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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!

Military Families are on the Move, Always

Serving in the U.S. military is one of the most honorable and noble acts that an American citizen can perform. But military service also has its downsides, and for many members of the military and their families, one of these downsides is having to move frequently. While frequent relocations are part of the job—and part of the adventure—military self storage can help make your next move a little easier on you and your family, whether it’s for basic training, more specialized training, your first duty assignment, or a Permanent Change of Station (PCS).

May 15 through August 31 is the peak move season for the military each year. That’s because kids are typically out of school, and the powers that be have found that moving during this time of year is less disruptive for military families. However, a Permanent Change of Station can happen at any time, and it means relocating to anywhere in the U.S. or overseas. Most PCS moves are at least 50 miles away from your current station.

To make these frequent moves as easy as possible on you and your family, it helps to have a “pack-out” plan that the whole family can follow. This starts with planning and having your supplies already in place before the order comes in. Understanding how military self storage can help store anything you don’t need (or want) to move as well as anything that’s over the weight restriction on PCS moves can also be a big advantage.

Military Moves 101: Planning Your Packing

Success in the field comes from knowing and using the right tactics, and that’s true when it comes to military moves, too. When you’re putting your moving plan together, it’s important to have a few things ready in advance, rather than waiting until just before the pack-out date. You should know what you’ll do in the event of a PCS or other move before the order comes down. Know what repairs or cleaning tasks will need to be completed, and have your supplies ready. Keep your house and belongings organized so that it’s easy to get things into boxes and get those boxes where they need to go when you get to your new home. Many military families learn to get rid of unnecessary belongings (or put them into military self storage) so that they move only what needs to be moved and nothing more.

As you and your family undertake more moves, you’ll learn what works best for you and what doesn’t. Any tips you pick up should be written down in your pack-out plan folder and kept with your moving supplies so they’re easily accessible.

The Value of Boxes and Moving Kits

The first time we moved out of our parents’ house or left the dorms after college, we probably just got a bunch of boxes from a nearby retail store to pack up our stuff. That isn’t the best way to go about moving, however, especially when you’re moving a whole family or will have to be moving frequently. Getting the right moving supplies helps ensure that your stuff gets where it’s going safe and sound and that it’s easy to find and unpack once you get there.

Fortunately, you can get everything you need to plan a successful move at your friendly neighborhood self storage in Lawton, OK. At Storage ‘R’ Us, we’ve got all the moving supplies you need, from boxes and tape to markers and bubble wrap. Better still, we’ve also got all-in-one moving kits, which include everything you need to pack and move a single room or a whole apartment in one convenient package. Whether you just need a few boxes to pack up the bathroom or lots more to knock out everything in the kitchen, such as dish barrels, packing paper, and a plastic tape gun, we’ve got a package that will get you everything you need. We even have stuff you might not have thought of, such as mattress protectors or a mirror box.

Making the Moving Process Work for You

Packing is one thing, but once everything is boxed up and ready to go, you need some way to get it where it’s going, whether that’s the other side of the state or the other side of the country. Many military families opt for a Personally Procured Move (PPM), which lets them handle the packing and transportation of their own stuff, rather than hiring a moving company with the military often repaying a large percentage of the bill.

If you’re looking at a PPM for your next move, Storage ‘R’ Us self storage near Ft. Sill has a great deal that can help make your PPM a breeze—and affordable to boot! Thanks to our deal with PENSKE Truck Rental, you can get up to 20% off your next moving truck rental, along with free unlimited mileage and other perks. Just stop by the nearest Storage ‘R’ Us self storage in Lawton and ask one of our friendly staff members about our PENSKE Truck Rental deals for military personnel and their families!

Military Self Storage in Lawton for All Your Stuff

At Storage ‘R’ Us, we’re proud to serve the men and women who serve in our armed forces. With three locations offering self storage in Lawton, we’re well-equipped to provide storage solutions for those who are stationed at Ft. Sill and other nearby bases such as Altus Air Force Base, Vance Air Force Base, the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant, and Tinker Air Force Base.

So if you need military self storage near Ft. Sill or any of the other bases we mentioned, come to one of our handy locations on East Gore Blvd., Cache Road, or Rogers Lane. Our helpful staff will be happy to answer any questions you might have about military self storage in Lawton or your next move. While you’re at it, ask us about insurance to help protect your belongings in the event of natural disasters such as tornadoes or floods.

