How to Pack a Portable Storage Container
There are many reasons why you might need to utilize a portable storage container this year. It could be to store your furniture while you renovate your building, to free up some space for all of your seasonal sports gear, or to provide extra storage space on-site for your construction company. Whatever the reason, one problem remains the same: to maximize your storage space.
As you put your belongings into a portable storage container, the way you pack is important for providing the most extra storage space while keeping your belongings secure and undamaged. Below, Porta-Stor will take a look at how to pack your portable storage container the right way!
How to Pack with Portable Shelving
If you’re storing small boxes or loose items that won’t stack easily, you should consider adding some shelving to the walls of your storage container. These shelving units are sturdy and take up minimal space within the container, while providing a lot of extra room to store those boxes and smaller items. Porta-Stor containers have the option of including a sturdy racking system that allows for easy installation of shelves.
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As you pack and store these boxes on shelves, make sure they are clearly labeled. The labels should be placed where you can see them once the box is placed. This keeps your storage container organized and your items easily accessible.
How to Pack from the Ceiling
If you have seasonal clothing, sports gear, costumes, or other clothes that need to be stored away, it’s easy to install some hanging rods from the ceiling of a storage container. This system allows for maximum space usage from the top down. It will also help keep your clothing items clean and wrinkle free until you need them. For extra protection while packing your clothes, you can wrap them in clothing bags or simply use plastic trash bags that have a hole cut out of the bottom to poke the hangers through, then tie off the bottom end.
If you have more space up high in your storage container, you can use sturdy hooks and shelving to house larger items, such as bicycles, lawn equipment, or larger boxes and totes. Maximizing that upper space will give you more room to move around in the storage container as well as create more storage space below for other items you need to access more frequently.
How to Pack with Vacuum Storage Bags
If you have a large amount of linens, clothing, stuffed animals, or other soft items that would take up a huge amount of space by being stored in boxes, invest in some space-saving storage bags that can be vacuum-sealed. Using these types of bags for linens and clothing helps protect them from dust, moisture, and bugs while significantly reducing the amount of space they take up. They are a great space saver for storing on shelves and inside larger boxes, taking up less storage space for your other belongings.
How to Pack Furniture
As you prepare your furniture for your storage container, there are a few steps to take to make sure it stays in great condition. The first step is to carefully clean and dry the furniture.
Next, you should take apart all of the pieces that you can. This helps save space and keep the pieces from breaking during the moving and storing process. As you do this, remember to keep all the bolts, screws, and other small pieces together in a bag that’s clearly labeled with which furniture piece it belongs. You can then connect the bag to the piece of furniture or keep all of the bags in a small box that’s also labeled. This will keep everything in one place, so you won’t be stuck looking for missing pieces when you go to put that table or chair back together.
If you have furniture with large pieces of glass or mirrors, you will want to wrap them in large blankets or bubble wrap. This keeps them protected from breaking, scratching, or chipping while being moved and stored. Clearly label these pieces as fragile.
How to Pack for Access
As you place your items inside the storage container, keep in mind how often you are going to need access to them. Oftentimes, a storage container will be full of some items that will need to be removed before others. Keep the items you will access more often close to the front doors of the container, on top of stacks, and to the front of shelves. Also create an aisle down the middle of your storage container, so that you can have access to the items stored all the way in the back, should the need arise. You definitely don’t want to have to unpack half of your storage container in order to get to one box in the back! Luckily, the previous storage-saving tips can help you keep your container empty enough to allow for an aisle.
How to Stack as you Pack
As you’re stacking boxes, always place the larger, heavier boxes on the bottom. This keeps the stack stable and keeps people safe when they go into the storage container. Having the larger and heavier boxes on the bottom gives you a good base to build your stacks upon, and it can help you organize your packing process. Put items in the larger boxes that you know you may not need to access for a while.
You can also stack lighter boxes and belongings on top of some types of furniture, such as coffee tables, side tables, chairs, or other types of furniture that you’re unable to take apart. This gives you a good solid base and keeps the boxes up off of the floor of the storage container. It also helps you maximize your space usage. Just be careful to only stack boxes on top of very sturdy furniture and make sure that the stack is stable and won’t fall over. You also don’t want to put heavy boxes down in a way that might damage the piece of furniture.
No matter why you’re packing and storing belongings, if you follow some of these simple guidelines for how to pack your storage container, you’re sure to get the most out of the storage space!