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People rent self-storage units to store various items for a short while or long-term. Maximize your space through precise organization, which also helps you find things easier. While loading storage lockers, ensure everything is safely stacked to prevent stuff from falling and breaking or hurting someone. Always take appropriate steps to protect your safety.

Organizing Furniture In Storage Lockers

Begin loading storage lockers by placing your appliances and biggest pieces of furniture against the back wall and along the sidewalls, then work forward. Maximize your storage space by taking apart any furniture that comes apart and storing it upright at the back of your storage unit. It’s okay to place headboards, mirrors, dining tables — minus the legs, and wide wooden furniture vertically, but storing cushioned furniture upright can damage it.

While it makes sense to store mattresses upright to conserve space, it’s not recommended for long-term storage. Mimic the normal positioning of a mattress by laying it flat. Stored upright, the coils, springs, and other inner workings eventually settle out of position and ruin the mattress. Don’t place boxes and other items on top of mattresses, which also destroys the springs and coils. The same is true of couches being stored long-term.

Loading Storage Lockers With Boxes

Before you start loading boxes into your storage locker, make sure all your boxes are packed with like items and labeled correctly to make it easier to identify what’s inside. Stick to containers of the same size and shape for safer, more stable stacking and get the most out of your space.

When stacking boxes, always place the heaviest items on the bottom and the lightest ones on top. Don’t stack above your head to prevent head and neck injuries should the boxes fall. Use only heavy-duty boxes or plastic totes to create safer, sturdier stacks, reducing the likelihood of boxes collapsing over time.

Use shelving for oddly shaped items that don’t stack well, priority items you need to access often, or boxes to prevent buckling from over-stacking. When shelving isn’t an option, protect the bottom of your boxes and other belongings by placing them on raised pallets, preventing moisture from seeping inside and silverfish, ants, and other vermin from making their home under or inside your stuff.

Unloading Storage Lockers

Whether you’re unloading your entire storage unit or just enough items to get to something stored in the back, always start by removing items from the top, rather than the middle, and work your way down. An unstable stack of boxes is an accident waiting to happen.

Avoid crawling over the top of a partial stack of boxes to get to another stack behind it. The boxes could crush under your weight, breaking items stored within and causing injury to yourself. Completely unloading an entire stack of boxes before starting on the next keeps the remaining stacks stable. Keep a clear path and random objects off the floor as you remove items from your storage unit to avoid getting hurt as you ran into or stepped on an obstacle.

Prevent Injuries

Avoid hurting yourself while loading and unloading storage lockers with appropriate lifting techniques. Use a dolly to move heavy appliances, furniture, and other items that weigh too much to lift safely. Every time you lift something, even if you think it’s light, lift with your legs and not your back by bending at the knees, not the waist, which helps prevent back injuries.

Back injuries are some of the most common afflictions when moving stuff. Besides lifting properly, always keep items close to your body and avoid twisting with a load in your arms, which also prevents muscle strains. Tight muscles make you more susceptible to injury, so stretch before you begin loading or unloading storage lockers. Keep muscles loose by stretching periodically throughout the day and after you’re finished.

Rent From The Storage Professionals

Clifton Rt. 46 Self Storage in New Jersey has the short-term and long-term self-storage solutions you need. We offer extended gate access from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily to enable loading and unloading of storage lockers when it’s convenient for you. Contact us today at 973-772-1300 to discuss your off-site storage needs with our knowledgeable staff.