At first, keeping a storage unit clean sounds easy. Stack boxes neatly, visit occasionally to dust off the boxes, and that’s it. But there’s more to it. When you store things in a self-storage unit in Sioux City, keeping the unit clean includes removing items you no longer need or want, and organizing what’s left in a way that makes it easy to walk through the unit and access everything in there.

View available units

Document Everything You Have

If you do not have an inventory list of everything you have stored in that unit, get ready: You’re going to go through everything and write down what’s in each box, and give each box a designation like a number. If you’re just starting to pack, then now’s the time to start tracking. By documenting what is where, you make it easy to retrieve items without opening several boxes in an attempt to find one item. Instead, you can consult the list, get the box, retrieve the item, and be done with the search in minutes.

Prepare Yourself to Clean

When you visit the unit, bring gloves, cleaning cloths, dust cloths, and a small bag for trash. Always be prepared to clean up a bit; having supplies with you will make it easier to get things done and not let the dust build up.

Keep, Trash, Donate, Sell

If you’re storing things long-term, you’ll eventually decide to get rid of some items. You may also decide to go through each box and remove items you no longer want. You’ll have to decide what to keep but also what to trash, give to a charity, or sell. Don’t let unwanted items stay in the storage unit; they only add to the visual bulk of all those boxes.

Reorganize

When you’ve gone through your boxes, try to rearrange what you have so that items you access frequently are easy to reach as soon as you step into the unit. You may find over time that you can move your belongings to a smaller unit, resulting in a smaller monthly rental bill.

How Often Should I Revisit My Unit?

If you’re talking about revisiting what you have and rearranging, you may want to do this every couple of months. Don’t let things sit for much longer than that because it’s easy to decide one day that you’ll go the next week instead, and before you know it, six months have passed. As for how often to simply visit, you may want to go every couple of weeks just to be sure all is well.

Decluttering a self-storage unit can be time-consuming, but it will leave you feeling better about what you have in there because you’ll know that what’s in there is stuff that you consciously want to keep. If you need a self-storage unit in Sioux City, contact Olympic Storage. We have climate-controlled units of various sizes and can help you find the right space.