We may not think about it very often, but moving anxiety is a very real thing. After all, moving to a new home, a new town, maybe even a new state is a big change, and big changes can be exciting, but they can also produce a lot of stress. The average American moves 11 times in the course of their life, but if you or a family member are a part of the United States military, that number may be considerably higher.

According to professionals who study job and family stress, the various changes and logistical hurdles that come with moving invariably create a certain amount of anxiety. Fortunately, there are lots of things that you can do to help reduce stress and make your next move as easy as possible on you and your family.

Make a Moving Plan for You and the Family

A lot goes into a successful move, so it can help to have a plan before you get started. And of course, the foundation of any good plan is understanding how much time things are going to take. So, if you have a move coming up, it’s time to sit down with your calendar, figure out when you need to start preparing, and mark out all the big events that are related to the move, such as renting the truck, buying moving supplies, renting a self storage facility for anything that won’t fit in your new place, and so on.

When actually making your family plan, remember that everyone in the family has a job to do. The kids can clean out their closets and toy chests to find items they no longer want or use that can be donated. One person can be in charge of renting a moving truck, while someone else is packing and staging boxes. And of course, don’t forget to reach out to friends and extended family members who can help you out on moving day. As you make your plan, write everything down and keep it all together in a folder or filled out on your calendar. There are even time-saving apps that you can download that will help you plan your move and schedule everything accordingly. 

De-Clutter Your World

One way to make a move easier on yourself and your family is to simply move less stuff. Getting rid of items that you no longer want, need, or use is a good way to eliminate excess stress anyway—experts have found strong correlations between clutter and stress—and there’s no better time to de-clutter than right before a big move. Sort through everything you’ve got in the attic, the basement, the garage, or anyplace else that’s out of the way, and find anything that you don’t want to take with you to your new place. You can have a garage sale, or simply donate the stuff that you no longer want to Goodwill or some other thrift store. If you’ve still got stuff that you can’t bear to part with, but that there isn’t room for in your new place, self storage in Oklahoma can help you stay de-cluttered, even after your move. 

Make Sure You Have the Right Moving Supplies

When we think about moving, we often focus on the big stuff like furniture and appliances, but the fact is that we have a lot more little stuff, and to move all of that stuff, you’ll probably need some good packing and moving supplies. That starts with boxes, but it doesn’t end there. Think packing tape, bubble wrap, and lots more. You may want a utility knife, especially to help break the boxes down when the move is done, and you’ll definitely want a few markers so you can write on the boxes. (Write which room the boxes are destined for, and also a quick summary of their contents so that things are easy to find once you get where you’re going.)

Fortunately, you can find all of these moving supplies and lots more at your local Oklahoma self storage facility, where helpful self storage specialists will also be able to answer any questions you may have and provide you with tips to help your move go smoother.

Rent a PENSKE Moving Truck for the Big Day

We’ve all experienced the move where we invited over every friend and family member we know who has a pickup truck, SUV, or trailer and piled it high with all our stuff. It’s a pain to coordinate all those vehicles, and nothing ever fits quite right. While there’s certainly something to be said for having all those extra hands to help—feel free to invite everyone over still, just treat them to the traditional pizza afterward—it will actually take a lot of the stress out of your move if you rent a single truck to haul everything.

Not only will all your stuff be together, and you’ll only have one vehicle to coordinate, but you’ll also find that everything just fits better in a truck that was specifically designed for just this situation. Fortunately, Storage ‘R’ Us in Lawton and across southwest Oklahoma is one of the largest PENSKE truck rental representatives in the state, so you can reserve your rental truck at the same time that you pick up moving supplies or pick out a self storage unit.

Use Climate-Controlled Self Storage to Store Your Stuff

When you move, you may often find that not everything fits in the new house. Maybe you’re downsizing, or maybe you just want to reduce clutter and free up some space for a new hobby or an old one that you’ve been neglecting too long. Maybe you want to finally have the space to park the car in the garage. Whatever the reason, if you have treasured belongings that just don’t quite fit in your new home, climate-controlled self storage is the perfect solution to keep everything accessible and in good shape, while also keeping it out of the way.

Climate-controlled self storage is perfect for more fragile items that may be damaged by changes in heat, cold, or humidity. Talk to your self storage professional about the best ways to store your belongings, and if you’re storing something that’s particularly valuable to you, it’s always a good idea to ask about insurance. Self storage facilities take the security of your belongings very seriously, but even they can’t protect against events like tornadoes, floods, or other natural disasters.

