Smart Tips for Organizing Boxes in Storage Safely

Long-term storage takes a lot more than just throwing your stuff in a locker and hoping you won’t have to see it again. If you want to get the job done right, here are the basics:

• Use quality moving boxes and padding
• Label boxes by contents, and by room
• Keep it easy to access - leave a path through the center of your storage unit
• Leave air gaps between concrete and boxes (use shipping pallets if possible)
• Load smart (least used in back, most used in front)

Doesn’t matter how much money you spent last Christmas - you don’t have enough Amazon boxes for this. Get started on the right foot and stock up on packing supplies before you get started with the packing and storage.

• Small boxes: (16” x 12” x 12”) Small boxes are best for heavy items, as long as the heavy items can actually fit. These boxes are usually reinforced and made to handle a bit of knocking around, but you should still be careful with them.

• Medium boxes: (18” x 14” x 12”) Medium boxes are your workhorses. They’re a good balance between strength and size, but they’re not quite as sturdy as small boxes. It may be tempting to overfill these, but resist the urge and use air pillows to fill empty space.

• Large boxes: (18” x 18” x 16”) Large boxes are NOT for your biggest, heaviest items. They’re actually intended for fluffy, lightweight stuff - think pillows, comforters, stuff like that. Don’t put anything heavy in these, or you’ll split the bottom wide open.

• Specialty boxes: Wardrobe boxes come, with an internal rod for hanging clothes. Dishware boxes come with an internal framework to keep your dishes and plates secure. And picture/mirror boxes can expand or slide together to match the size you need.

• Padding: Try to minimize empty space in your boxes. The more your items can knock around, the higher the odds that they can break in transit. Use packing and padding supplies to keep everything in place. Bubble wrap, air cushions, packing peanuts, etc.

• Shipping pallets: Empty space INSIDE a box is bad news. But empty space OUTSIDE a box is actually a good thing, since it permits airflow and reduces the risk of moisture. Grab some shipping pallets for your storage unit, and keep boxes off the ground.

• Silica gel: Speaking of fighting moisture, see if you can snag a few silica gel packets. These absorb moisture and can keep everything nice and dry. Put one or two in every box. You can put them in the drawers of that desk you’re putting in storage, too.
• Tape, labels and markers: Often overlooked, always needed. You’ll need plenty of packing tape, labels, and markers. Properly labeling your boxes will save you a major headache when you need to pull stuff outta storage.

Don’t just throw your stuff in there willy-nilly. There’s a right way and a wrong way to pack your boxes. Here’s how to avoid split cardboard and broken items:

1. Downsize: Technically, this isn’t packing advice, but it’s an important step nonetheless. Get rid of your excess so you’re sure you can fit everything in your storage unit. Protip: If you sell off your unwanted or unused items, you can use the earnings on storage fees.
2. Get your largest items out of the way first: If you have large items that need to go into storage (furniture, artwork, or even cars) put them in storage first. It’s like decorating a living room: Big pieces tie the room together, and everything else fits around them.
3. Prep your packing space: You should get organized before you start boxing items. Clear up some open space for packing supplies, and make sure you’ve got an organized working area. Get your tape, labels, markers, and padding, and keep them on hand.
4. Clear a staging area: Remember how you cleared a packing area? Make sure you clear a staging area for your boxes once they’re all filled and finished. Put all your completed boxes in one room, corner, or entryway. This will make loading your car a lot easier.
5. Start packing: Heavy items in smaller boxes. Your boxes are designed for different contents. Smaller boxes are actually sturdier, so you should put your heavy stuff in those. Avoid overfilling, and use your padding supplies to reduce bumping inside the box.
6. Lighter items in larger boxes: Your largest boxes are intended for lightweight-yet-bulky items, like pillows or bedding. Make sure you label these boxes clearly, and don’t stack anything heavy on top of them.
7. Label clearly. Speaking of labeling, try to be extra clear with your labeling. Noting down the contents of a box is nice, and including the room is even better. (Example: “PILLOWS - LIVING ROOM”).
8. Transport smart: Think ahead. You’ll be loading up your car, but you’ll also be loading up a storage unit afterwards. Put your most-used items in car or truck first. This way, they’ll be loaded into your storage unit last - and therefore, they’ll be easiest to find.

You’ve packed your boxes. Now you need to get them out of your house. Here’s how to properly load up your storage unit.

1. Scout out the storage unit: You should get your bearings before you show up holding a bunch of boxes. Check out your storage unit beforehand, and take a tape measure. Map it out in a diagram if possible, so you can plan where everything’s going to go.
2. In the storage unit: When you open your storage unit, you shouldn’t see a wall of your stuff. Instead, you should see a space to walk, and your items arranged in a rough U-shape around the edges. Mark a path for easy access, and keep it clear.
3. Move your largest items into storage first: Your big items should go in first, and everything else should fit around them later. If you have the space, put down some shipping pallets to make sure there’s air circulation beneath your items.
4. Least-used items in back: Keep in mind you’ll need some items more frequently than others. If you think you’ll be coming back to pick something up soon, keep it towards the front. Anything that’ll be there for a long time, keep it towards the back.
5. Keep an air gap when possible: If you can, try to leave an inch or two of space between your stacks of boxes, and another inch or two of space between your stuff and all the walls. Proper air circulation is the best way to minimize moisture.
6. Stack like with like: You’ve got small boxes, medium boxes, and large boxes - each with their own type of contents. Stack them up, but don’t mix and match box sizes in one stack. You don’t want your boxes to crush each other or tip over.
7. Cover it up: Done loading up your storage unit? Use tarps and sheets to cover everything up. It’s a lot easier than dusting off your boxes every time you want to grab something out of storage.

Doesn’t matter if it’s short-term or long-term storage - you need the right packing supplies, and you need to know how to prep your stuff. Fortunately, with this guide in hand, you’re already on the right track.

The next step? Ordering a custom packing kit and booking secure storage on the iMoving marketplace. Check it out, and we’ll connect you with the best in the business.