How to plan your storage budget

Planning and organizing your storage budget has lots of benefits. If you are new to this, you might not know where to start. However, you can start with a few simple ideas. So before moving to Tennessee, keep reading to learn how to plan your storage budget. 

Clean up your space and possessions before you plan your storage budget

Cleaning your space costs nothing because you don’t have to buy plastic bins or boxes and it’s great for planning your storage budget. So take some time to make a decision whether you need all the stuff you have collected. You can do everything at once. However, if you feel overwhelmed, pick one room or closed every day. Clear out shoes, clothes, toys, and any other items you or your family don’t use anymore. Also, you can do a yard sale or donate to charities. You can get your kids involved in the process and ask them to skim through old books, toys, and sports equipment to find unused items that are taking up space.

Sometimes planning your budget might seem impossible because you can’t see what you have or where you need to store it. The moment you get rid of items you don’t use, put away books that never made it onto a bookshelf, take time to hang up clothes that have been lying on the floor, and file stray papers. Other than cleaning up the space you have, this is also a good way to identify the places where your storage options might be lacking. For example, as you file papers away, you might find out you need a bigger larger cabinet or more folders to store your paperwork.

Identify what you need

After you clean out the stuff you don’t need anymore, it’s time to take a close look at what’s left. Every room has its challenges when it comes to storage. By identifying what those are, you can decide the best use of your time and money and plan your storage budget to the best of your abilities. For example, you may find out you have lots of shoes in your bedroom closet, however, there’s no way of organizing them. In this case, a shoe rack on the floor or hanging, depending on your closet should be on your list of items to acquire.

Store with friends and family members and look for promos and discounts

Remove the exclusivity idea when renting a storage unit. If you’re storing just a couple of items, make arrangements with your friends or family. Ask them to store it with you. Sharing your storage unit space is fine.  If you don’t want to store with your friends and family it’s fine. However, don’t forget to check for discounts and promos. Every company has a range of special promotions, discounts, and plans. You won’t just save your money, but you’ll also save your energy and time. This is the smartest way of planning your storage budget.

Pack your belongings vertical

When organizing and packing your storage, make sure to go vertical with your possessions. Make sure to stack boxes high and furniture store upright. If you’re storing bookcases or anything with shelving, take advantage of the extra storage space. Make space for smaller boxes and belongings, by adding wire shelving or hanging shelves to the storage unit. If your storage unit is particularly high, you may want to have a step stool or foldable ladder inside the unit with your possessions. Or, if you’re unsure how to pack your storage unit, you can turn to professionals for packing and unpacking services for help.

Plan your storage budget by creating an inventory list

When putting lots of items in storage, it’s difficult if not impossible to remember all of them. Even though big furniture pieces like a bed or sofa are easy to remember, smaller items such as pictures, electronics, artwork, and clothes are usually forgotten after months in storage. To keep everything straight, you will need to create and maintain a list of all items stored inside the storage unit. As you start the packing process, movers in Tennessee suggest reporting each item in a spreadsheet. Take photos of items you store in a storage unit. This is a good way to keep up with what is inside of it. Make sure to save inventory descriptions and photos in one place. Also, it’s a good idea to make some kind of map indicating where your possessions are stored inside the storage unit.

Book a small storage unit

When choosing the storage unit size you need to keep your belongings, don’t overestimate it. Choose the smallest storage unit you can. Use ordinary cardboard boxes to pack your belongings. That way you can make sure everything fits in and that you maximize the space. Instead of buying a new set of boxes, you can just reuse the old ones. Use hollow spaces to store small items. I.e., if you want to include extra spare cabinets or suitcases in the items you’d like to store away, you might as well put books, clothes,  toys, or kitchen utensils in it. However, don’t leave any empty space unfilled. Also, be sure to pack carefully, especially kitchen utensils, in order to avoid damage.

Don’t pay for insurance and amenities if you don’t need them

If you don’t have use of insurance packages, then don’t choose them. Look for commercial movers with insurance options. Those who won’t force you to pay for something you don’t want. Don’t store your belongings in a climate-controlled facility, if you don’t have a need for it. Search for companies that have climate-controlled units. It is usually cheaper.

Final words

Organizing the best way to plan your storage budget can be taxing and challenging. However, cleaning up your space is worth the effort. An organized space is great, and when you can relax in your home, you will fall in love with it all over again.