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The Top 10 Packing and Moving Mistakes You Don’t Want to Make

Spring is here, and that means that moving season has arrived. Whether you’re still in the planning stages or are already striking rooms and packing boxes, you know that moving can be complicated and stressful. As your Oklahoma self storage source, we want to help you avoid common moving mistakes that will make your move a lot more trouble than it needs to be! We’ve combed the top articles, listened to what the experts have to say, and assembled the top ten packing and moving mistakes that you don’t want to make on your next move!

1. Not having a packing plan. Sometimes putting together lists and inventories of what you have, what goes where, and what’s in which box can feel like you’re packing everything twice. Taking the time to do this is worth it, though. Even if you don’t have an inventory of every single nit-picky item, having an idea of what needs to be packed when, what goes into which box, in what order it will go onto the truck, or where it will go in the new place can be a lifesaver in the hectic days of your actual move. Plus, you’re less likely to lose stuff in the process!

2. Packing at the last moment. Similarly, you don’t want to hold off packing until the day before you need to move. Sure, some items should be saved until the last minute—in fact, things that you need every day often won’t be packed for the move at all, but they will be taken with you on the day of—but most stuff should be packed in stages, according to the moving plan we just mentioned, and can be tackled in small chunks, one room at a time.

3. Not buying enough supplies. Many people underestimate how many boxes and other supplies they’ll need for their move. It may not seem like you have much stuff until you’re trying to find a box to hold all of it. Unfortunately, if you run out of supplies in the middle of packing, you’ll have to stop and go out and get more, which eats up valuable time and can throw off your whole packing schedule. This is also a good time to remind you not to pack your things in used cardboard boxes, bags, or totes, but to invest in new packing supplies that won’t fall apart or allow your belongings to become damaged in the move.

4. Over-packing. Sure, you want to make the most of your space and time by getting as much into each box as you can. It’s only natural! But over-packing can cause a lot of problems. Over-heavy boxes could rip out at the bottom or even injure those who are trying to lift and move them. Pack boxes so that they’re full but not over-full, and make sure that the heaviest boxes are labeled so those picking them up know what to expect.

5. Not taking inventory and creating labels. Speaking of labels, not putting them to good use is one big mistake that a lot of movers make. Even if you know what you’ve got, you won’t always remember what’s in which box. Labels help identify the contents of the boxes and make it easy for movers—whether pros or friends and family who are helping out—to know which room to put a box in. There are lots of different ways to inventory and label, from numbered cartons with a cross-referenced master list to actual apps that can create scannable barcodes. Find what works best for you and use it!

6. Not getting rid of anything. Moving is a perfect time to declutter and rid yourself of things that are just taking up space. In fact, moving things that you no longer want or need is just a waste, so make some time to sort your belongings and purge what doesn’t need to go to the new place, either by throwing it out or donating it. For anything that you can’t take to your new home but don’t yet want to let go of, there’s always self storage in Oklahoma.

7. Not keeping essentials with you. As we mentioned above, there are some things you won’t want to pack away because you’ll need them on the day of the move. Identify your day-to-day essentials – everything from medications to laptops – and keep them in a specific box, duffel bag, or backpack so you know where they are at all times.

8. Packing hazardous materials. There are some things you simply shouldn’t take with you on a move, and there are some that professional movers won’t take because of safety concerns. Anything that’s hazardous, including certain chemicals, shouldn’t be boxed up where it could spill or create a danger to you or your helpers. Dispose of it properly before moving day.

9. Not taking proper care of large household items. Sure, you’re probably thinking about how difficult it will be to move the sofa, the refrigerator, or the washer and dryer, but there are other large household items that need special care, too, from oversized pieces of art to mirrors and even lamps or glass tabletops. Anything big is probably also potentially breakable, and even if it’s not, it can slide into other things and break them. Take special care and get LOTS of help when moving anything heavy.

10. Not getting enough help. Even if you can do it all yourself, you shouldn’t. It’s a poor use of your time and energy, and it can even be dangerous. If you don’t plan to hire professional movers get some friends and family to help out and reward them with pizza and beverages. Help goes beyond having extra hands to carry stuff on moving day, though. You can also find help from your friendly Oklahoma self storage provider. Here you’ll find a home away from home for the things that won’t fit in your new place, moving and packing supplies, a place to stage things while you’re working, and lots more!

