House To Home Moving Blog

So now you know how to pack and organize your storage unit. But what if you have too much stuff, and you don’t want to up the size of your storage unit? Here’s how to maximize your storage unit’s space!

Maximize your storage unit’s space by starting at the bottom

The best way to maximize space in your storage unit is to start at the bottom and stack up. Put your heaviest boxes on the bottom layer. Then work your way up to the top, putting your lightest items there. Just remember to leave an aisle to walk through your storage unit and to keep necessary items accessible.

Maximize your storage unit’s space by installing shelving

Did you know you can install shelving in your storage unit? You can purchase hanging shelves and temporarily drill them into the wall, or get large plastic or metal shelves that stand on the ground. This can help organize large or oddly shaped items that won’t fit in boxes.

Maximize your storage unit’s space by using furniture

When you pack furniture for a storage unit, take it apart as much as possible. For items like dresser drawers that can’t be broken down, pack smaller boxes and fragile items in the drawers and underneath. Get creative!

Before you find out how to pack and organize a storage unit, you need to get your storage unit ready to hold your belongings.

Inventory what you’re taking

Before your belongings get lost forever in a sea of boxes, write down a list of what’s going into the storage unit. With your inventory list in hand, you won’t have to spend hours trying to remember if your favorite winter sweater is hiding in your closet or packed away in your storage unit. Before you decide how to pack and organize your storage unit, write down what’s being moved and include the details below on that inventory list.

Organize your storage unit by priority

Remember the inventory list from earlier? Take a look at it again and highlight those items you think you’ll need most often from your storage unit. Will you need your winter coats in a few weeks? Will you want to use your golf clubs once a month? Whatever items you might need to access regularly should be stored at the front of your storage unit. On the other hand, if you’re not going to need your grandma’s dining room table until you move into a new house in two years, it can be stored in the very back corner of your storage unit.

Organize your storage unit with descriptive labels

If you want to have any hope of finding what you’re looking for in your storage unit, you’re going to need labels. For example, labels like “kitchen” are not very specific. You could easily end up with four or five different kitchen boxes and never be able to find the cookie cutters you need. Instead, label boxes with a simple list of contents: instead of “kitchen,” write “cookie cutters, pancake griddle, measuring cups, mixing bowls.”

Organize your storage unit by creating a map

If you want to make finding what you need a whole lot easier, create a storage unit map. Before you move anything in, lay out your storage unit on a piece of paper and assign every box and piece of furniture a place. Then plan a pathway throughout the storage unit so you can easily access what you need. Keep your map and when the time to recover a sweater or book comes, you can find exactly what you need in mere minutes.

Get your home ready for the new year with these simple steps:

Clean Kitchen Ceilings and Walls

Moisture and smoke from all your holiday cooking can build up on the ceilings and walls of your kitchen. Use a sponge mop with a cleaning mixture made up of dish soap and warm water to clean the ceiling. Use the same mixture with a sponge to wipe down your walls. Rinse with warm water, and your ceiling and walls will look like new.

Flip Mattress

To make sure your mattress wears evenly, flip your mattress every 4-6 months. When you flip your mattress you should also vacuum the mattress and boxspring using the upholstery attachment to remove dust and dirt.

Clean and Organize The Pantry

Take everything out of your pantry, wipe down all the shelves and vacuum the floor. Take this time to reorganize your pantry and throw out any food that is expired or that your family isn’t going to eat.

Clean and Organize The Junk Drawer

Similar to the pantry, dump everything out and wipe clean. Consider lining the drawer with a shelf liner, or leftover wallpaper scraps. This will help protect the wood in the drawers and make cleaning easier in the event that something leaks. Reorganize the drawer by using a drawer organizer or any other household item like tupperware or even ice cube trays.

Dry Clean Linens

After the holidays, take delicate tablecloths and other linens to the drycleaners.

To some people, home improvement is a hobby. To most other people, however, it’s a chore. In an ideal world no chair would wear or tear, and that sweet new sofa you snagged for $50 on Craigslist would be in perfect condition.

Fortunately, the world is filled with bright minds, whose calling is to illuminate our busy lives with items that will simplify it.

We have compiled a list of genius products that will make your life a little bit easier.

Paint Buddy:

Don’t worry about touching about your walls anymore! Once you’ve finished putting the finishing touches on the paint job in your living room, fill up this lil guy with your remaining paint. One week later, when your dog gets his muddy paws on the wall, you won’t even bat your eyes. Paint Buddy to the rescue! The wall will be returned to good-as-new condition, sans that awkward paint color that you just THOUGHT was the right shade.

Sugru:

Nobody’s perfect, and neither is that new table you acquired from your Great Aunt Rose! It’s wobbly, scratchy, and just a little drab. Sugru can fix that. This moldable glue turns into rubber overnight. Mold some to the base of the table legs, push it into any cracks or holes, and soon enough, Rose’s table will be working as good as new!

Paint2it Pro:

Lets face it: painting is a messy, messy task. But don’t worry about lining the floor with garbage bags –Paint Handy has got you covered. The tool serves as a home for paint that doesn’t allow for any drips or spills, and is very easy to hold whilst on a ladder. Check out this video and see for yourself!

Complete these tasks after you move into your new home.

Cleanliness is a factor that will make your home last longer and work better. Dust and dirt, if allowed to accumulate, can harm the finishes on blinds, cabinets, countertops, floors, sinks, tubs, toilets, walls, tiles and other items. If dirt does accumulate, make sure to clean it with a substance that does not scratch or damage the finishes.

One of the most important things to remember is that you are responsible for certain routine maintenance items to keep your house functioning properly. These tasks tend to be relatively simple. For instance, many types of heating and air conditioning systems contain filters to remove dirt and dust from the air. A homeowner should change these filters when necessary.

On the outside of your home, make sure that gutters and downspouts do not get clogged with leaves or other objects. The exterior of your house is built to withstand exposure to the elements, but a periodic cleaning will improve the appearance and, in many instances, prolong the life of siding and other exterior products.