just as you did with the “to donate” items during week 1. When you have finished going through your closets (and possibly your basement, attic, or garage), drive your by now thoroughly packed car over to your storage unit and do a rotation: putting out-of-season items back into storage, and taking newly in-season items out of storage. Or, if you do not use a storage unit, modify this process for your basement, attic, or other preferred storage space.

Week 3: It’s time to declutter your home’s living space. But this should not be such a hard process, now that you’ve already pulled out everything you wanted to get rid of, and now that you have clean closets. Here are some tips to help you deal with the most challenging pieces of clutter you may find:

• Make a special box for home office clutter. At the end of the week, take all the home office clutter that you’ve collected from other places, and go through it. Make sure that you have a designated location to save tax information and receipts, and a place to save reference materials such as account numbers, school directories, and the like (a three-ring binder is a good choice for this).
• Take digital photos of children’s art work, and use the photos to make a screensaver for your computer, or load the photos into a digital photo frame to put in your living room. Then, ruthlessly throw out the originals. Alternatively, if your children have produced original art work that is too precious to throw out (even if you have a digital picture of it), frame it and put it on your wall. That way, you can still enjoy the art, and it won’t be floating around where you can trip on it, spill things on it, or lose it.
• Make liberal use of book shelves. Book shelves are an organizer’s best friend. They don’t have to be used to hold books. Shelves can be used to hold files, children’s art supplies, baskets of craft items, etc. The same stuff that looks like clutter when it is sitting on your living room coffee table will look artfully organized if you throw it in a wicker basket and put it on a shelf.

Week 4: Finally, you’ve reached cleaning week. Even if you don’t like to clean, this week shouldn’t be that bad. You will have already decluttered, and you’ve already cleaned your closets. This is the week when you can go through the house doing all those once-a-year jobs that tend to get put off: washing the drapes, cleaning the windows, steam-cleaning the carpets, testing smoke detectors, and if you are very thorough, dusting on top of and behind appliances such as your refrigerator and stove. If you again divide the week up, doing one chore per day, you should be rewarded with a sparkling clean house by the end of the week.

If you have to, there is an even faster method. It’s not organized, it’s not ideal, but it works in an emergency. Collect boxes, and go through each room in your house, throwing anything that won’t be missed for a while into a box. Empty rooms of clutter as ruthlessly as possible. Take your clutter-filled boxes and put them immediately into storage. Do the same thing for your closets. You’ll find that your rooms and closets look much more organized right away, as soon as they are clutter-free. Then go through and do your personal version of a superfast emergency housecleaning. This method will leave you with a storage space full of clutter-filled boxes that you’ll need to go back to later to sort out. But if you need to have your home clean and organized in a hurry – this is what you’ll want to do. If you’re lucky, you’ll find that nobody misses the clutter that you stored in your whirlwind house cleaning.

Packing efficiently for self storage

Self-storage units don’t have to be a space you visit once or twice a year to dig something out of a stack of boxes. They can be highly organized, easily accessible spaces that free up necessary space in your home or office. To get the most out of them, though, it is best to plan ahead before you start loading up the truck. Here are steps to help you plan:
Step 1: Plan What You Will Store

1. Start by identifying items that will be packed in boxes and stacked.
2. Prioritize boxed items you will want to access most frequently (they’ll go closer to the front of the unit).
3. Group by fragility or weight – heavier, sturdier items should be stored on the bottom of stacked items, fragile items on top.
4. Consider awkwardly-sized items that won’t stack well, including how often you will need to use them, and how heavy they are.

Step 2: Choose the Right Size Unit
Nobody wants to pay for storage they don’t need. But a little extra space makes moving around within the unit much easier. It also gives you room to add those unplanned items that always seem to pop up.
Storage facility managers can be quite helpful in determining how much space you will need. The Extra Space Virtual Storage Unit Selector is also helpful in calculating size requirements.

