Space is usually at a premium for both home and office, and it's getting worse as commercial and residential rental areas become more expensive. Fortunately, there are many options and tricks for maximizing your space, either doing what you can to efficiently store and pack your possessions, digitizing records, or renting out a self-storage space.

What Should You Not Put in Self Storage?

Storage unit companies have strict rules about what you can and cannot keep inside their units. Many businesses have limited on-site storage space in their office, store, or facility, so renting separate storage space is a common alternative. In addition to storing business records, excess stock and office supplies are put into storage. That can allow a business to take advantage of deals and buy surplus stock/supplies when prices are lower.

Generally speaking, you can store anything not listed in their rules, but be sure to check, as each company has its list of prohibited items.

A quick general list will prohibit any of the following:

• Firearms
• Anything wet that may lead to mold
• Living or dead organisms
• Money
• Food
• Stolen property
• Tires
• Anything irreplaceable (birth certificates, money, family photos, heirlooms, etc.)
• Hazardous materials

As you can see, the list is mostly common sense and partially designed to avoid storing anything that can turn into a hazard. While that box of sealed, individually wrapped snacks might seem safe to keep, rodents can chew through almost any packaging, which is why food is forbidden. Other items, like stolen property, are prohibited for legal reasons. Tires are hazardous in the event of a fire as they can be dangerous materials.

How Do I Maximize My Storage?

Chances are, no matter how tiny your space is, you’ve likely got a blank wall. Hooks and pegboards are great for storing a wide variety of items. This will sound unintuitive at first, but look for where you’re not keeping things and see if you could potentially turn into a spot to store things. For example, see if you can mount a pull-out spice rack beneath your kitchen cabinets in a home.

What Are Some Organization Tips?

Here are a few general tips to help you get and stay organized:

1. Don’t be shy about throwing stuff away, even if you have the space for it.
2. If you’re having trouble throwing things away, tuck them in a box. You’ll find it easier to toss on later passes when you realize you haven’t been missing that thing you put in a box.
3. Instead of tackling a whole room, start small, like a drawer, if you’re feeling overwhelmed.
4. Try organizing things by color.
5. Figure out how to organize your routine.
6. Use clear storage containers. So often, things that are out of sight are out of mind.
7. Don’t be afraid to label things.
8. Digitize any documents you don’t need in physical format.

What is the Best Way to Organize Your Storage? Here are a few things you can do to make the most of your storage space:

1. Begin by having a list of everything in your unit. If you don’t remember what you’re storing?
2. Try keeping things in clear bins to see what you’re storing. This also means you don’t have to worry about any leak potentially destroying your cardboard boxes.
3. Store the heaviest stuff on the bottom and in the back.
4. Leave the things you’ll be returning for more often in the front of the unit.
5. Remember to take advantage of the height of the space by storing things vertically.
6. Label all your containers, so you know what is what and where.

Get Organized with Storage Quarters

Whether it's for business or personal items, Storage Quarters can help get your records and items under control. Whether it's document digitizing, shredding, or storage, talk to the data and storage experts at Storage Quarters to determine what you need and how to get started. Call Storage Quarters at (516) 794-7300 to get a free quote or book our services.