If you are going to use some of the times on a regular basis, be sure to place them in the front of the unit, making access to them easier

Label everything you store in your unit and keep a written inventory along with your locator map to make it easy to find your belongings

Store sofas, couches and tables on their ends (not recommended for sofa beds, however). Place an old sheet or plastic on the floor underneath the sofa to further protect the fabric

Remove or fold the handles on lawnmowers and other garden equipment. It is important that you drain all gasoline out of a tool before storing it

Use Wardrobe boxes to hang clothing, draperies and other fabrics so that they can breathe while in storage

If you are storing boxes of records or documents, consider using shelves to maximize your self storage space

If storing a dresser or chest of drawers, use the drawers as additional storage space. Pack lightweight items into the drawers to maximize the storage space and minimize the area you need

Wrap anything fragile in bubble wrap, newspaper, or both before placing them in boxes. You can also pack smaller fragile items among clothes or other soft belongings for added cushioning

When placing your items into storage, draw a simple map of where everything is located. Keep the map along with your lease so it will be handy when you need it

If storing tables, when possible remove the legs so that you can stand the table top vertically

When placing your boxes into self storage, place the heavier boxes on the bottom with each box stacked on top getting progressively lighter in weight

Be careful not to pack anything in your unit that could spoil. Rotting food and plants could attract bugs and rodents in addition to bad odors