Our team at Dolphin Storage Mandurah believes self-storage should be an easy and convenient way to store your valuables safely and securely. It should be affordable and hassle-free.

Self Storage is safe, secure, and built with the protection of your important items in mind. If you are looking to clear out some clutter from your home, you may have already come across different self-storage options and units. However, before you decide to rent a storage unit, check out our top 6 most common mistakes that storage unit renters can make.

1.) Choosing the Wrong Storage Unit Size

Choosing the wrong self storage unit can lead to a lack of space or wasted money. If you are working within a budget you will need to be even more mindful of this and make the right measurements from the start. It may seem cheaper to stuff all your belongings into a smaller-sized unit but this may be risky as you could end up damaging your items or posing a risk to your unit.

On the other end of the spectrum, choosing a unit that is too big for your needs will have you paying more money for space that you don’t require. Measure according to your needs, but don’t skimp on size, as it could cost you in the long run.

2.) Accumulating More Items

Just because you now have some space for your excess items doesn’t mean you should start accumulating more things or buying more to fill the void. This can easily defeat the purpose of a storage unit and have you living in newly accumulated clutter and junk.

If you aim to downsize and live a more minimalist lifestyle, remember why you’re doing this and try to commit to not hoarding or bringing in any more excess items.

3.) Not Organising your Items Before Storing

We all know the saying: What goes up must come down and likewise, what comes in must go out. When storing your items, it’s easy to pile everything up quickly without giving much thought to what goes where and how. But at some point in time, you will want to retrieve some of your items and it will be all the more difficult to do so if you aren’t organising from the start.

Take the time to pack things away properly and safely (so that they don’t become damaged over time) and organise each category or box so that items are easily traceable. It might be time-consuming but you will be grateful you did it when the time comes to take your belongings out.

4.) Not taking your Insurance on Valuables

A smart and mature storage renter understands that accidents can happen. They also know that in the event of a theft, fire, flood or accidental damage, they would want their items to be protected.

You need to consider insurance or a protection plan in case anything happens to your belongings during storage. This is especially true if you are storing valuables or any type of costly items. Again, this is another thing you might not think you need at first but maybe grateful for at some point in the future.

5.) Not using Labels on Boxes

A great tip to keep in mind while organising your belongings to put into storage is to label all boxes and bins. It will make finding items that much easier when you can simply read a label to know what each box contains. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy either – you can simply write on the box itself in a visible area with a Sharpie!

6.) Storing Food or Perishables & Attracting Pests

Pests and insect infestations are not only gross and unsanitary: They also pose a risk to your belongings as once they get in, they can easily ruin everything in your storage unit. While you may be able to store certain non-perishable items, you might want to stay on the safe side by avoiding food altogether.

If something goes bad it will attract pests and produce foul odours that can stick to all of your belongings. In general, be mindful of what you can and can’t keep, as flammable, toxic, and chemical items are also usually unsafe for self-storage.

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Dolphin Storage is a member of the Self Storage Association of Australasia

You can book and sign-up here. It’s so easy and there are NO lock-in contracts. Our storage agreement is accessible on line.

Debra at Dolphin Storage can help with any questions you may have to do with your self-storage needs.

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