How to pack a storage unit so you can actually find things

Load a unit in three zones: things you will never touch at the back, seasonal items in the middle, and anything you need this month by the door. Label boxes on the side rather than the top, because once they are stacked you can only read the sides.

Build a wall, not a pile

Stack heaviest at the bottom in straight columns rather than a pyramid. Columns hold their shape, take weight evenly and let you pull one column out without the rest collapsing. A pyramid wastes the top third of the unit.

Protect against damp, not just damage

• Keep everything off the concrete floor: a pallet or a few lengths of timber is enough
• Leave a finger's gap between stacks and the walls so air can move
• Never seal fabric or timber in plastic; it traps moisture against the item
• Wash and fully dry anything with food residue before it goes in

Dismantle what you can

Bed frames, table legs and shelving units take a fraction of the space flat. Tape the fixings to the underside of the item they came from, in a bag, so reassembly does not become a scavenger hunt.

Common questions

What should go in the unit first?

The things you are least likely to want. Put furniture and out of season gear at the back, boxes you might open in the middle, and anything with a chance of being needed near the door. Leave a walkway to the back wall.

Should I use boxes or bags?

Boxes, in as few different sizes as you can manage. Uniform boxes stack square and hold their shape under weight. Bags slump, will not stack, and turn a tidy unit into a pile you have to dig through.

How do I stop things smelling musty?

Make sure everything goes in completely dry, especially fabric, and leave a small gap between stacks and the walls so air can move. Do not seal soft furnishings in plastic, which traps moisture against them rather than keeping it out.

Can I run a dehumidifier in my unit?

No. The units have no power supply, so nothing can be plugged in. Packing everything dry and leaving air gaps does the same job without a socket.

What kind of padlock do I need?

A standard 50mm padlock, which you supply. Anything larger will not physically fit the lock housing on the door. Buy it before moving day rather than discovering the problem with a loaded van behind you.

How often should I check on a storage unit?

Every couple of months is plenty for a well-packed unit. If you are storing for a year or more, one visit to check nothing has shifted and everything is still dry is worth the trip. You have 24/7 access, so it can be whenever suits.

Photograph the unit before you shut it

One photo from the doorway, taken the day you finish loading, tells you months later whether the thing you are looking for is even in there. It is the single most useful thirty seconds of the whole process.