Storage Tips & Guide

Make the Most of Your Storage Space

Using self storage is much easier when you plan ahead.

Whether you are moving house, decluttering, renovating, storing business stock or simply running out of room at home, a little preparation can help protect your belongings and make your storage unit much easier to use.

This guide covers the practical things worth thinking about before you pack, while you are loading your unit and whenever you return to access your belongings.

At Perth Self Store, we provide storage options ranging from smaller indoor units through to larger storage spaces and drive-up containers, so the way you organise your unit can be adapted to what you are storing.

Use the tips below to make your storage space work harder for you.

Choose the Right Size Storage Unit

One of the first decisions is how much space you actually need.

Choosing a unit that is too small can leave you trying to squeeze possessions into every available gap. Choosing one that is much larger than necessary can mean paying for unused space.

Start by making a rough inventory of everything you intend to store.

Think about:

• How Many Boxes You Will Have
• Large Pieces of Furniture
• Appliances
• Business Stock
• Tools and Equipment
• Items That Cannot Be Stacked
• Whether You Need Space to Walk Around Inside the Unit

Perth Self Store has indoor units ranging from approximately 4 sq ft to 140 sq ft, alongside outdoor drive-up storage options.

If you are unsure about the amount of space you need, tell our team what you intend to store. It is usually easier to estimate a suitable unit when we know the type and quantity of items involved.

Sort Your Belongings Before Packing

Storage is much easier when you avoid moving things you no longer need.

Before you start packing, divide your belongings into sensible groups. Decide what needs to go into storage, what should stay with you and whether anything can be sold, donated, recycled or disposed of.

This is particularly useful when moving house or decluttering because it prevents unwanted items from simply moving from one location to another.

A good approach is to create four groups:

• Keep With You
• Put Into Storage
• Sell or Donate
• Dispose or Recycle

Once you know exactly what is going into storage, choosing your unit and planning how to pack it becomes much easier.

Use Strong, Consistent Boxes

Good-quality boxes make an enormous difference when storing belongings.

Where possible, use strong cardboard or plastic storage boxes that are similar in size. Boxes of consistent dimensions are easier to stack and make better use of vertical space.

Avoid overfilling boxes. A box that is too heavy can split when lifted, while a partially empty box may collapse if heavier boxes are stacked on top.

Pack heavier belongings into smaller boxes and lighter belongings into larger boxes.

Books, tools and paperwork can become surprisingly heavy very quickly, so distributing them across several smaller containers can make moving and stacking considerably easier.

Label Every Box Clearly

Do not rely on remembering what you packed.

Label each box on more than one side so the description can still be seen once boxes are stacked together.

Instead of vague labels such as “miscellaneous”, be specific.

For example:

• Kitchen – Saucepans and Baking Equipment
• Bedroom – Winter Clothing
• Office – Accounts and Tax Documents
• Living Room – Books and Decorations
• Business – January Promotional Stock

You could also number your boxes and keep a simple inventory on your phone or computer.

If you later need one particular item, knowing that it is inside “Box 17 – Office Files” can save you from opening ten different boxes.

Protect Fragile Items

Fragile belongings need additional protection before they go into storage.

Wrap delicate items individually and prevent them from moving around inside their boxes. Empty space can be filled with packing paper, bubble wrap or another suitable protective material.

Mark fragile boxes clearly and avoid placing heavy containers on top of them.

For crockery and glassware, wrapping individual pieces and packing them upright rather than lying flat can help reduce pressure.

Mirrors, pictures and framed artwork should also be protected carefully and positioned where other stored items cannot fall against them.

Prepare Furniture Before Storage

Furniture can occupy a large amount of storage space, but careful preparation can reduce how much room it takes up.

Where practical, dismantle items such as:

• Beds
• Tables
• Desks
• Wardrobes
• Shelving Units
• Flat-Pack Furniture

Keep screws, bolts and fittings together in labelled bags and attach them securely to the corresponding piece of furniture.

Clean furniture before storing it and make sure everything is completely dry.

Mattresses and upholstered furniture can benefit from suitable protective covers to keep them clean while they are being moved and stored.

Make Use of Furniture for Extra Storage

Furniture itself can provide useful storage space.

Empty wardrobes, drawers and cabinets can hold lightweight belongings, bedding, clothing or smaller boxes.

Suitcases are another useful place to store possessions rather than leaving them empty.

The objective is to avoid wasting usable space while still keeping the overall unit organised.

Do not overload furniture with excessive weight, particularly if it could damage shelves, drawers or hinges.

Plan Your Storage Unit Before You Start Loading

It is tempting to unload everything as quickly as possible, but spending a few minutes planning the layout can save a lot of frustration later.

Think about which belongings you are least likely to need. Those items can usually go towards the back of the unit.

Items you expect to access frequently should stay nearer the entrance.

A useful layout is:

• Rarely Used Items at the Back
• Heavy and Stable Boxes at the Bottom
• Light Boxes Higher Up
• Frequently Needed Items Near the Front
• Fragile Items Away from High-Traffic Areas

If you have a larger unit, consider leaving a narrow walkway through the middle so you can reach items further inside without having to unload everything first.

Use the Height of Your Storage Unit

Storage space is three-dimensional.

Stacking safely allows you to make better use of the full height of your unit rather than filling only the floor area.

Put your strongest and heaviest boxes at the bottom, then gradually place lighter boxes above them.

Avoid building unstable towers of mismatched boxes.

If you are storing business stock for a longer period, freestanding shelving can also make it considerably easier to organise products, tools or documents while keeping everything accessible.

Keep Frequently Used Items Near the Door

Think about what you may need before your storage period ends.