Consider Vehicle Storage or RV Storage for that Car, RV, or Boat

Just as you may find yourself longing to de-clutter when you move, you may also get to your home and find that there’s just not a space for your project car, your boat, or your RV. Some homeowners’ associations actually have rules governing what kinds of vehicles can be parked where. So, if you find that you can no longer store your boat or RV in the back yard, it’s time to think specialty vehicle storage at Storage ‘R’ Us in Lawton. You can find covered and uncovered vehicle self storage in Lawton and across Oklahoma, so talk to your self storage specialist about what type of vehicle storage is right for you. It’s also a good idea to ask for tips and tricks if you’re planning to store vehicles for the long haul. We’ve got a few suggestions.

Self Storage in Lawton and Around Southwest Oklahoma can Help!

Whether you’re planning a move because of work, family, or a military change of station, Storage ‘R’ Us has seven locations across Oklahoma offering everything from military self-storage to specialty vehicle storage to moving supplies and lots more. Visit us in Lawton, Newcastle, Duncan, Moore, or Chickasha, OK and let us help you get ready for your next move, wherever you may be headed!

Storage ‘R’ Us has been providing superior self storage solutions to the Oklahoma community since 1972, and we’re looking forward to helping make your next move your best one!

Every year around 14% of the population moves, whether it’s across the country or just across town. That’s a lot of people relocating every year, and every one of them has a lot of stuff to pack, move, and find a place for in their new home. If 2017 is your year to move, Storage ‘R’ Us self-storage in Oklahoma has some tips to help make your move go as smoothly as possible:

  • Give yourself plenty of time to plan and prepare. This isn’t always an option—sometimes things change and you have to relocate in a hurry—but if you have the luxury of planning, it’ll make your move a whole lot easier.
  • Get rid of anything and everything you don’t want to take with you to your new place. Moving is a great time to purge your wardrobe of clothes you no longer wear, to finally throw out all those old keys you’ve been keeping because you don’t remember what they go to, or to thin out your collection of whatever you happen collect. If you have items that you’ll no longer need, you can make some extra money by hosting a garage sale, or donate them to charity.
  • Make sure you’ve got the right size vehicles. You’ll want to move everything in the fewest possible trips, even if you’re just moving down the street. Nobody likes to drive back and forth, and it’s inefficient to keep loading a small car over and over again. (Need a truck? Storage ‘R’ Us is also Oklahoma’s largest PENSKE truck rental representative!)
  • Get your friends and family to help you move, so that there are plenty of hands to carry everything. And of course, don’t forget to buy pizza for everyone who chips in! If you have smaller kids, you can give them special jobs on moving day to keep them occupied and let them lend a hand.
  • Don’t forget to change your address! And while you’re at it, notify all utility companies, and make sure that your water, gas, and electricity are all turned on at the new place before you move in.
  • Moving is plenty of work without having to worry about cleaning up afterward, so maybe think about hiring a cleaning service to handle cleanup at the old place (or the new one, if need be) and give yourself a break after all the packing and carrying.

Whether you’re moving a few blocks or from across the country, self-storage in Oklahoma can be a great resource for your 2017 move! You can stage things in your self-storage unit while you get them ready, allowing you to do the packing in stages, or you can store stuff that is going to be donated or go into a garage sale until it’s ready to go. And of course, once you’re moved into your new home, you can use self-storage in Oklahoma for anything that doesn’t fit in the new house! Plus, at Storage ‘R’ Us we’ve got everything you need to help you pack for the move, from boxes and tape to paper and packing materials.

What are your New Year’s resolutions for 2017? Spend more time with family? Put more money into savings? Make it to the gym more often? If you’re like many Americans, your New Year’s resolution may include de-cluttering your home and your life. In these days of “tiny houses” and minimalist living, de-cluttering has become one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions around.

When people first moved from cities to suburbs decades ago, we found ourselves with a lot more space to fill up with a lot more stuff. But as the years went by and our children grew up, went to college, and moved into a home of their own, many of us found ourselves with rooms full of stuff that gets in the way of the plans that we have for our life. Maybe we always wanted to convert that room into a craft room, a home office, a man cave, or an in-home gym (to help us keep that New Year’s resolution about working out more), but there’s just too much stuff in the way!

Many people choose to simplify their lifestyle when they retire, finding that they’ve accumulated more odds and ends over the course of their lives than they need or want. Others find that once their kids have left the nest, they no longer need as much room as they did before. Even younger people are de-cluttering, trying to carve out the space to live the life they want. Whatever your reason, if you’d like to de-clutter your life in 2017, self-storage in Oklahoma just might be the answer.