Step 3: Organize and Pack Your Items with a Plan in Mind
Organizing and efficiently packing your items will take time and concentration. However, the up-front effort will be well worth it when you’re able to easily unload and organize your items at the storage unit. Here are some tips for packing:

Invest in Supplies

• Use boxes, not plastic bags. Boxes are sturdier and stack well, taking up less space. Many moving companies require that goods be packed in boxes for transport. Also, sealed plastic bags can trap humidity which can cause damaging mildew.
• Invest in good quality, sturdy boxes and packing materials. Boxes should be sturdy enough to hold up for years under the weight of the stack. You may be tempted to get boxes for free from supermarkets and liquor stores; however, the mismatched shapes and sizes will impede your ability to organize most effectively. You can buy standard-sized boxes and specialty boxes for items such as TVs, videotapes and pictures.
• For wrapping breakables, paper will do, but bubble wrap can be used repeatedly, is cleaner, and because it is transparent, makes identifying contents easier.
• Most people end up needing more tape than they thought they would when packing. Your self-storage manager can help you estimate how much tape you’ll need for the number of boxes you’ll be packing. Some places sell tape that is pre-labeled.

For your convenience, packing supplies such as boxes, bubble wrap and tape are available for purchase at the storage facility.

Packing in Boxes

• Box up everything that you can. Anything left unboxed in a self-storage facility can get dusty.
• Fill boxes to capacity. The contents in half-empty boxes can shift during transport or lifting. Corners and sides can collapse if there’s nothing to support them. Foam peanuts are handy for filling in the gaps in boxes.
• Distribute the weight in packed boxes evenly. Make sure they are not too heavy for you and others who may be lifting them.
• Wrap all fragile items and breakables such as dishes, glasses, ornaments, etc. separately. Pack these items tightly into strong or reinforced boxes, filling any gaps with paper or filler. Mark “Fragile” on any boxes containing breakable items.
• Clearly label all boxes on more than one side so you can easily identify the contents.
• Pack books flat to avoid damaging their spines.

Packing Other Items

• If you plan to store clothes, think about investing in a wardrobe box with a built-in hanging rod. These are available for purchase at most storage and moving facilities.
• Large appliances must be prepared correctly for proper storage:
  • Defrost refrigerators and freezers thoroughly to avoid water damage and mildew growth. Tie down the appliance doors during transport, but leave them slightly ajar once in storage.
  • Drain washing machines, and tie down hoses and cords before storing them.
  • It’s a good idea to wipe down the inside of appliances with baking soda before you store them to keep them dry.
• Wrap mirrors and pictures in protective covering such as bubble wrap and mark them as “Fragile.” Cardboard corners can be purchased to protect the sharpest, weakest areas of frames.
• If storing photographs, consider a climate controlled unit where temperature fluctuations will not damage your photos. If you do store loose photographs, place them between pieces of clean cardboard and consider taping them together to avoid curling.
• Separate lamp bases and lampshades and wrap them for protection.
• If you're storing upholstered products such as mattresses and sofas, consider investing in covers, bags or sheeting for additional protection. Storage and moving facilities often sell large heavy-duty bags for this purpose.
• Vacuum-sealed bags work really well for draperies, bedding, and clothing.
• Electrical equipment such as TVs, stereos, and computers should be packed in their original boxes whenever possible. If using other boxes, choose ones that are as close in size to the original as possible, and fill all gaps with paper. Make sure you secure the player arm of a record player and turntable.
• Disassemble furniture such as beds and tables before you store them. Wrap and cover the separate sections, clearly mark them and keep them together. Keep assembly components such as screws and bolts together in a plastic bag, mark them clearly, and tape the bag to the appropriate piece of furniture. (Use tape that is safe for use on furniture, or tape the bag to an inconspicuous place on the piece.) Cover chair legs with bubble wrap or rags for extra protection.
• Spray your wood furniture with a good quality furniture polish before storing it to give it some added protection.
• Treat leather items with a leather conditioner before you store them.
• Wipe down metal objects and tools with a little oil before storing them to avoid rust formation that can occur when the tools are not used regularly.
• When storing a vacuum cleaner, clean out the bag or canister first; bacteria, mold and vermin can accumulate otherwise.
• When storing an oven as well as a refrigerator, enclose the exposed back area of the appliances to prevent vermin.
• Consider having awkward or heavy pieces such as exercise equipment packed professionally. Talk to your storage facility manager or local pack-and-ship store about options.

As you go, keep an inventory of every item you’ve packed. Ideally, include an estimate of the replacement value of each item you store. Consider taking pictures of valuable items. These steps will help you make accurate insurance claims in case of unforeseen damage or loss.

