Quick answer
Choose a unit slightly larger than your inventory needs, and pay for climate control if you are storing wood, leather, electronics, or photos. Clean and dry everything, raise it off the floor, put heavy boxes on the bottom, leave a center aisle, label boxes facing out, and confirm your insurance covers stored belongings.
In this guide
- What size storage unit do I need?
- When climate controlled storage is worth it
- How to prepare belongings for storage
- How to pack a storage unit and stack it safely
- Label everything and keep an inventory
- What not to put in a storage unit
- Storage unit insurance, locks, and access
- Getting help loading and unloading a storage unit
- Frequently asked questions
What size storage unit do I need?
Start with a written inventory, not a guess. List the large furniture, count the boxes, and note anything oddly shaped, like a kayak or a sectional. Units are rented by floor dimensions, and most facilities publish a size guide and will let you look inside an empty unit before you sign.
Four things decide the answer to the question of what size storage unit do I need:
- How much furniture there is. Boxes stack. Sofas and dressers set the footprint
- How high you can stack. Ask about ceiling height, and be realistic about what you can lift overhead
- Whether you need to get to things. If you will visit the unit during the rental, you need an aisle, and that takes floor space
- Whether you can break furniture down. Beds and tables stored in pieces take far less room
If you are between two sizes and plan to access the unit, take the larger one. A unit packed solid to the door works only if everything comes out at once. Our packing estimator can help you put a number on the boxes.
When climate controlled storage is worth it
Climate controlled storage keeps the unit within a set temperature range, and some facilities manage humidity as well. Ask exactly what the facility maintains, because the term is used loosely. It costs more than a standard drive-up unit, so base the decision on what you are storing, for how long, and where.
| Item | What heat, cold, and humidity can do |
|---|---|
| Wood furniture and pianos | Warping, cracking, and loosened joints |
| Leather and upholstered furniture, mattresses | Mildew and musty odors |
| Electronics | Condensation and corrosion |
| Photos, books, and documents | Curling, sticking, and mold |
| Artwork and musical instruments | Cracked finishes and warped frames or bodies |
| Vinyl records, candles, cosmetics | Melting and warping in summer heat |
A few weeks of storage in mild weather is a different risk from a full summer in the humid Southeast. The longer the stay and the more extreme the season, the stronger the case for climate control.
How to prepare belongings for storage
- Clean and dry everything. Crumbs attract pests, and moisture sealed in a closed unit becomes mildew
- Defrost and dry refrigerators and freezers, then store them with the doors propped open
- Drain fuel from mowers and other small engines. Storage facilities commonly prohibit stored gasoline
- Take furniture apart where you can, and tape a bag of hardware to each piece
- Use sturdy boxes in just two or three sizes and fill each one completely so stacks stay square
- Skip trash bags. They tear, trap moisture, and cannot be stacked
- Cover furniture with moving blankets or cotton sheets so it can breathe. Plastic sheeting wrapped tight for months can hold moisture against wood and fabric
If you would rather hand this stage off, our packing services include the boxes, paper, bubble wrap, and tape.
How to pack a storage unit and stack it safely
- Raise everything off the floor. Lay down pallets or boards first so air can move underneath and a little water on the floor does not reach your boxes
- Load what you need least at the back, and what you may need soon near the door
- Put large furniture along the walls. Stand sofas, mattresses, and table tops on end only if the manufacturer says the piece can be stored that way
- Stack heavy boxes on the bottom and light ones on top, in columns of the same box size
- Keep stacks at a height you can reach without climbing, and do not lean them
- Leave a few inches between your belongings and the walls for air circulation
- Leave a center aisle from the door to the back wall so you can reach any stack without unloading the unit
- Use the inside of furniture. Dresser drawers and wardrobes can hold light, soft items
Freestanding shelves along one wall are worth the floor space for a long rental. They keep weight off the bottom boxes and let you pull one box without moving five.
Need a crew to load or empty a storage unit? Get a free, no-obligation quote for loading, unloading, or the full move.
Label everything and keep an inventory
Six months from now you will not remember which box holds the winter coats.
- Label at least two sides of every box with the room and the contents, and stack with a label facing the aisle
- Number the boxes and keep a matching list on paper or on your phone
- Photograph each section of the unit as you finish loading it
- Tape a simple map inside the door: what is on the left wall, the right wall, and the back
Our guide on how to label moving boxes has a system that works for storage too.
What not to put in a storage unit
Every facility's rental agreement has a list of prohibited items, and the details vary by facility and by state. These are almost always on it:
- Food of any kind, including pet food and birdseed
- Plants and animals
- Gasoline, propane, paint, solvents, and other flammable or hazardous materials
- Fireworks, ammunition, and explosives
- Anything damp, scented, or likely to leak
Separately, some things are allowed but do not belong there: cash, jewelry, passports, birth certificates, and one-of-a-kind family photos. Keep those with you.
Storage unit insurance, locks, and access
Insurance. Read the rental agreement to see what the facility is and is not responsible for, and whether it requires proof of insurance before you move in. Call your homeowners or renters insurance agent and ask whether your policy covers belongings in storage, what the limit is, and which causes of loss are included. Then compare that with any storage unit insurance or protection plan the facility offers. Read the terms of whichever you choose.
Locks and security. Buy a sturdy lock, and ask the facility which types it allows or recommends. Ask the facility about gate hours, cameras, lighting, and pest control, and visit after dark once before you commit.
Payments. Read the rental agreement for late fees and for what happens if rent goes unpaid. Storage lien rules vary by state. Autopay and a current phone number and email on file prevent most problems.
Check in. Stop by every month or two to look for moisture, pests, or anything that has shifted.
Getting help loading and unloading a storage unit
A unit loaded well on day one saves effort every time you open the door afterward, and stacking a unit tightly is the same skill as loading a truck. Allpoints Moving Services offers loading and unloading and labor-only help, so you can have an experienced crew carry and stack while you direct where things go. Local moves are typically billed hourly based on crew size and truck needs, and quotes are free.
If your storage is a stopgap between two homes, read our guide to storage during a move, then request a quote for the dates you have in mind.
Key takeaways
- Size the unit from a written inventory and go one size up if you need access during the rental
- Climate control is worth it for wood, leather, electronics, photos, and long or summer storage
- Clean and dry everything, raise it off the floor, and leave a center aisle
- Label boxes facing the aisle and keep a numbered inventory with photos
- Confirm insurance coverage for stored belongings before you move in
