Pick one box size for most, if not all of your items.
Same-size boxes help with stacking and accessibility. Keep in mind large boxes are excellent for items that aren’t very heavy, but may not hold up well at the bottom of large stacks. Large boxes (especially at the bottom of a stack) are also more difficult to remove if you need something out of them.
Identify the items you may need to access while in storage.
Things you don’t use regularly when you’re packing may be needed later on. Carefully consider what you may need while your items are in storage, giving extra thought to seasonal items.
Here are a few things you may need to retrieve from your storage unit:
Winter or summer clothing
Holiday items (decorations, costumes, bakeware)
Kids toys
Tools and hobby supplies
Office and personal documents
Label each box you pack.
Label each box on the top and at least one side with the room it came from, and the contents of the box. Place a special mark on boxes you may need to access at some point during storage and remember to put them in your storage unit last. Be as detailed as possible with the contents.
Plan an organized layout for your storage unit.
If you’re going to access your unit frequently, you’re going to need to put some thought into how you pack your storage unit. Ideally, you want to put the furniture against the wall opposite your boxes to leave a path in the middle of the unit. This way, you can access boxes and furniture items without any hassle. If you need to use the space in the middle, place your most moveable items there so you can remove them with ease.
Consider upgrading to a larger unit.
You could pack every square inch like Tetris, but that makes retrieving items very difficult. A little extra space can give you room for shelving units and a path through the middle of your unit for easy access to most of your belongings.