Whether you're temporarily storing some belongings during a long-term move or are just finding a place to keep some overflow, a self-storage unit can be a secure, affordable way to store your excess belongings. To really get the most out of your storage space, though, you'll want to plan and organise it correctly.

Plan your space

When choosing your storage unit, remember to allow yourself a little room to move. A storage space that's crammed to the rear wall with boxes may represent an efficient use of space, but it's not an effective one if you ever hope to get anything back out of it. Make sure you leave a central space or aisles you can use to open boxes or remove items. 

Let air flow

To maximise space, it can be tempting to push everything in your storage unit to the walls. In fact, however, you should always leave a short distance—just an inch or two—between boxes and the wall of the unit. This will let air flow around the stored item and help keep it fresh. For the same reason, you should always leave a small gap between boxes. 

Use shelves if possible

If you're storing furniture like shelving units or bookcases, don't just put them into storage disassembled. It's a little extra work to transport them and then reassemble them in your locker, but it will help keep your stored items organised and reduce the chance of damage to stacked boxes. 

Label clearly

When you need to get something out of your storage unit, you need to know where it is. Label each box clearly using permanent marker or use transparent plastic boxes to make it easy to see the contents. Make sure you stack or shelve your boxes with the labelled side clearly visible. If there's a lot of stuff in your storage unit, sketch a quick map that shows where different items are stored. Keep it near the entrance so that you can refresh your memory if you need to. 

Get creative

Irregularly shaped items can be tricky to pack or shelve. To store these without taking up too much space, you'll need to use some unorthodox solutions. For instance, tall items such as rakes, fishing rods, and even musical instruments can all be stored standing in a plastic outdoor refuse bin. These bins are durable, inexpensive and have plenty of room for storing items that might otherwise end up on the floor.