Moving and Packing Advice

Packing Tips

Storage Packing Tips from All Secure Storage in Courtenay-Comox:

• Make packing easier by planning ahead: Gather up plenty of sturdy corrugated 2, 4, 5, & 6 cube cartons. Standard size cartons make handling and storing easier. Packing paper, bubble wrap, packing tape and marking pens will be needed.
• Boxes that are tightly sealed with packing tape will keep out dust, strengthen the carton, and help in stacking
• Pack as much as you can in each box. Fill boxes tightly, but take care to neither overpack nor underpack.(Bulging cartons tip when stacked, while half full cartons tend to collapse) Use wadded up packing paper or styrofoam popcorn to fill empty space.
• Pack heavy items like books and tools in 2 cube cartons. Limit weight to 45lbs for ease of handling.
• Label cartons on all sides for ease of identification. Mark all fragile cartons, and place them on top of heavier cartons.
  Pack dishes in china cartons. These are heavier cardboard. Use lots of packing paper, and styro fill. Wrap each piece separately. Plates are best stacked on edge.
• Tape appliance doors shut when moving, but wedge them open once they are in storage. Refrigerators, freezers, washers and dryers all make great packing cartons for such items as bedding, towels or clothing.
• As you take furniture apart, you should mark all of the various pieces so that you know what goes where when you put it back together.
• Always place covers on mattresses during both the move and during storage.
• Fill your dresser drawers with small, fragile items. You can use clothing, towels or blankets for padding.
• Clothing that you usually hang-up should always be packed in a wardrobe carton.
• Never store a mirror flat, always stand them on edge. They should also be wrapped in paper mats.

Safe Storage Advice

Storage Tips

Moving is always a stressful time, so always give yourself extra time when moving your items into storage. You should budget at least 30 minutes to view your unit, talk to our staff and then read and sign your lease.

You should also have a plan for how to pack your storage unit. You may want to doodle a simple floor plan to make the most of your storage unit—you can then tape your floor plan to the wall of your unit so that you can easily locate your treasures later.

You must always ensure that you can easily access your items once you’ve stored them. You don’t want to be emptying your unit just to gain access to a particular item or box. You also need to take care when you are packing to ensure that you don’t damage your possessions—either by creating towers of boxes that topple over or by crushing something by stacking too much weight on top.

Other Helpful Storage Tips:

• Store items you’ll need most often at the front of unit.
• When you pack your unit, create a center aisle for access to all items.
• If you’re storing tables, and other furniture, remove legs, and store table tops and sofas on end to save space.
• Old photos tend to curl over time. To keep them flat, place them between two pieces of cardboard.
• Drain gas and oil from items with small engines.
• Never store food.
• Use trash cans to store rakes and shovels.
• Never Store Flammable Liquids
• Stack furniture top to top, with a pad in between to save space.
• Pack blankets and clothing in a wardrobe carton.
• Whenever possible cover furniture with pads.
• Store Mattresses with a cover on and flat on level surfaces.
• Always pack your unit as high as possible, leave yourself extra space for unexpected sorting and unpacking for those need to find items that arise.
• Store the largest items first.
• Leave 1 inch of space between your items and the walls of your unit.
• Make sure you can read any labels that you placed on your boxes.