That's Going Straight to the Storage Unit!

When Daryl Kerrigan defended his castle from the expansion plans of Melbourne Airport, he wasn’t just thinking about bricks and mortar. He was thinking about the storage of memories and love that had generated in the house. No doubt he was also thinking of his pool room, which housed his storage of treasured gifts, memorabilia, and relics from proud moments.

Mr Kerrigan won his house back from the evil corporate souls of Melbourne Airport – but what would have happened if he’d been forced to move? To a new house, maybe a smaller one, one with no self-storage room to keep his treasured objects?

If your pool room is just not big enough to become a storage unit for all those memories you can’t bear to throw out – your children’s first scribbles, photos of your first holiday in Portsea, a favoured football now beaten up beyond repair – then storage rental might be worth considering. Access Self-Storage could be the solution.

 It may not look nearly as attractive as Daryl Kerrigan’s pool room was, but it’s a much better plan to put those precious memories safely in a storage unit, than be forced to throw them out because you’ve run out of space. And if you live near Melbourne’s CBD, your memories can be stored close to you, at Access Self-Storage in South Melbourne. It’s the best way to keep them safe, or even just to make room for more treasures in your pool room at home.  

Location Considerations for Storage Units

Making the move into a storage unit doesn’t have to be as arduous as moving house. Why should it be, when you’re moving less stuff into a smaller, and frankly less decorative, space. Rather than having to fuss with the positions of the furniture, and unpacking the boxes, you simply have to load your stuff, potentially hire a removalist, and pack it efficiently in your storage unit. What could be simpler?

Storage rental is most successful when you use a storage facility located conveniently. Which is why Access Self Storage is the best storage solution for Melbourne suburbs such as South Yarra, St Kilda, Middle Park, the Docklands, and other suburbs near to South Melbourne.

Having a conveniently located storage unit has a number of benefits. Firstly, it will make the moving process much easier. You’ll either save money on the removalist, or you could forgo hiring one altogether and just transport it to the storage facility yourself.

A closely located storage unit will also make it much more convenient to retrieve your stored items whenever needed. A ten-minute drive to South Melbourne is much more achievable than a half hour trip to a storage facility at Chadstone, just to retrieve a photo album your aunt mentioned she wanted to borrow.

Considering a closely located storage facility should be a top priority when assessing storage rental, not only because it will save you money, but also because it will make for a far more satisfying storage experience.

Keeping Electronics Safe in Storage

If you’re looking to store some excess furniture – for instance, if you’re temporarily moving to a smaller apartment in Melbourne’s CBD - chances are you’ll want to use a storage unit for a few electronics.

Access Self Storage offers great security in a convenient South Melbourne location, but security isn’t the only concern when you’re locking up your electronics. When electronics are staying in a storage unit for a long period of time, there are a few extra things you can do to ensure their safety.

Storing computers, TV’s and HiFi systems in their original boxes is one of the best ways to keep them safe. Although this may mean oddly shaped boxes in your storage unit, it does mean they will be better protected. If you have to use your own boxes, or if you haven’t kept the originals, make sure you pack out any gaps with bubble wrap to minimise any damage.

If you’re planning on keeping computers in the storage facility for longer than six months, it’s best to consult your retailer about it. Be sure to tell them about the conditions of the storage unit as well.

Remove the batteries from all other electrical equipment as well, so no leakages occur during your storage rental. Electrical cords should be taped to the sides of appliances, as dangling cords in a packed storage unit can quickly become dangerous.

These are just a few ways to ensure your electrical equipment comes through storage rental in the best condition possible.

Access Self Storage's Top Storage Tips

Keeping Your Storage Items Safe

The whole point of using a storage facility is to keep possessions that you don’t have space to keep at home. With this in mind, it’s ideal to keep these in good condition inside the storage unit. There are a couple of ways to ensure your things stay well looked after during your storage rental.

Packing Materials

Recommended packing materials are the way to go. Making sure your items (especially breakables) are wrapped carefully with packing paper will help to prevent breakages. Packing boxes should have a layer of packing paper on the top and bottom, to give it that extra protection. Silver should be wrapped in non-acid tissue, or in plastic bags, which should prevent any tarnishing.

Preparing Furniture Before Storage

It’s also best if fridges, washing machines or dishwashers are completely drained of water or frost before being packed in the storage unit. Leakages in the unit can cause some pretty major problems. Make sure any items placed in these larger items won’t rock around inside and cause any damage. Taping the doors of things like wardrobes is a good idea, but leave the doors to fridges and freezers open, or you’ll be left with a seriously bad smell. Crumbs and food stains should be vacuumed and cleaned thoroughly from furniture, so vermin aren’t attracted to the storage unit.