From advice to supplies to storage space, you can find whatever you need to make your next move a success at Storage ‘R’ Us in Lawton, Moore, Duncan, Chickasha, Norman, and Newcastle! If you’re planning a move, come see us at one of our eight convenient Oklahoma self storage locations today!

If you find yourself needing to move in a hurry, you’re far from alone. In fact, more than half of all people in the United States move every year, on average. Many of these are local moves, taking people to a new house or a different apartment in the same metro area. Others cross long distances, and sometimes these moves need to happen without much warning.

There are countless reasons you may have to pack up and move without a lot of notice. If you’re a member of the U.S. military, you might find yourself changing stations or even being deployed overseas. Those who work in tech, healthcare, financial services, and the sciences are all too familiar with sudden moves due to their career, while others may move for school or a new job or because there’s an unexpected family need.

Some people move because they need to downsize quickly, while others may find themselves in dire financial straits, confronted with the decision to pack up and move or face eviction. It’s unfortunate and heartbreaking, but it does happen, so it’s better to be prepared and ready to act if the worst should happen.

Not all of these situations are equally stressful but moving suddenly always is. Fortunately, there are ways to make an unexpected move easier on yourself and your family. We’ve dug through dozens of articles on how to plan and execute a move on short notice, and we pulled out some of the best tips and tricks. The first piece of advice is probably the most significant.

Be Prepared. A moving job is almost always going to be bigger than you anticipate, so plan for more of everything than you think you’ll need. That goes for moving help, timelines, the size of the truck, and how many packing supplies you get. It’s easy to forget things in the heat of the moment, too, so do what you can in advance. That means letting the landlord know, calling the utility companies, forwarding the mail, contacting your HOA, and so on.

Hire a Moving Truck. It can be tempting to try to save money by piling all your stuff into vehicles you already have available and/or calling up friends and family with pickups and SUVs. That may be a viable option for some stuff, but if you really need to move in a hurry, your best bet is to get a rental truck that’s big enough haul just about everything you need, especially the big furniture items. A rental truck will definitely save you a lot of time and hassles and eliminate a lot of trips back and forth. Contact a local moving truck rental representative such as Storage ‘R’ Us ahead of time to get an idea of what size vehicle you’ll need.

Load Up with Packing Supplies. Until you’re ready to move, boxes are nothing more than clutter around the house, and you’ve probably thrown out dozens of Amazon boxes in recent months. Now, though, you’ll need all the cardboard boxes you can get, along with other packing materials such as labels, markers, bubble wrap, and tape. It’s best to use new cardboard boxes rather than recycling old ones, and avoid using garbage bags or other plastic sacks that can rip easily. Fortunately, you can find all the packing and moving supplies you need if there’s a self storage facility such as Storage ‘R’ Us near you!

Decide What Goes and What Doesn’t. You’ve probably heard folks say that the trick to reducing the amount of stuff you move from one house to the next is to sort everything into one of three categories: keep, donate, and toss. This is the time to do that, but you don’t have to do it all on its own. You can purge while you pack! Speaking of packing …

Pack Like the Wind. As you go from room to room, you might want to take photos of the rooms as they are and of the contents of boxes as you pack them. It’s faster than making lists if you need to pack in a hurry. You can also give boxes simple labels. For example, assign each room a number and mark that number on the side of the box so the people helping you move know where to put it.

Make a Junk Pile and Arrange for Pickup. Whatever you aren’t keeping you’ll want to get out of your way as quickly and efficiently as possible. That may mean arranging a special pickup for bulk trash, or it may mean contacting a local thrift store, charity, or nonprofit that will pick up donations at your home. Some companies will haul off unwanted junk for a small fee. Call around to get the most competitive rates.

Get Help from Friends and Family. If you’re moving in a hurry, those who already live in the house with you are your best source of help. Everyone gets a job. Break out the tasks that need to be done and assign them to each family member. If you’ve got friends or family who’re willing to help, enlist their aid in packing boxes, loading trucks, and moving furniture. Professional movers are expensive; pizza is cheap.

Set Aside a Go Bag. Each member of the family should have a duffle bag, suitcase, or backpack where they’ll keep essentials that ride with them on moving day. These include everything from a change of clothes to maintenance medications, wallet and ID, phone, tablet, laptops, toiletries, important documents, valuables, and even water, food, and snacks. Put items in your go bags as you think of them. Don’t forget that your pets count as members of the family, and they need their own supplies, too!

