Once you start remodeling your Maryland home, be ready for a lot of dust and rubble everywhere. And it is wise to rent a storage unit if you do more extensive renovations. You can move all of your belongings before the construction work starts to prevent unnecessary damage. Since packing and storing your items is not always the easiest thing to do, here are some helpful renovation storage and packing tips.
Now is the time to declutter
Before you automatically move all of your belongings to a storage unit, think about decluttering. All households have a bunch of stuff they haven’t used for a long time. Chances are, you will never use those things. They are just here, collecting dust. Furthermore, the more items you place in storage, the higher the monthly storage rent is.
With that in mind, declutter your place and throw anything you won’t use after the remodel.
Pick the best storage facility you can find
Choosing a storage facility requires some thinking. Maryland has a lot of options, that’s for sure. However, even though different storage units may look the same, there are some crucial differences between the companies. The overall quality of the storage unit will directly affect the safety of your valuables.
Maryland has a lot of experienced movers at your disposal, so pick the best one for this project.
Before you pick a storage company, first ask for references from the people you know. If you don’t know anyone who has used a storage unit before, visit the company website and look at testimonials.
The second thing to do is to tour the facility. Check the overall security, safety measures, and pest control strategy.
Another thing to ask is for the working hours of the facility. You need to know when you can access your unit and take any items you might need.
There is one other thing to consider: the nature of the belongings you place in the storage unit. Some items are more sensitive than others, and they might need a temperature-controlled environment. Ask if the facility has such units in its offer. If not, it is better to look for a different facility.
Items sensitive to sudden temperature changes are:
- electronic devices;
- large appliances;
- clothes;
- mattresses;
- antique furniture;
- valuable documentation;
- paintings.
These are just some of the examples.
Do not go cheap when protecting your belongings
Storing your valuables comes with some challenges. You need to be mindful of how sensitive your belongings are. You must make sure all of the items are properly packed and secured.
Whatever breakable items you have, it is best to pay a little extra to pack them with care than buy new items afterward. Be generous with the bubble wrap, packing peanuts, and other packing materials.
It is also a good investment to purchase or rent plastic containers instead of using cardboard boxes. The first benefit is that they are a safer option. Second, it is easier to carry them because of the handles. And third, plastic containers are easy to open if you need to take something out. If you tape a cardboard box, you will have to remove the seal and tape it again after.
Plastic containers are more secure and more convenient for packing your household items.
Know what items to pack and what to leave
Even though it is essential to protect your belongings during a remodel, you don’t have to pack everything. For example, if you want to renovate a kitchen with fewer headaches, you might want to try and pack everything. However, you still need to eat. Leave a couple of everyday utensils you use. Furthermore, all of the food can still be in the fridge.
Furthermore, some items are not even allowed in a storage unit. For example, any chemicals, flammable materials, etc.
The best way to look at this is to create a list of essential items that will stay in the house. Pack everything else and move it into a storage unit.
Always disassemble furniture before storing it
Packing and moving furniture is always challenging, primarily because of its size and shape. If you have antique pieces, you must be careful not to damage them. Not that ordinary furniture is any different, but antiques are costly.
Moving furniture is difficult, so always disassemble it first.
Before placing furniture into a storage unit, always take it apart first. Just make sure to put all the screws and nuts into a bag and label it. Once your furniture is disassembled, you can pack all pieces separately. It will be easier to move it outside the house and into the storage unit. Larger pieces often cannot fit through a door.
Another benefit is that moving disassembled furniture is more affordable. When a piece cannot fit through the door, you will have to use hoisting equipment. All moving companies charge that extra.
The final advice to remember is to always label parts before packing them. This step will make the assembly more manageable, especially if you don’t have the manual anymore.
Label all of the boxes before placing them in a storage unit
One of the critical renovation storage and packing tips is to label all of the boxes to avoid potential damage to breakables.
Moving unlabeled boxes into a storage unit is a huge beginner mistake. Sure, you won’t see the problem at the beginning. However, once you start moving your items back into the house, you will see how difficult it is to unpack everything. You won’t know what items are in what box.
Another danger of not labeling boxes is that you don’t know where the fragile items are. Prevent any damage by marking all of the boxes clearly. Always write the name of the room on the box, what items are inside, and what side goes up. These are the three essential rules of labeling boxes.
Remember to look for help when moving boxes into a storage unit. Even though you can do it on your own, Bethesda has an array of professional moving companies at your disposal. A neighboring crew can handle this, so you can relax and work on the remodel.
A tip regarding hiring experienced contractors
When doing a remodel, it is best to hire custom home builders. They can help with the remodel and do all the changes just as you want them. An experienced crew is more likely to finish all of the changes on time and even save you from redoing renovations if you are not satisfied.
Renovation storage and packing tips delivered
Follow our renovation storage and packing tips if you wish to complete the project without major setbacks. It is best to spend a bit more time and money to protect all of your belongings before the remodel starts. That can be a long process, so it is crucial to have patience. Once everything is over, you can slowly return all the boxes and create a new layout from scratch.