Seasonal clothing, business stock, documents, tools or frequently rotated equipment should remain easy to reach.

There is little benefit in carefully packing something important at the very back of a full unit if you know you will need it again next month.

Before loading, ask yourself:

“What am I most likely to need first?”

Pack those belongings last so they remain near the front.

Create a Simple Storage Inventory

For larger storage units, an inventory can save a significant amount of time.

You do not need complicated software. A simple note or spreadsheet listing your boxes and larger belongings is usually enough.

You could record:

• Box Number
• Contents
• Room or Category
• Approximate Position in the Unit
• Whether the Box Contains Fragile Items

Business customers can use a similar system for stock, equipment and documents.

The larger the amount of storage you have, the more useful an inventory becomes.

Preparing Appliances for Storage

Appliances should be clean, dry and properly prepared before storage.

Fridges and freezers should be completely defrosted and dried before they are moved.

Leaving moisture inside an appliance can create unpleasant smells and other problems during storage.

Where possible, leave appliance doors slightly open once positioned securely.

Cables can be neatly secured to appliances so they do not become damaged or create a trip hazard while the unit is being loaded.

Storing Clothes and Textiles

Clothing, curtains, bedding and other textiles should always be clean and completely dry before being packed.

Plastic storage boxes with secure lids can provide a convenient way to organise folded clothing.

For suits, dresses and other garments that you would prefer not to fold, wardrobe boxes can be useful.

Label clothing according to season or person so you can find what you need easily.

For example:

• Winter Clothing
• Children’s Clothes – Age 5–6
• Summer Bedding
• Work Clothing

Storing Business Stock

A well-organised storage unit can work as useful additional capacity for a business.

Keep similar products together and clearly identify stock categories.

Products that sell regularly should be positioned where they can be reached easily, while slower-moving or seasonal stock can be placed further back.

If you visit your unit frequently, consider using shelving and leaving enough room to access each section safely.

Perth Self Store offers business storage alongside drive-up storage options, which can be particularly useful where stock, tools or equipment need to be loaded and unloaded regularly.

Storage Tips for Tradespeople

Self storage can give tradespeople somewhere separate from home to keep tools, equipment and materials.

Organisation is especially important if you expect to visit your unit regularly.

Group equipment by type and keep frequently used tools near the entrance.

You may find it useful to create separate areas for:

• Hand Tools
• Power Tools
• Consumable Materials
• Protective Equipment
• Spare Parts
• Job-Specific Equipment

Drive-up storage can make loading and unloading larger or heavier equipment considerably easier.

Storing Items During a House Move

Moving house does not always happen in one straightforward step.

Storage can give you additional flexibility if completion dates do not align, you are downsizing or you want to move belongings gradually.

Pack according to the rooms in your new property rather than simply filling boxes at random.

Clear labels such as “New House – Kitchen” or “New House – Main Bedroom” can make unpacking much easier when your belongings eventually leave storage.

Keep anything you will need immediately after moving with you rather than placing it deep inside your storage unit.

Storage During Home Renovations

Renovation work can create dust, debris and limited working space.

Moving furniture and belongings into storage before work starts can protect your possessions while giving contractors more room.

Consider storing items from rooms affected by:

• Extensions
• Kitchen Refurbishments
• Bathroom Renovations
• Flooring Replacement
• Painting and Decorating
• Loft Conversions
• Full Property Refurbishments

It can also be useful to store furniture from adjacent rooms where builders need regular access through the property.

Think About Long-Term Storage Differently

If belongings will remain in storage for several months or longer, spend a little more time preparing them.

Make sure everything is clean and dry.

Use strong containers and avoid materials that may weaken or deteriorate over time.

Create a detailed inventory and arrange your unit so you can inspect or retrieve belongings without dismantling the entire stack.

Perth Self Store provides climate-controlled indoor storage as well as outdoor storage containers, so speak to our team about the type of items you are storing if you are unsure which option would be most suitable.

Avoid Packing Everything Too Tightly

Making efficient use of your space does not mean filling every available centimetre.

Leave enough room to reach important belongings and avoid putting unnecessary pressure on fragile items.

A carefully organised unit often makes better use of space than one that has simply been filled from floor to ceiling without a plan.

This becomes particularly important if you expect to visit the unit regularly during your storage period.

Know What You Are Allowed to Store

Most normal household and business possessions can be placed into self storage, but there are items that may be prohibited or unsuitable.

Restrictions commonly apply to dangerous, illegal, hazardous or perishable goods.

If you have an unusual item or are unsure whether something can be stored, ask our team before bringing it to the facility.

Checking first is much easier than discovering a problem when you arrive with a fully loaded vehicle.

Quick Storage Checklist

Before moving your belongings into storage, run through this checklist:

• Choose a Suitable Storage Unit Size
• Sort Out Items You No Longer Need
• Use Strong Storage Boxes
• Label Every Box Clearly
• Create an Inventory
• Clean and Dry Everything Before Packing
• Protect Fragile Belongings
• Dismantle Large Furniture Where Practical
• Keep Furniture Fittings Together
• Defrost and Dry Appliances
• Put Heavy Boxes at the Bottom
• Keep Frequently Needed Items Near the Entrance
• Leave Access Space in Larger Units
• Make Use of Vertical Storage Space
• Check Any Storage Restrictions Before Moving In

Need Help Planning Your Storage?

Every storage requirement is slightly different.

You might need a small unit for a handful of boxes, additional room while moving house, space for commercial stock or a drive-up container that you expect to access regularly.

Perth Self Store offers more than 400 indoor and outdoor units, with storage options for homes, businesses and tradespeople.

Tell us what you need to store and our team can help you identify an appropriate option.