Stage Your Moving Boxes as You Pack. While you’re putting things into boxes, be thinking about the order in which things need to go into the truck. Remember that whatever gets put in first is unpacked last. Stage your boxes as you pack them so that it’ll be quick and easy to load them into the truck when moving day arrives.

Take Advantage of Self Storage. Self storage can be a lifesaver when you have to move in a hurry. It can provide an easy, out-of-the-way staging area when you don’t have enough room or act as a home away from home for any stuff that won’t fit into your new place. Just do a search for “self storage units near me” or call your friendly neighborhood self storage provider for recommendations.

Here at Storage ‘R’ Us, we’ve helped countless people move into new homes or store the stuff they don’t have room for in their old ones. Whether you’re a military service member looking for military self storage in Oklahoma or a family looking to downsize after the kids head off to college, we’ve got the self storage solutions that you need, with handy locations in Lawton, Norman, Newcastle, Duncan, Chickasha, and Moore.

Before a big move, you’re probably grabbing every cardboard box you can get your hands on, but when the move is over, you may find yourself overwhelmed by the amount of cardboard you’ve gathered to do the job. Not to worry: Your friends at Storage ‘R’ Us self storage in Oklahoma have some tips on what to do with all those extra boxes once the move is over!

You may not want to just throw it all out. Even if you can bundle it up and arrange for “bulk item” pickup from your local trash service, that can often cost you extra out of pocket. Plus, there are better things to do with excess boxes than simply throw them into some landfill. We’ve got a few great ideas to help you put that cardboard to better use!

  • Recycle. Even if you can’t use the boxes yourself, you can always recycle them. Most forms of cardboard are recyclable, and corrugated cardboard has a recovery rate of more than 95%, so there’s no reason not to recycle what you can. Here in Oklahoma, you can find cardboard recycling bins at Walmart, among other places.
  • Keep them for jobs around the house. Cardboard is good for more than just boxes. You never know when you’ll need a large piece of cardboard for a painting job, protection for a cutting surface, damage protection for floors, or any number of other DIY applications.
  • Break them down and store boxes for a future move. If you’re a member of a military family, for example, and you know (or suspect) that you’ll be moving again in the not-too-distant future, it never hurts to have some extra boxes ready for the next time.
  • Use boxes in your self storage unit. Not planning to go anywhere? Those boxes may still come in handy for keeping things organized and out of the way in your Oklahoma self storage unit. Just remember to keep cardboard boxes away from walls and up off the floor.
  • Ask your moving company if they want the boxes. Don’t need the boxes yourself? If you got them from your moving company, you may find that they’re more than happy to take them back and either reuse or recycle them.
  • Give them away to neighbors. If you know someone in your neighborhood who is planning a move, you can always offer them some of your boxes. Users of Craigslist, the local NextDoor, and community Facebook pages often communicate the need for boxes, too.
  • Sell them on BoxCycle or Craigslist. You might even be able to make a buck off your used boxes!
  • Donate the boxes to charity. Pick your favorite charity and see if they need boxes. Thrift stores that give to charitable causes especially have need for extra cardboard.

Whatever you have left over after your move, you can find the perfect home away from home for it at Storage ‘R’ Us self storage in Oklahoma. With eight locations in Lawton, Duncan, Chickasha, Moore, Newcastle, and Norman, we’re sure to have the storage solution you’re looking for!

Packing well in advance of a move is the best way to make use of your time and ensure that everything goes smoothly. But where should you start? And with what? If you’re not a particularly organized person, packing can be stress-inducing, to say the least. Fortunately, Storage ‘R’ Us self storage in Lawton, Oklahoma has some tips that can help you get started packing so your next move is a snap!

One of the easiest ways to begin is to start in the least-used room of the house. Chances are, nothing in there is anything that you need to access in the weeks or months leading up to your move. That’s not the only reason to start there. An unused room makes a great staging area for the other boxes as you pack and label them!

What to Pack Next!

