The Key Long Term Storage Tips

Nothing quite captures the current Facebook and Instagram-fuelled zeitgeist like long-term travel. Where such trips used to be reserved for high-flying business executives or retirees, nowadays people of all ages are leaving their jobs or taking sabbaticals to go and see the world. In fact, given how well connected modern society is, anyone could live a nomadic lifestyle and still remain a few clicks away from their friends and family.

If you’re thinking of taking a leap into the unknown and don’t plan on returning for a while, you might be wondering where to put the belongings you’re leaving behind for the duration of your trip. If so, don’t worry, the team at Simply Storage are on hand to provide a solution and tips.

Why long-term self-storage is the answer

Quite simply, if you don’t have a place where you can keep your belongings free of charge, for example, a family member’s home, then renting a standard storage unit will be a fraction of the cost of renting actual living space. What’s more, if you do your research and choose your company carefully, you can get yourself a great deal!

How much storage space do you need?

This should be the first question you ask yourself, and could quite possibly take a while to arrive at a definitive answer. Not to worry though, the longer you spend on this, the more accurate your decision will be and, in turn, less money will be spent.

Start by organising all of your worldly possessions and arranging them into piles.You should have a pile of things that you’re going to take with you, a pile of things you will be putting into storage, and a final pile of things you wish to either throw away, sell or give to charity. If the addition of the last pile sounds particularly daunting, try to view it as an opportunity to streamline your life – it can be surprisingly rewarding!

If you have a solid idea of how much you are going to pack, take a look at our storage estimator, it should give you a clear idea of what size unit you will need to go for.

Pack your items properly

Once you know how much you are going to take with you, then your next job is packing. Although a pain, packing is an extremely important part of the storage process, and should be completed as carefully as possible to ensure that you belongings fit into your unit. Here are some quick tips for packing your things properly:

Ensure that any breakable items are well packed, using packing paper and the proper method.Make sure, once you’ve started loading your unit, that your boxes are stacked correctly and not perched precariously.Where possible, ensure that boxes and furniture are kept off the floor to avoid unnecessary damage.

Consider storage insurance

Since you will be going away for a rather long time, it might be worth considering insuring your items whilst they’re in storage. Research your current policy guidelines to see if any additional insurance is required when you rent your unit.

Based in Surrey, Simply Storage’s first-rate services can be accessed throughout Croydon, Epson, Hounslow, Kingston Upon Thames, Surbiton, Surrey, Wimbledon and Worcester Park. We pride ourselves on our ability to offer you home or business storage solutions, transport or packing facilities – all at affordable rates. If you wish to book our services, please get in touch with a friendly advisor today.