While the first and most obvious step to de-cluttering is to get rid of anything that you don’t want anymore—say, by donating it to charity or having a yard sale—all of us have plenty of things around the house that we don’t necessarily want to get rid of, but that we also don’t need cluttering up our garages, attics, and spare rooms. Holiday decorations that you only haul out once a year, the good dishes that you only use when family comes over, sports equipment, hunting and fishing gear, camping supplies; there’s really no end to the stuff that we may want to hang onto, but don’t want underfoot all the time.

That’s where self-storage in Oklahoma comes in. Self-storage units are a lot more versatile than you might think. While you may imagine piles of cardboard boxes or old furniture covered in sheets, people have used self-storage in Oklahoma as crafting stations, or storage for excess inventory from their home business. Self-storage units come in a variety of sizes to fit any need, and both interior and exterior units are available. If you’re storing something sensitive to fluctuations in temperature or humidity, you can get climate-controlled self-storage. There are even spaces for that boat or RV that you don’t want sitting in the driveway or back yard! Just think about how much better life at home will be once you’ve got that clutter out of the way. And that will give you an opportunity to go shopping for more stuff!

So if you’re ready to de-clutter your life in 2017, or just want to find a solution for those holiday decorations or that big collection of lawn ornaments that’s getting out of hand, give Storage ‘R’ Us a call and let us help you find the storage solution for your future!

Camping can be a lot of fun for the whole family, and is a mainstay of Boy Scout events across the country. But camping involves a lot of bulky equipment that really only gets used a few days at a time, for just a few months out of the year. If you’re dealing with a bunch of boys in a Boy Scout troop—or a big family—you need someplace to put all those sleeping bags, tents, camp chairs, and other equipment when they’re not in use.

When we think of camping, we usually think of tents, sleeping bags, a crackling fire, maybe some sharpened sticks for roasting marshmallows. But there’s a lot more that gets packed for a well-planned camping trip. Besides your tents and sleeping bags, you’ll need stakes, a tarp or ground cloth to go under the tent, an axe or hammer for driving the stakes, and a cover in case it rains. And of course, you’ll probably also want pillows and possibly extra blankets, not to mention all the other stuff that you’ll need for a camping trip, including changes of clothes, food and water, cooking utensils, toiletries, a first aid kit, bug spray, sunscreen… the list goes on.

It’s great to have quality camping amenities, but when it comes time to store them, that’s another matter altogether. Though they may fold up nicely, tents are still pretty big items, and a rolled-up sleeping bag takes up a lot of space. For some people, “roughing it” may be a lot less rough if you can also take along mattress pads or air mattresses to make your tent a little more comfortable, but those take up quite a bit of space as well.

Many people dedicate a portion of their garage, basement, or attic to storing camping gear, but that eats up some valuable real estate in your house that could be used to store items that are accessed more often. Meanwhile, Boy Scout troops often rely on either a troop leader to store their camping supplies, or some sort of public space such as a neighborhood church basement. But that’s not always a feasible option. So, whether you’re a camping enthusiast yourself, or part of a Boy Scout troop, or if your family just likes to take the occasional outdoor excursion, self-storage for camping supplies may be the perfect solution for all your storage needs!

With Storage ‘R’ Us, your camping supplies will be safe, dry, and accessible all year round, so that you can simply pick them up whenever you need them without having to move a bunch of stuff out of the way before you can start on your weekend camping excursion. And for Boy Scout troops and other organizations, self-storage can provide a cost-effective solution to storing a lot of equipment. Multiple troops can even go in together to share space, saving money and increasing convenience for everybody!

These days, home-based businesses of all stripes are becoming increasingly popular. There are a lot of reasons for that, but one of them is the continued success of the home party business model. The home party business has been around since at least the 1950s. Even if you don’t remember Tupperware parties, chances are you’re familiar with one of the countless other businesses that have benefitted from the home party model. From cosmetics and candles to home décor, customizable jewelry, knives, scrapbooking supplies, and even wine, it seems like there’s a home party business opportunity for just about everybody.

Still not sure exactly what a home party business is? Basically, it’s a direct sales business built around a bunch of people getting together—usually in someone’s home, hence the name—to have some snacks and drinks, chat, and try out samples of some product, whether it’s cosmetics or comestibles. These home parties are a great sales opportunity for the vendor, and a chance to “try before you buy” for the consumer, which may explain why they seem to be growing in popularity, even in the Internet age. While we may be able to buy just about anything we want with the click of a button these days, it’s hard to smell perfume or try on a shirt via Amazon.