  • Kitchen items. Sure, you don’t necessarily want to pack the plates and silverware you use every day just yet, but you’ve probably got some good china or various kitchen gadgets and small appliances that you only use on special occasions, and those can definitely go into a box.
  • Anything hanging on the walls. The house may look a little bare without your family photos or artwork, but boxing up these items is a good way to get started packing. Artwork needs to be handled and packed carefully anyway.
  • Stored items in your basement or attic. Anything that’s already boxed up or otherwise put out of the way can go into self storage in Lawton until you’re settled in your new place. You can keep it there even longer if you don’t have room for it in your new home.
  • Décor and knick-knacks. These help to personalize your home, but you won’t be needing to access them in the days leading up to your move. Like artwork, they should be packed with care to ensure that they don’t break.
  • Collector’s items. If your hobby includes a large collection of, well, anything from model trains to sports memorabilia, you can pack all that up in advance, too.
  • Games and toys. If you have kids, chances are the mass of toys and games in the house is considerable. While you’ll want to leave some of their favorites out, of course, there are likely plenty of others that can get packed away before the move.
  • Clothes and shoes. Again, you’ll want to keep out day-to-day wear until closer to the day of the move, but anything at the back of the closet or high on shelves can definitely get packed up early. You can also pack up extra bedding, towels, and pretty much anything else in the linen closet.
  • Books, records, DVDs, and other media. These kinds of things don’t take up a lot of space, but they can be heavy and can take a lot of time to pack. Packing them in advance also gives you an opportunity to select durable boxes or bins that can stand the weight, while taking care of some of the heavy lifting before the move begins.
  • Anything out of season. From Christmas decorations to sports gear, anything that you’re not using right now can be packed for the move well in advance or staged in Lawton self storage until you need it again!

Ultimately, self storage can be more than just a place to put things while you’re getting ready for a move. It can be a staging area where you can get an idea of how much space packed items are going to take up as well as a place to put everything that won’t fit comfortably into your new home.

Whether you need it for your next move or for every day, self storage in Lawton from Storage ‘R’ Us can provide the ideal storage solutions for your home and family.

Whether you’re a modest decorator or someone who goes all out, it’s always sad to see the holidays end and the lights, inflatables, and other decorations go into self storage in Lawton to wait for the next season. But since holiday décor isn’t cheap – and often isn’t especially sturdy – it’s best to learn a little about the right ways to pack and store your holiday decorations so that they’re ready for the next season when it arrives!

Boxes and Bins – When you buy ornaments, lights, miniature decorative trees, or anything else for the holidays, keep the original boxes and other packaging that it came in wherever possible. Then it can go back into its original box, making it easy to identity and helping to protect it during the off season. Those boxes can then be stored inside sealed plastic bins that help protect against moisture and pests.

Racks and Bags – Believe it or not, one of the best ways to store holiday wreaths is by hanging them on a clothing rack or something similar, protected by a garment bag. And with wreaths for other holidays becoming popular, you might need a way to store a few.

Tree Keepers – What’s Christmas without a tree? Many of us use pricy, artificial trees these days, and we don’t want to throw them out after just one year. Get yourself a “tree keeper” made from moisture-resistant polyester.

Lighting Reels – Nobody wants to spend a lot of time untangling all those Christmas lights each year, right? There are the ones that go outside, the ones that go indoors, the ones that go on the tree. For ease of storage and to avoid a tangled mess when it’s time to put them up next year, invest in a store-bought lighting reel that makes it easy to wrap (and unwrap) strings of lights. Then store that in a protective tote.

Wrapping Paper Storage – Most places sell under-bed storage containers that are sized to hold tubes of wrapping paper – and they’re usually pretty cheap during after-holiday sales! Just make sure that you pick up some clear ones so that you can see at a glance which rolls are in each.

Big Tubs for Outdoor Décor – If you have inflatables or other large outdoor decorations, a few big storage tubs (think around 55 gallons or so) will be great for keeping them contained.

Tackle Boxes – Believe it or not, a tackle box is perfect for all sorts of small décor items and accessories like hooks, hangers, twist ties, zip ties, and even small ornaments!

While Christmas may be the holiday we most associate with a lot of decorations, there are plenty of other holidays in the year. According to the National Retail Federation, the oft-cited claim that Halloween is the second-biggest holiday of the year for consumer spending just isn’t true. However, it is a fact that Halloween spending has increased and that Halloween decorations are extremely popular.

Whether you put on a haunted house every Halloween or deck out the place in red, white, and blue for the Fourth of July, you’ll still need someplace to put all those decorations the rest of the time, and self storage in Lawton is the perfect solution.

At Storage ‘R’ Us, we got our start offering self storage in Lawton, and we’ve since expanded to provide the ideal place for all your holiday decorations (or anything else) in Norman, Newcastle, Moore, Duncan, and Chickasha.

