Packing Tips

So you are packing up all your belongings to go into storage… but not sure where to start. Here’s some basic tips to get you started:

• Do not over pack your boxes! As a general rule heavy items like books need to go in small boxes, or you won’t be able to easily lift the boxes, and the box may give way.
• Label your boxes on several sides – no matter how carefully you pack the labelled side will always be hidden!
• Invest in a tape dispenser if you have lots of boxes to make up – it will save you lots of time in the long run.
• Make sure you have boxes of the same size, as they will stack much better than random boxes.
• Start packing early, and move your boxes to storage as you pack – things in boxes take up much more space than in their unpacked state, and you will quicky find yourself unable to move for boxes!
• Organise your storage unit with shelves for boxes/ items you might need to access near the front – it’s much easier to slide a box off a bottom shelf than to unstack lots of boxes to get to one at the bottom, and you don’t need to be removing everything in a storage unit to find your important paperwork!
• Put down a layer of cardboard/foam mats/carpet before stacking your boxes/furniture to keep everything clean and protected.
• Put heaviest items at the bottom of a stack and get lighter as you go up, for example chest of drawers, then boxes of books, then boxes of ornaments/fragile items.
• When packing mirrors and large pictures use bubble wrap and a flattened large box to slide the picture in and then tape around the whole package to keep the corners of the picture/mirror protected.
• Pack your soft furnishing/clothes/mattresses in sealed bags – for example suitcases/holdalls for clothes, and  mattress covers for large items sealed with tape.
• Protect the tops of chests and tables with blankets to prevent scratches and damage when other items are placed on top.

Not sure what size storage unit you need – check here for an idea of what each unit can accommodate.

Alice Knight – Operations Assistant 27th March 2026