Some of the leading home-based direct sales businesses include recognizable names like Avon, Mary Kay, Pampered Chef, Tupperware, and Amway, as well as more recent additions to the home party field such as Scentsy, Origami Owl, and many others. Home party businesses give you an opportunity to be your own boss, without a lot of the expense or overhead that comes with starting a business, but of course, if you’re going to be selling candles or cosmetics or kitchen utensils, you’re going to need a place to keep them all.

Many of these home party businesses require that you keep a lot of inventory on hand in order to be successful. After all, nobody can smell your candles or try out your kitchen utensils if you don’t have them around. So if you plan to sell a lot, you’ll need a way to keep your inventory neat, tidy, organized, and easy to access. That means a space that’s out of the way, but also accessible when you need it. Fortunately, when it comes to safe, clean, accessible spaces, you need to look no further than self-storage for your home-based business!

Self-storage from Storage ‘R’ Us is a lifesaver for home party businesses—or any other home-based business, especially ones where you handle fulfillment. A self-storage unit not only gives you a secure space to store inventory, but is also a perfect place to stage shipments or assemble packages for delivery. So whether you’re just starting out in your own home party business, or you’ve been selling for years, self-storage can help you to find the perfect solution for all your inventory and staging needs. Give our storage experts a call or stop by one of our convenient locations today to learn more about how self-storage from Storage ‘R’ Us can benefit your business!

Packing is one of those things that seems easier than it actually is. After all, packing is just putting things in boxes or suitcases or into a self-storage unit, right? And while that isn’t exactly wrong, it’s also a lot like saying that cooking is just making food hot. Effective packing entails a lot more than just putting items in boxes. So when it comes to packing your self-storage space, we’ve got a few packing tips for self-storage that you need to know!

Fill ‘Er Up. When it comes to packing boxes, make sure they’re packed evenly and packed full. Boxes with a lot of empty space in them can shift around or become crushed. If you’re packing something breakable or fragile, put filler material around it to keep the box full and prevent shifting.

Keep it Light. At the same time, though, you don’t want to make your boxes too heavy to lift—which also creates the danger of their bottoms falling out. So make sure you distribute the weight in your boxes as evenly as possible, and pack your boxes so that they’re full, but still light enough to lift.

Put a Label on it. It pays to stay organized, so try to pack like items together—many people pack boxes according to which room the items came out of, so that everything from the kitchen is together, and so on. Moreover, make sure that every box has a label. A permanent marker is a good tool for labeling boxes, but if you want to get more involved there are apps that can help you make spreadsheets of your boxes, and even print out labels with barcodes you can scan.

Use the Right Tools. Using the right tools for the job makes things dramatically easier, and the same goes for packing. Sturdy boxes and other packing supplies are your best bet, especially if you’re going to be storing items long-term. It’s also a good idea to use boxes that are of uniform size if you’re going to be stacking them. Fortunately, Storage ‘R’ Us sells all the packing materials you might need right on site!

Make it Easy. When it comes to packing your self-storage space, think about ease of use. Don’t stack items that you’ll need to access frequently on the bottom, and make sure that these stay near the front of the unit. Leave some space between the boxes and the unit’s walls, and leave yourself aisles between stacks so that your items are easy to access. Consider placing cardboard or other protection on the floor—some people use short pallets to keep their boxes off of the ground and allow them to “breathe”—and if you have high shelves or stacks of boxes, keep a stepladder in your unit to help you access them.

That should get you started, and if you need more packing tips for self-storage, feel free to call the pros at Storage ‘R’ Us or follow us on Twitter for more self-storage tips!