Did you know that Santa Claus (aka Saint Nicholas or Kris Kringle) has a long history of bringing toys and goodies to kids all over the world that dates all the way back to the third century? We often think of Santa as a fairly modern character, but he’s been with us for quite some time. In the past, we’ve written about the fact that Santa probably uses self storage—especially to park his sleigh during the off season – but for this holiday season, we were wondering what Santa might still have packed away in Oklahoma self storage from years – or even centuries – gone by. Let’s see what we can dream up!

Old Woodworking Tools – That jolly old elf is a woodworker, after all, and while his current setup at the North Pole is probably very modern with all the latest machine tools, those old tools likely have sentimental value and might be in climate-controlled self storage.

Previous Versions of the Sleigh – Who doesn’t want to trade up their old ride for something a little more sporty from time to time? After nearly twenty centuries, Santa has probably gone through a sleigh or two. This new one likely has heated seats and plays his MP3s.

Old Santa Suits – When you have to wear a uniform for work, you always want to have a few extras around. Santa’s traditional attire has changed quite a bit over the centuries, and some of those suits may not even fit him anymore. (Hey, we all used to be thinner at one time or another.)

Reindeer Tack and Supplies – You don’t hook eight reindeer – even tiny ones – to a sleigh without bits, bridles, reins, blankets, and all the other accoutrements that go with keeping draught animals.

Chimney Sweeping Equipment – How could Santa come down all those chimneys while keeping his red-and-white suit so spotlessly clean if he didn’t keep the chimneys swept out as he goes? Besides the long brushes and things that are used to actually clean a chimney, conscientious modern chimney sweeps also use drop cloths and HEPA filter vacuums to keep them from making a mess.

All Those Old Naughty and Nice Lists – Every business has to retain customer records, right? And Santa probably needs to refer to all those old lists from time to time. Plus, Santa gets a lot of correspondence, and we just know that he doesn’t throw any of it away. His climate-controlled self storage unit is probably full of old letters from kids all over the world.

Toy Prototypes – Santa no longer sends them to the Island of Misfit Toys, but all those toy prototypes have to go somewhere.

Old Exercise Equipment – Like most of us, Santa has probably tried to drop a few pounds in the off season more than once. He probably keeps all those old rowers and treadmills and ab crunchers in a self storage unit.

Parade Gear – You typically see Santa in the Macy’s parade each year. Sometimes he’s on a float, sometimes he’s in his sleigh, and sometimes he’s in a fancy car. He must have someplace to keep all those things the rest of the year, and vehicle self storage would be just the ticket.

Tons of Unused Wrapping Supplies – All those gifts under the tree don’t just wrap themselves, after all. However much unused wrapping paper, gift bags, boxes, ribbons, and bows you may have in your Oklahoma self storage unit, Santa probably has a whole lot more!

Coal – Sure, most of the time Santa leaves nice presents in the stockings of good children, but there’s bound to be a few lumps of coal here and there. That stuff is sooty, though, and you don’t want it just lying around the house. Santa probably keeps his coal supply somewhere off-site.

Whatever you keep in Oklahoma self storage, we’ve got the perfect solution for all your self storage needs at Storage ‘R’ Us in Lawton, Chickasha, Duncan, Moore, Newcastle, and Norman!

Moving is always stressful. For starters, there’s the fact that you’re making a big life change, whether you’re moving your growing family into a larger home, downsizing, relocating to a new city across the country, or even just moving all of your possessions across the street. Then there’s all the work of the actual move itself: packing and unpacking, deciding what to take with you and what to part with. On top of all that, so much of your life is up in the air in the midst of a move. Fortunately, more and more folks are finding that self storage in Oklahoma can help take some of the stress out of moving. Want to learn how? Read on!

There are always surprises. No matter how well you plan for a move, something will happen that you didn’t take into consideration. Maybe something came up while you were closing on the new house, or the paperwork took longer than expected. If you find yourself with everything already packed and your old place sold, you might need somewhere to put everything until your new home is ready for you to move in. Fortunately, self storage in Oklahoma is the ideal solution.

You may not have enough room. In the midst of a move, it can be difficult to make decisions about what you want to keep and what you’re ready to throw out or sell. Whether you’re downsizing to a smaller place or just getting rid of clutter as you unpack, you may need some extra space while you make up your mind. A self storage unit in Oklahoma can give your belongings a home away from home in the meantime.

