Let us paint you a word picture. It is midwinter and you need your ski equipment for that trip to Italy. When you were last storing items in your storage facility of choice it was July, so naturally, ski and other winter-related equipment was put there, not to overwhelm the space of the house. So, an easy job, right? You go in, pick up your skis and go, right? Well, if you are like most people, that is not really a 3-minute affair it could be. You will rumble around, trying to find the right box for quite some time. And then you have to go through the trouble of trying to rearrange the boxes back together or repack the things opened by mistake… To avoid such a frustrating scenario, you should learn how to label boxes for storage.
Why you should label boxes for storage
So how should you go on about it? And why? Well, the reason why you have to label boxes for storage has its origins in the way every item intended for storage should be packed. What, you don’t know how to do that? Excellent, we can cover that too. So, be it movers in Vancouver or those movers Cambridge Ontario, most will offer services of packing. This is rather normal. Packing is a big business and many will avoid DIY option, opting to pay a small fee for professionals to pick exactly the right packaging material, cushioning method nad box size. But, with storage, it is different.
When you wish to store items, you have to pack them for a long haul. And yes, this goes even those possessions you swear will only be at storage temporarily. That scouter you wish every year to ride as an eco alternative but always pick up a car… yup, that’s not going anywhere anytime soon. Still, you want to store it properly so you have it undamaged once you do use it for its intended purpose.
To achieve this you should:
- Pick the right size of boxes. And of course, then label boxes for storage.
- Use wrapping to protect from moisture and pests.
- And most importantly, pick the right storage.
Simply said, the reason why you need to label boxes for storage is simply that everything will be in boxes, stacked one atop the other (preferably on shells) so they can be protected during even short term storage.
Pick the system
There is a system to be used when you ought to label packed things for storage. When you hire packing service of the very best movers in Hamilton Ontario, they might help you with packing and moving, but what they can’t do is make a system that will suit you. It is a personal thing. But, you might ask yourself now if the system is up to me, why is it even discussed here?
Because while you should still pick an option that is best aligned to your needs and preferences, you first need to know what the options are. So what are they? Well, to in particular come to mind.
The first one is the color-based system. It is most suitable when it comes to after-move storage units. What does it mean? Labeling the boxes in colors that mark a particular category. These categories can be room based, for example. That would mean that you store all of your garage tools under red, gardening tools under green, livingroom items under yellow, bedroom under blue, etc, etc. This system is also very suitable for actual moving, and not only storage, so if you wish to label boxes for the move, voila! However, it has its drawbacks, mainly that it still means you have to rumble around the boxes to find exactly what gardening tool you need, what living room aesthetic item you are wishing to take… you get it.
The second system is numbers based. It also includes a spreadsheet you will need. On it will be written the details of all the items in the storage facility. Numbers are to represent categories of objects, and all you need will be the spreadsheet to find them! Just don’t lose it!
Make content clear
If you are moving a long way away, for example moving to Ontario, you might just lose the memory of exact content of all of those boxes short-term stored away. This is even more likely in the long-term storage options. This is why the label should have more than just the name of whats inside. You need to be precise!
It should list the exact proportions of the object. Its condition is also very important. Imagine a scenario where you really want to give away your toaster. You do so, forgetting that a year ago you actually stored it away for the exact purpose of repairing it later. Imagine a rather unpleasant surprise the receiver of such a gift will have…
To avoid such unnecessary, unpleasant surprises, why not label boxes for storage with the condition of the items. This is especially true of home appliances and computers!
Sometimes, the color of the object can play a role as well. Clothes and shoes for example.
Plastic container
Finally, this is a good time to recommend plastic containers. Your biggest enemy in long-term storage is moisture, and plastic containers are a wonderful defense against it.
And, if you are asking yourself exactly how to recycle them, you will see it is not that hard, so you are very much in the green! They are also very easy to label, being susceptible to self-sticking paper quite well.
Packaging
Finally, be sure that the packaging is done right. There is no point in labeling anything if the box is no doing its job. Eather look up the DIY options or use packing services of literary any movers, like your local movers Niagara Falls for example.
To sum things up
To conclude, it is important that you pick a system. After that, and on properly packed items, label them according to your needs. This is pretty much exactly how you label boxes for storage. Best of luck!