Before we dive right in, it’s important to ask yourself how much stuff you need to store and how long you plan on living abroad. If hypothetically speaking, you plan to book the earliest flight to London with the intention of staying abroad for more than a year. I would highly recommend that you move out of your apartment or the place you’re currently staying at to avoid unnecessary monthly payments. Let’s be honest, we all love money (some more than others), so why not save a few hundred dollars from rent? Savvy?
So let’s say you decided to take our recommendation. Yay money! Great! But then it hits you, where are you going to store all your belongings now that you don’t have a place to store them? Fortunately, that’s where a storage facility comes in! Storage facilities typically offer a wide range of storage sizes, so you’ll have no problem storing all your belongings.
Whether you have a little or a lot of stuff, a storage facility will accommodate your every need. A storage facility is a perfect solution for storing your belongings at an affordable price while keeping your stuff safely secured. Most storage facilities pride themselves on their security, so you can bet that they’ll have state-of-the-art security features to help ensure you’ll have peace of mind when traveling. But before you jump onto this idea, check out these 3 long-term storage tips first!
- Pack and Store with Care
As obvious as this tip may be, you’d be surprised how often this tip gets overlooked. Properly storing and packing. Now, this goes without saying. Please make sure that when you’re packaging your boxes or containers, to be mindful of your items. Now, what do I mean by this?
Don’t toss stuff or randomly stack your items in a box, especially if you’re planning to store your belongings for the long-term. Be mindful of stacking the harder and sturdier items on the bottom of the box and working your way from heavy to light. This is a great way to ensure that your boxes or containers won’t deform and collapse onto one another. You definitely wouldn’t want your heavier boxes smooshing your lighter boxes underneath now, would you?
- Prep Moisture-Sensitive Items Before Storage
Long-term storage means your belongings will be sitting in one place for an extended period, so it pays to think ahead about items prone to moisture damage. Wood furniture, electronics, musical instruments, and fabric-based items can all be affected by humidity over time.
Before placing these items in your unit, make sure they’re completely dry and clean. Wrap furniture in breathable covers rather than plastic, which can trap moisture. Use silica gel packets or moisture-absorbing products inside boxes containing electronics or delicate items. Taking these extra steps up front can save you from unpleasant surprises when you return.
- Look Into Storage Insurance
To invest in storage insurance or to not invest in storage insurance? Hmm, that’s a good question to ask oneself, especially if you’re going abroad for a number of years. I strongly suggest looking into storage insurance for precautionary measures. It doesn’t really hurt to add another layer of security to further increase your peace of mind. And in the event of a natural disaster occurring within the facility, you can rest assured knowing that your items are insured. As the old saying goes, “it’s better safe than sorry.”
If you’re looking for a storage facility to store your belongings before you embark on your journey abroad, Ideal Storage just might be the facility you’re looking for. Whether short- or long-term, Ideal Storage can accommodate your storage needs. Here at Ideal Storage, we offer a wide variety of storage units at low, competitive rates! Contact us.