Step 4: Unpack and Arrange Items Efficiently
Before you load up the truck to take your packed items to your self-storage unit, check with the storage facility manager to make sure there is adequate space for the truck to maneuver to your unit.
As you arrive at the facility and begin to unload, arranging your furniture, equipment, boxes, and other odds-and-ends efficiently in your storage unit will make a big difference in maximizing its convenience.
Here are a few tried-and-true suggestions for putting items into your unit:

Plan ahead

• While your storage unit should already be clean and swept out, consider putting down protective canvas sheeting, cardboard or wooden boards on the floor for cleanliness.
• Keep a fold-up step stool in your space for accessing hard-to-reach areas.
• Based on the climate in which you live or work, consider putting down moisture absorbers, deodorizers and/or vermin bait to protect your belongings.
• Frequently-used items should be placed near the entrance for easy access. This holds true for file boxes and other business items, too.
• To ensure security of valuable items such as computers or TVs, place them farthest from the door, with other items concealing them.
• Unload the largest items and place them against the far wall, as well as along the sides of the unit. See if the storage facility has dollies or other machinery that you can use to unload and place these heavy items. Some self-storage companies will offer these free of charge.
• For archived business documents that you won’t need to access frequently, place them against the far wall of the unit.
• When arranging items, leave an aisle space for easy access to your items. You can either leave aisles between your stacks of boxes and furniture, or line up all your furniture and boxes against the outside walls of the unit in a “U” shape, leaving the inside of the U as open space.

For furniture and other large items

• Break down furniture into smaller pieces, if possible. Take the legs off of tables, disassemble bed frames and lean them against the wall, etc.
• Cover furniture with sheets or tarps to protect them against scratches, dust and other damage..
• Store large pieces of furniture vertically to save space. Stand sofas on end when possible.
• If you have room to store a sofa flat, then a loveseat can be placed upside down on top of the sofa, and a table stacked on top of that.
• Chairs can be stacked seat to seat.
• In most cases, you can stack dryers on top of washers.

For odd-shaped, miscellaneous items

• You can tie tools and long-handled items such as rakes, snow shovels and brooms in bundles. Or, put them inside garbage cans to keep them neat.
• Mirrors and framed artwork should never be stored flat, as they can collapse under their own weight.
• Be sure when stacking boxes and containers that you can clearly see the labels you put on them.
• When stacking boxes, always make sure to put the heaviest boxes at the bottom to avoid damage.
• Stack boxes and similarly sized items together to save space.

Be creative

• You can use virtually all of the space in and around your stored furniture, including other items, as places to store more items. Fill anything that's hollow with items to maximize your available space:
• Furniture drawers are good for storing fragile items
• Stack the shelves of bookcases with books, small boxes and other odds and ends
• Store boxes containing fragile goods inside of wardrobes
• Store pillows, blankets and other bedding inside washers and dryers
• Store clothes inside dresser drawers

You may be thinking that all this planning, preparing and setting up your self-storage unit may seem like a big project. You’ll find the time and effort are worth it, though, when you discover the peace of mind that comes with knowing your belongings are protected, conveniently accessible and well-preserved.

Our EZ Stow Mini Storage representative can answer any questions you may have, and give you suggestions on how to store your items to maximize space. Give us a call at 828.884.5489

Choose the right size self storage unit

Estimating how much space you will need for your storage items can be simple if you know what you want to store. Here are some simple steps to help you plan, and size recommendations based on commonly-stored items.

Step 1: Start by making a list of the items you plan to store.
Step 2: Group the items according to how you will organize them.

Start by identifying items that will be packed in boxes and stacked. Next, prioritize boxed items you will want to access most frequently (they’ll go closer to the front of the unit). Then group by fragility or weight – heavier, sturdier items should be stored on the bottom of stacked items, fragile items on top. Then consider awkwardly-sized items that won’t stack well, including how often you will need to use them, and how heavy they are.

Step 3: Make note of how these items will be packed and organized.