Self storage can help you move in phases. Whether you’re moving long distance – across the state or even across the country – or just moving to the other side of town, a move is easier when you can do things in stages rather than all at once. Moving is also easier when you can keep big, bulky items out of the way until you get settled in. Plus, you reduce the risk of losing or breaking things in the move when you stage them in an Oklahoma storage unit. It’s a huge stress reliever!

Self storage can give you more time to plan. There’s nothing worse than unpacking and discovering that everything is simply in the wrong place. It’s tricky to imagine what things are going to look like in a new house, and sometimes the smallest change can throw everything off. With self storage in Oklahoma, you can stage things in your storage unit until you find the perfect spot for them in your new place, and you won’t be overwhelmed by all the stuff you have to unpack and find a place for all at once!

At Storage ‘R’ Us, we’ve been helping people move, store, and organize their belongings in Oklahoma for almost fifty years, and we’re happy to help you find the Oklahoma self storage solution that’s perfect for you. Just give us a call or come by one of our eight convenient self storage locations today, and let us help take the stress out of your next move!

It’s difficult to overstate the benefits that good organization brings to any business, especially where inventory and paperwork are concerned. Not only does disorganized inventory eat up valuable commercial real estate, but messy files and papers make it difficult and time-consuming to find what you’re looking for when you need it. Fortunately, there’s a solution waiting for businesses of all sizes at Storage ‘R’ Us self storage in Lawton.

Here’s the thing: Your business office isn’t a good place for storage. Think about it. That’s where you do your work, right? It’s where you meet with clients and where the donuts get made. You need a space that’s neat, tidy, well-organized, and easy to work in. Plus, commercial real estate isn’t cheap. Why spend good money on office space that you just use to store excess inventory or old files?

Instead, savvy business owners turn to local business self storage in Lawton to house non-essential documents, excess inventory, office furniture that isn’t currently seeing use, and more. It’s easier to keep track of inventory when it’s all in one place, and business storage can also help restrict access to valuable equipment or sensitive documents.

And those are just a few of the most obvious benefits of using business self storage. Whether you’re storing excess inventory or tax records that need to be retained but aren’t frequently accessed, you’ll improve organizational efficiency by keeping things out of the way. And that’s not all. Keeping your inventory in self storage reduces loss risks associated with moving it too often, and you won’t spend a lot of time searching from closet to closet for a missing box of files.

You’ll enjoy a cleaner, neater workspace that’s appealing to clients and conducive to doing business. And when it’s time to move from one office to another – maybe because your business is growing – there’s less to pack and haul from place to place. Plus, business storage in Lawton is perfect for seasonal items, such as snow shovels and holiday décor.

When you get right down to it, businesses of all kinds can benefit from self storage in Lawton, even if they aren’t doing the kind of business that is generally associated with a lot of inventory. Businesses that have found value in storage units include real estate firms, construction contractors, law offices, medical facilities, landscaping professionals, roofers, painters, and, of course, retail and ecommerce businesses.

At one time or another, just about every small business owner struggles with the need for more space, whether it’s to make room in the office for additional workers or seasonal help or to find a spot for file retention, excess inventory, or equipment that isn’t currently in use. Different businesses handle these needs in different ways, and many turn to business self storage in Lawton.

When they do, we’re happy to help them find the perfect solution for their business here at Storage ‘R’ Us. We got our start offering self storage in Lawton, and we now help individuals and business owners in Chickasha, Duncan, Moore, Newcastle, and Norman, too! Come on down to one of our eight convenient self storage locations today and let us help you make the most of your business!

It’s almost Halloween, and here at Storage ‘R’ Us self storage in Oklahoma, we’re all enjoying the spooky season, treating ourselves to mini candy bars, shopping for costumes and, of course, reading scary stories!

We tend to associate hauntings with old Victorian mansions and abandoned hospitals, but did you know that there are stories of hauntings that center around storage units? (Thankfully, none of them are in Oklahoma.) Here are five spooky stories about storage spaces from around the world, just in time for Halloween.

Sheffield, England

All the best ghost stories come from England, right? And with haunted self storage it’s no different. In fact, a self storage facility in Sheffield, England is said to be one of the most haunted places in that city. The facility is a former movie theater and is reportedly haunted by an apparition known as Mr. Porter, thought to be the ghost of a former theater attendant. People have claimed to see the light from the projector or to hear the projector running, even though the projector itself is long gone.

