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When the boxes are sealed and labelled, most of the hard work is done. Before move-in, a few final checks can help make sure everything is safe, easy to identify and organised for storage.
Before loading the car or van, make sure your possessions are all boxed safely, easy to identify and organised in the order you are likely to need them.
If you are still working out how to pack fragile items, furniture, clothes or other belongings, our self storage packing tips cover that in more detail.
If everything is already all boxed and ready to store, start with the six checks below.
No tears, crushed corners or openings
You can lift and move the box safely
You can identify the contents without opening it
Fragile boxes are clearly marked
Boxes you may need soon are easy to identify
Important boxes are recorded on a simple inventory
It takes a few minutes, but doing this before you arrive makes organising your storage unit much easier.
A sealed box is not necessarily a storage-ready box.
If the bottom is beginning to bow, the box is difficult to lift or the contents are putting pressure on the sides, deal with it before moving the box into storage.
You should be able to move each box without worrying about the base giving way or the contents shifting excessively.
For detailed advice on protecting different types of belongings, including furniture, electronics, clothes and breakables, see our self storage packing tips.
If you need to replace a damaged box or pick up tape, bubble wrap or other supplies, these are available from the Segment Storage Box Shop in Melksham.
The next question is whether you will know what is inside each box when you need it again.
You do not need an elaborate system. For household storage, labelling by room and contents will usually be enough.
If you are storing business stock, documents or a larger number of boxes, numbering them and keeping a simple inventory can make individual items much easier to locate.
Identify the room or category.
Add enough detail to find it quickly.
Mark boxes that should stay accessible.
Before your possessions go into the unit, decide which boxes you are most likely to need.
A simple three-zone approach keeps things organised without turning the process into a complicated filing system.
Keep anything you may need regularly or at short notice towards the front of the unit.
This could include seasonal belongings, important documents, frequently used equipment or frequently accessed business stock.
Use the middle of the unit for belongings you want to keep accessible but are unlikely to need often.
Spare household items, books, occasional-use equipment and clothing can work well here.
Items you are unlikely to retrieve until the end of your storage period can go towards the back.
The important part is making this decision before you start moving boxes into the unit. Otherwise, the one box you need in three weeks can quite easily end up underneath everything else.
Before move-in, make sure your items are all boxed in suitable containers for their size and weight.
The aim is not simply to get everything all boxed as quickly as possible. Each box needs to remain practical to lift, identify and position once it reaches your storage unit.
A large box filled with books may be far harder to move than several smaller ones.
A damaged or poorly sealed box is worth replacing before it becomes part of a stack.
Every box should remain practical to lift, identify and position safely once it reaches your unit.
Once everything is boxed, you should have a much clearer idea of how much you actually need to store.
Rather than trying to estimate unit dimensions from the number of boxes alone, use our Storage Size Guide to compare the available spaces and what they can typically accommodate.
Segment Storage has units ranging from 10 sq ft for smaller storage requirements to 275 sq ft for considerably larger household or business needs.
Smaller units suit boxes, documents and seasonal belongings.
Mid-sized units can accommodate furniture, appliances and the contents of individual rooms.
Larger units provide space for house moves, equipment and business inventory.
If you are still unsure, tell our team what you are storing and we can help you work out a suitable size.
Before you set off, ask yourself:
If the answer is yes to all seven, you are ready to move in.
If your possessions are all boxed up and ready to go, the next step is choosing somewhere to put them.
Segment Storage is based at 1 Pegasus Way, Bowerhill, Melksham, with a range of unit sizes for household and business storage. Use our Storage Size Guide if you need help choosing a unit, or check current storage prices to see the options available.
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