Pretty easy steps, but they might just help keep your things safe during your storage rental, and while they aren’t being kept under your watchful eye.

Inspecting Your Storage Facility

You might think rental storage is a fairly simple thing. You hire a unit, pack up your stuff, pay the bill, and then come collect it all when you need it again. But careful thought and planning should be undertaken before you choose your storage facility – because all self-storage is not created equal.

It’s important to consider what you really want out of your storage unit. For storage of valuable items, you’ll want to see what kind of security the storage facility offers. Are there security cameras and alarms? Who can access the storage unit? How often does the company check the locks to the storage containers? You should also consider insurance – Access Self Storage provides free insurance cover up to $5000, but are you going to need more cover than this? Your insurance company might already cover items you’ve put in storage, so it’s best to check this out.

Looking at the unit itself before choosing a storage facility is also important. You will need to see how clean the storage units are, what the space looks like, and whether the company provides good quarantine services. Also consider the packing materials you will need. Access Self Storage has a variety of packing materials available onsite – will you need anything else to store your things?

Spending a bit of time considering the storage facility itself is important, and is sure to help you find the right storage facility that suits all your needs.

Deciding What to Pack in Your Storage Unit

So, you’ve decided to hire a self storage unit. Perhaps you’re downsizing to a smaller apartment, or attempting to declutter your lifestyle. Maybe you just need temporary storage while you look for a more spacious place to live. Now what you have to decide is exactly what you should put in storage.

Think about things you genuinely aren’t going to use, and what you may want to use in the future. If you find you’re hiring a large storage unit, and are mostly filling it up with useless furniture, this is a waste of time, and you might be better off selling it. Keeping furniture such as a second couch in the storage unit, and then finding you have nowhere for guests to sit, is also not the best plan.

People often use self storage for sporting equipment, photo albums, or even old clothes. Again, seriously think about the items you’re keeping in your storage unit – and make sure you’re not going to have any use for them. If you’re putting precious keepsakes in the storage unit, they need to be kept well protected. If you’re using the storage unit to keep all your winter clothes during summer, remember to keep at least a few cardigans or jumpers with you, just in case it gets a bit colder than you expected.

It might seem obvious, but giving careful consideration to the items you’re putting in storage will help you get the most out of your storage experience.

Packing Efficiently for Self Storage Units

When you’re looking at hiring storage units, one thing you want is to keep costs low. Hiring a smaller storage unit, rather than a large one, is one way to do this. The simple solution is to pack your storage unit efficiently.

Although using plastic bags may seem cheaper, packing into boxes is the best way to go. Not only will it stop your items getting dusty while they remain in the storage unit, it will also make it much easier to save space (and will therefore save you money in the long run). Fill them to capacity, and remember to get boxes of similar shape and size, to easily stack inside the storage unit. Use the inside of wardrobes, furniture drawers, stoves – anywhere with space inside, to fit more boxes.

When it comes to packing the storage unit, make sure you plan ahead. Put all the larger items in first, so you can fit the smaller boxes in and around them. Remove the legs from furniture where possible, and lamps from lampshades, so there are fewer odd shaped items in the storage unit. Fill the hollow spaces as much as you can, but remember, if you’re planning to keep the storage unit for a long period of time, it’s a good idea to keep some space to move around inside.

With careful thought, and by planning ahead, storage units can be packed efficiently, which will help keep costs low in the long run.

Accessing Items in Your Storage Unit

Whether you're using self storage for personal or commercial needs, it's inevitable that you're going to access your storage unit at least once after your items have been stored. If your items aren't labeled properly, or aren't easily accessible in your storage unit, this could be tricky.

The first step is to make sure every box is clearly labeled in the storage unit. To make this process easier, it's best to pack similar items in the same box. labels like "kitchen items" might seem clear when you're writing them, but when it comes down to searching your storage unit for a salad bowl in amongst five boxes labeled "kitchen items", it might not be so helpful. Packing clothes in clothes boxes – so they can hang inside – is also a good idea. This way you don't have to go through boxes of folded up clothes in the storage unit, trying to find the cardigan you just realised you needed.

The other important step is organising the storage unit. It's best to keep aisle space, so you can easily move around inside. This will not only make it easier to access your items in the storage unit, it will also help prevent odors and mildew. Planning ahead is an important step – make sure items you might need are stored at the front, and things like furniture should be at the back of the storage unit.

As long as the items in the storage unit are labeled carefully and clearly, and are easily accessible, you can have a relatively stress-free storage experience.