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

The ground floor of the old Baton Rouge General Hospital is now used for business storage. That may be because the ground floor used to include the morgue. The old freezer now houses files instead of bodies, but security guards have reported everything from cold spots to elevators running on their own when no one is on the premises.

Oakland, California

While Baton Rouge may be only slightly less well-known for its ghosts than England, our next ghostly tale comes from sunny California. Shannon, a self storage worker at a warehouse in Oakland, would hear strange sounds coming from the third floor when she worked late shifts. The final straw came when the alarm went off in the middle of the night. By the time Shannon arrived on the floor, she found nothing amiss. Upon reviewing surveillance footage, however, she spotted a bright flash at the moment when the alarm went off, and then the screen went dark. When the image returned to the screen, it showed Shannon emerging from the elevator to investigate the alarm.

Paddington Green, London

We mentioned that hauntings are often associated with old hospitals, and it turns out that old hospitals frequently get repurposed into storage units. Such is the case with the former Paddington Green Children’s Hospital, which closed down in the late 1800s. Today, the historic building is home to a self storage facility where customers and employees have reported seeing unaccompanied children who vanish a moment later.

Romford, England

We saved possibly the eeriest story for last. At a storage facility in Romford, England, staff had numerous run-ins with the unexplained. Customers complained of the sound of something running through the halls, rattling the padlocks on the storage units. No one ever saw anything, though, until one night when a manager was locking the facility. He heard the rattling of a lock, but when he turned, no one was there. He asked aloud for whatever was there to show itself, and the lock rattled right in front of his eyes. What’s more, when he checked the security footage later, he saw a blurry figure standing right beside him!

Spooky, right? Fortunately, none of the eight Storage ‘R’ Us self storage locations in Oklahoma are haunted, and they’re extremely well-lit and staffed by plenty of helpful, living self storage experts who are happy to assist you with anything you might need.

The Halloween season is here, and those who love to haunt are in the middle of their busiest time of year and having a ball! Sure, everything will wind down after Halloween is over, but until then it’s a thrill ride for everybody. Once the season is over, though, it’s time to pack it up and store it right. You’re also going to need to find space for all that new gear you’ll be picking up at the next TransWorld Halloween and Attractions trade show.

Like all business owners, those who run professional haunts have a lot of stuff to store, and it’s often specialty equipment and supplies that need special care. That’s where climate-controlled self storage comes in. Whether you’re storing a giant animatronic spider or some tax documents that need to be kept safe from year to year, climate-controlled self storage protects your investment from heat, cold, humidity, and pests.

Those who run professional haunts have a lot to store from season to season, especially if their haunt is a pop-up that moves from one location to the next between seasons. But even those of us who don’t operate professional haunts may still have lots of decorations and gear that need a home between Halloweens, whether we’re putting on a homebrew haunt or just decorating the house for the season. Those giant inflatable lawn skeletons won’t store themselves, after all!

Decorations, props, animatronics, masks, fog machines, and everything else that goes into making a world-class haunt are expensive. Most of these items can be impacted by the kinds of temperature and humidity variations that we experience between haunting seasons here in Oklahoma. This means that a haunt operator could easily lose upwards of $10,000 in a single year by storing props and gear in unprotected places, such as trailers, commercial buildings, or home basements. None of these places will protect valuable gear from the elements, insects, or rodents.

Whether you’re in the business of scaring people this Halloween season or have gone a bit overboard on the lawn decorations, the best place to keep your ghouls and ghosts during the off season is in climate-controlled self storage. The fact is, many of these decorations and props feature moving parts, fragile materials, and complex electronics, and these are all things that are best protected by a climate-controlled self storage unit.

Climate-controlled self storage will help protect your Halloween hardware from just about any hazard, whether it’s rodents and other pests or the hot summer sun, which, in Oklahoma, can get hot enough to melt latex masks and other props. It’s still a good idea to take out insurance, though. While climate-controlled storage protects against everything it can, even it can’t defend against floods, tornadoes, or poltergeists. (Not sure if they offer poltergeist insurance, but you can ask!)

Whether you’re a professional haunter or simply a Halloween enthusiast, Storage ‘R’ Us has eight convenient locations offering climate-controlled self storage in Oklahoma so you can always keep your haunt props nearby! We’re happy to help professional and semi-pro haunters at any of our locations in Lawton, Moore, Duncan, Chickasha, Newcastle, and Norman with a home for their ghoulies and ghosties during the off season.