If you’re downsizing, or moving out of your home, condo or apartment and your new home isn’t ready, you’ll need to find a good storage facility in the Portland or Vancouver area. Rather than renting a garage and moving your things in, simplify your move by using a moving and storage company. Portland movers often rent warehouse space to their moving customers while they’re in transition. Cheap Movers Portland is an expert at helping Portland area residents find qualified and insured moving and storage companies. Using a mover that offers storage services means that your move is seamless. You won’t have to move two or even three times, in and out of storage units when relocating. You’ll have one team of professional movers handling your belongings from start to finish. If you’re moving to or from Portland, OR, we can recommend one of our moving and storage partners to move and store your household goods for you, and finish moving them in once you’ve found your new home. Request a free quote for your move today!
Not all storage spaces are created equally. To ensure your items survive their time locked up in storage, there are a few things you should make sure your space has:
Storage units should be swept clean and have no water stains on the ceiling or floor. Look around the facility grounds – are the driveways clean? Managers should make sure there is no trash or loose dirt that can blow into the storage units.
Is the facility fenced? The most secure gates require a code to get in and to get back out. A camera will record license plates at the gate. If the manager lives on-premises, that’s a huge plus.
Make sure it’s easy to bring your car or truck in and out – this includes turn-around space. Does the facility provide any carts for tenant use? When will you be able to access the unit? While 24-hour access adds a convenience factor, it may also mean the facility is not as secure at night.
Be sure to look at a few facilities in your price range – the cheapest option may not be as secure, clean or dry as you’d like. You certainly don’t want to pay for storage that leaves your furniture damaged.
If you’re downsizing or may want long-term storage, look for a location with several storage unit sizes. Once you can move into your home, just take what you need. Then rent a smaller space in the same facility to store your remaining items.
Climate controlled storage is more expensive, but extremes in temperature can cause cracks and discoloration in wood furniture. Humidity will seep into books, linens, and mattresses, and encourage mold growth. If climate-controlled storage isn’t in your budget, wrap mattresses and textiles in plastic, and keep your things in storage for as short a time as possible.
You can find the perfect storage solution to meet your needs with Cheap Movers Portland:
Store your household goods while you’re relocating or traveling. Long-term storage is perfect for retirees who have downsized. Residential storage is available for furniture, mattresses, rugs, art, appliances, boxed clothing and personal items.
Commercial storage may include renting space for files, inventory, office equipment, retail goods, industrial equipment and machines, restaurant equipment, or vehicles.
Moving and storage companies often store large furniture pieces, bedroom furniture or dining room sets that will be used in a future home. Antique furniture can be stored safely, in a climate-controlled environment, until it’s needed.
Climate-controlled, secure storage is in demand for wine vendors, restaurants and wine collectors. Wine must be refrigerated at specific temperatures provided by professional storage services.
Professional art storage is provided in secure, climate-controlled storage facilities for art collectors, municipalities, art dealers and art museums. Art must be kept away from moisture and damaging sunlight for preservation.
Long-term document storage is necessary for certain professions, like law and medicine, and for governments. Climate controlled storage units protect important documents from humidity and high temperatures.
It may be tempting, when you’re in the middle of moving and exhausted, to load up your storage unit willy-nilly and slam the door. But it doesn’t take much time to organize your storage unit as you fill it up.
If your storage unit is a short-term rental, you’re probably planning to load it all up and truck it over to your house when you have room. But it’s more likely that you’ll want to take things a few at a time – especially if you have a large collection of books, collectibles, or clothing you don’t need every day. Putting your things in order when you pack your unit will prevent a lot of extra work and stress when you need to retrieve a few things.
If you have room in the storage unit, leave a little corridor down the center – it’ll be much easier to find things. Spend a little time thinking about what you’ll need first and what you won’t take home until later (if ever), and pack accordingly.
First, put those “later” items in the unit along the left and right walls. “Later” items might be things like: toys you’re saving for kids or grandkids you don’t have yet; college papers you’ll never read but want to keep; furniture you inherited that’s too big for the current house.
Now, in front of your “later” items, stack both sides with boxes of things you’ll want in the foreseeable future. Start stacking, and leave about two feet empty in the center, all the way to the back. Keep a big black marker handy and make sure each box has a label on the side you can see.
Heavier things, like books and kitchen items, generally go on the bottom – if they’re in sturdy boxes. Though dishes are heavy, don’t put them at the bottom because they may break under the weight of other boxes. Put dishes towards the middle of a stack, with a light box or two on top of them. Save pillows and comforters for last and toss them right on top of the pile. Use a clear trash bag to store them so you can find them easily. Small mattresses can lay flat on top as well.
If you need every inch of the storage unit and can’t leave a space in the middle, set a few things aside that are easy to move and put them in that middle spot as you’re finishing up. Things with wheels are ideal for the middle spot – a bike, a lawnmower, or a trunk with wheels can be rolled right back out again. You can also buy a hand truck (a great item to own regardless), put a stack of boxes on it, and wheel them in last. Just roll everything back out again and you’ll be able to walk down the middle to reach things.
If you really want to pack the perfect storage unit, get a piece of paper and draw a bird’s eye view “map” of your stacks. So next November, you’ll be sure that your Thanksgiving tablecloth is in the bottom box just to the left of the lawnmower.
With these tips and a reputable moving and storage company to assist, you can quickly and efficiently get all your things into storage. For help finding a mover you can trust, call Cheap Movers Portland. We ensure you get connected with licensed, insured movers in the Portland area to make your move a snap!
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