Tips to Declutter Your Storage Unit

Chances are, cleaning out your storage unit is not always top of mind. For many, a storage unit serves as a great space to keep all of the things you need but no longer use (or use very rarely) and due to this, you might also find that you don’t frequent your unit as often as you want to due to travels, renovations or simply just work and how busy life can get.

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If you find that you have not managed to make time to visit your unit, then try to set up some time over a weekend to visit the storage unit and give it a deep clean. This is super important to do every few months so that you can make sure that your storage unit is in tip-top shape, that your stored items are safe and dust-free and that you are not storing anything that no longer serves you.

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Go prepared

Being prepared is highly important when cleaning out your unit since you might only know what you need once you get there. Taking a few essentials will go a long way and the best part is that you are more than likely to already have these things in your home!

Here’s what to pack

1. Dustbin bags - take at least 2-3 bags with you just in case there are a lot more items to give away, donate or chuck out than you originally thought.
2. A broom - take your household broom or a hand broom and dustpan to help effortlessly wipe dust from the floors, shelves and smaller spaces. A broom will also help you sweep under shelving units and in otherwise hard to reach places.
3. Mop - take your mop with you to help with a quick clean up and to effortlessly wipe the floor.
4. Spray bottle with water - instead of lugging around a bucket and looking for a place to fill it, take a spray bottle and fill it up with some clean water. You can use this to gently mist the floor before you mop it to help ensure that most of the dust is collected.
5. Dust cloth - perhaps one of the most effective things you need when cleaning your storage unit is the trusty old dust cloth! Use it to wipe your shelves, storage boxes and the inside of the unit’s door to keep it dust free and spotless.
6. Counter cleaner - take a simple counter cleaner or washing up liquid with (you can also add a few drops to your spray bottle) to help pick up some more dust and leave your plastic storage boxes clean and shiny.
7. Air freshener - take along an automatic air freshener or an air freshener pod to keep the air inside your unit smelling fresh and clean. While it might not last until your next visit to the unit, it will definitely make a slight difference to the smell in the unit.

Once you get to your unit, check your storage boxes and shelving (if you have any) to make sure that all of your items are still sealed, damp free, safe from mould and that the packaging is still secure. If any of the boxes seem like they could be replaced, then now would be the perfect time to do that (don’t forget to recycle the old box).

If you haven't already done this, then another super helpful tip to declutter your unit is to check the storage unit inventory (this should be something that you make when you move your items into the unit). However, if you don't have an inventory and do have some time to spare, then now might be the best time to do so! Go through each box and make a note on a page or on your phone of everything that is in each box or container in the unit - you can save the note to your cloud and share it with a trusted friend.

Making an inventory will not only help you see and remember the items that are in your unit but might also inspire you to toss out or donate a few of your unwanted or broken goods to help free up space.

Pack smart

After making your inventory list, cleaning the unit and packing aside a few of the items that you want to donate or toss, try to reorganize the space to make it work better for you. An easy way to make the space more effective is to pack the items you use or need more frequently, in front of the unit and the stuff that you are less likely to use (like books and photo albums) towards the back. This way, your storage space will become more functional and will make visiting the unit a breeze!
Reorganizing your unit is also a great way to see if you need to downsize or upsize your unit. Visit our website to see all of our offerings and the various storage units we have available!