Self-storage is great for all sorts of things, from electronics to home crafting supplies to unused furniture. But what a lot of people may not realize is that self-storage can also be a good solution for storing vehicles. With auto storage in Lawton, you can keep your vehicles secure and out-of-the-way so they’re ready when you need them, whether it’s that classic car you’ve been tinkering with, a motorcycle that’s your pride and joy, or a boat or RV that you only use for part of the season. As with any kind of storage, however, there are better and worse ways to store your car or other vehicle, so here’s a quick guide to how to do it right:

  • Do a tune-up: Before you put a vehicle into storage, make sure that it’ll be ready to roll when it’s time for you to get it back on the road. Change the oil and the oil filter, make sure the coolant levels are where they should be, and inflate the tires to the proper pressure.
  • Fill ‘er up: Condensation in fuel tanks can be a problem in vehicles that are stored for extended periods of time, so before your car goes into storage, fill the tank with gas to prevent water from accumulating. Premium gas is recommended, since gas with ethanol can release water when stored for long periods. It might also be worth your time to add in a gasoline stabilizer.
  • Save your battery: A battery maintainer is a kind of “smart” battery charger that only activates from time to time. It can be used on your car battery if you’re planning to store it for a few months, in order to help preserve battery life.
  • Save your windshield: Remove wiper blades—or cover them in plastic wrap—in order to prevent the rubber on the blades from sticking to the windshield over time. For similar reasons, don’t engage the parking brake while your car is in storage, or the brake pads can stick to the rotors. Place chocks under the tires to prevent the car from rolling, instead.
  • Crack a window: If you’re storing a vehicle indoors, open a window just wide enough to allow air circulation, but not enough that small animals can get into the car.
  • Leave yourself a note: Leave yourself a note somewhere in the car where it’ll be easy to find when you get ready to take the car out of storage, reminding yourself of anything that you need to do before the car is ready to get back on the road, like re-connecting the battery or getting the windshield wiper blades out of the trunk.
  • Get insured: As with any valuable items, getting insurance that covers your vehicles while they’re in storage is a good idea. With auto storage in Lawton from Storage ‘R’ Us, the safety and security of your vehicles are our top priority, but even with all of our security measures, we can’t always protect against things like natural disasters, so having insurance to cover you if the worst should happen is just good sense. 

Auto storage in Lawton, Oklahoma can be a home away from home for your most treasured automobiles, from antique cars to custom hotrods to motorcycles, boats, and more. Whatever your storage needs, we can help you find the storage solution that’s perfect for you and your budget, right here at Storage ‘R’ Us.

It’s that time of year again. School’s out for summer, and college kids are returning home with piles of dirty laundry and all the stuff that they cleaned out of their dorm rooms. The vast majority of college students live a sort of nomadic lifestyle, moving from one kind of campus housing to another during their college career, and shifting back home during the summer breaks. That’s why self-storage for college students can be such a lifesaver.

After all, if you’re a college student, your parents might not have kept space for all your stuff back home—and if you’re a parent, you might not want to deal with an entire dorm room’s worth of stuff suddenly reappearing in your house for a few months out of every year. Parents aren’t always crazy about the decorating choices their kids made for their dorm rooms, either, so a storage unit can be just what the doctor ordered. College students can use them to hold the things they’ll need when they head back to school, but that they don’t have a lot of use for while they’re at home, while parents can use them to shift hobby items or excess furniture out of the way while their kids are back for a few months.

Self-storage units are also perfect solutions for college students who’re studying abroad. Rather than moving everything back home, you can simply tuck it away in a secure self-storage facility and enjoy your trip, knowing that all your stuff will be waiting for you safe and sound when you get back. Self-storage for college students can also provide autonomy; you’re the only one who has access to your stuff, and you’re the one responsible for getting it in and out.

If you’re going to be using self-storage to keep some of your stuff this summer break, or if you’re the parent of a college student and are going to use self-storage as a way to help mitigate the chaos that having your kids suddenly back in the nest can cause, here are a few tips for storing common dorm items that can help make your self-storage experience more successful:

  • Pack Carefully: The better your stuff is packed, the less room it’ll take up, the easier it’ll be to get to, and the simpler your job will be when it comes time to move it all back out at the end of the summer. Use packing and moving supplies from Storage ‘R’ Us, or plastic bins that you may have around your dorm room already, and try to pack like items with like, in order to make things easy to find.
  • Defrost and Drain: Many college students use mini-fridges in their dorm rooms, and some even acquire their own AC units. If storing either, make sure that you defrost and drain them before storing to prevent mold and mildew, or damage to the electrical components.
  • Share a Unit: To save money, consider splitting a unit with a roommate or someone else from college. In this case, it’s best to prepay for the whole summer in advance and split the cost evenly, so that there’s no opportunity for misunderstandings later. Also, color code or otherwise clearly mark your stuff so that it’s easy to tell which things belong to whom. 

The last thing you want to worry about as the school year winds down and summer starts up is what you’re going to be doing with all your stuff. Self-storage in Oklahoma can be the solution you need to stop worrying and enjoy your summer!