Boxes and containers should be of uniform size, and should be stacked no more than three- or four-high, depending on the size and strength of the containers you use. At Extra Space, our customers often use heavy-duty plastic stackable drawers for easy access to stored items.
There are several basic sizes of storage units. Below is a quick-reference guide to help you plan what size unit you will need for your personal or business storage:
Storage of Personal Items

• 5' x 10' (50 sq. ft.) – Will hold furnishings of a mid-size bedroom, including a queen-size bed, dresser, TV, and a few storage boxes.
• 10' x 10' (100 sq. ft.) – Will hold the contents of an entire family room or two full bedrooms.
• 10' x 15' (150 sq. ft.) – Will hold the contents of up to three bedrooms in this unit. Recommended for larger items such as pianos, couches, tables, or large-screen TVs.
• 10' x 20' (200 sq. ft.) – Will hold the contents of a five-bedroom house, including a refrigerator, washer/dryer, dining room table, chairs and large boxes.
• 10' x 30' (300 sq. ft.) – Will hold the contents of a 5- to 7-bedroom house, including large items such as a couch, bed, fridge, and entertainment center.

Storage of Business Items

• 5' x 10' (50 sq. ft.) – Will hold the contents of one office room, including desks, bookcases, filing cabinets and large storage boxes. Ideal for storing equipment and tools.
• 10' x 10' (100 sq. ft.) – Will hold the contents of an entire office, including desks, chairs, computers and a few storage boxes.
• 10' x 15' (150 sq. ft.) – Will hold the contents of three office rooms could fit in this size unit, including several desks, computers and boxes.
• 10' x 20' (200 sq. ft.) – Will hold the contents of five office rooms (desks, computers, bookcases and file cabinets) in this size, or a five-year supply of business and tax files.
• 10' x 30' (300 sq. ft.) – Will hold the contents of five office rooms – many desks, several large boxes, seasonal storage, a few sets of large storage shelves and/or a few pallets of inventory, depending on how high you stack them.

It is always a good idea to visit  storage units to get a visual sense of the space you will be working with.

Our EZ Stow Mini Storage  representative can answer any questions you may have, and give you suggestions on how to store your items to maximize space. Give us a call at 828.884.5489

What should or should not be stored in a self storage unit?

Self-storage is an excellent option for storing overflow of many different types of materials from your home or business. You can think of your storage unit as a second garage or business supply room.
When planning what to store in your unit, whether for business or personal purposes, consider that all storage facilities have restrictions on what they will allow you to store on their premises. This is for the protection of not just you and your belongings, but the facility staff and other customers and their goods. You will be required to sign a lease indicating that you understand and agree to adhere to the rules and restrictions for what items are allowable. As a general rule, any item or material that is considered “inherently dangerous” will not be allowed. 

In preparation for renting a storage unit, make out a preliminary inventory of the items you wish to store. Bring this with you to review with the storage facility manager to make sure you’ll be in full compliance with the list of allowable items. Full disclosure of what you will be storing is required. Or, if you’re not sure if an item is allowed, call the self-storage facility ahead of time to find out. This will prevent any related inconvenience upon arriving at the storage site.

Extra Space frequently gets questions about what is acceptable to store. Here is a list of items and materials about which we are commonly asked:

Combustible, Flammable, Hazardous or Toxic Materials
Considered “inherently dangerous,” these include gasoline, compressed gas, propane tanks, kerosene, lamp and motor oil, acid, grease, corrosives, fertilizer, paint, cleaners, chemicals, narcotics, or hazardous, toxic or biological waste. Asbestos or products containing asbestos are not allowed. You also cannot store fireworks, explosives, weapons or ammunition.

Tires & Vehicles
Storing vehicles is generally acceptable, as long as they are registered, insured and in operational condition. Most facilities will not let you store more than four tires in your self-storage unit because of the cost to dispose of them.

Medical/Pharmaceutical Supplies & Equipment
If you are a sales representative, you may find a self-storage unit a convenient place to manage medical supplies and pharmaceutical samples. It is a useful way to keep your products organized and easily accessible without cluttering up your office or filling your car trunk. While most supplies are acceptable, radioactive equipment – or anything that contains radioactive materials – cannot legally be stored.

Construction Equipment
If you work in construction, it can be convenient to stop by the storage unit on the way to the site and pick up the equipment you need. However, please check with the self-storage facility before planning to store any construction equipment. Some equipment – for example, equipment used to locate underground water – is prohibited.

Perishable Food and Animal Products
Canned foods can be stored in storage units, but perishable food products such as cereals, produce or meats are not allowed. These may spoil or attract pests.

Miscellaneous Prohibited Items
Any animals or plants – alive or dead – cannot be stored. Nor can any stolen items. People are not allowed to plug in or use refrigerators, freezers, generators, space heaters or live in storage units.

Contact EZ Stow Mini Storage for more information about climate control and other storage options.