Storage unit cleanouts are tasks that, at some point or another, must be done. We get that it’s not the most exciting way you could be spending your Saturday. That’s why we’re sharing the best storage unit cleanout tips to help make this process as easy as possible for you.
Take Inventory and Prepare
The first step of your storage unit cleanout is to take inventory. Take a pen and paper and jot down the large items you see and how many boxes are in your unit. Open as many of the boxes as you can and note their contents. You can skip this step if your boxes are already labeled, but if they aren’t, make some quick notes next to each box if they contain something significant, valuable, or fragile.
Taking inventory of what you have in your unit will help you decide just how long it’ll take to go through your unit and clean it out.
Sort Your Items
Sorting your items can be one of the most overwhelming parts of the cleanout process, especially if you haven’t sorted through your things in a while. An efficient and effective way to get through your items is to use the Four Box Declutter method.
With this method, you’ll use four “boxes” (it can also be piles if your stuff is overflowing) to help you quickly sort. The boxes will be:
- The Toss Box – this will be for anything broken that can’t be repaired and needs to be thrown away.
- The Donate/Sell Box – for items you will donate or sell.
- The Store Box – this will be for things that will remain in storage.
- The Keep Box – these items will come home with you.
Recruit Helping Hands
It can be hard to stay on task and get the job done by yourself. If you can, enlist the help of some friends or family.
Not only will they help you get the cleanout done faster, but they can help you sort your stuff better. They won’t have an emotional attachment to your belongings so they can help you be more critical about whether you should keep, donate, or toss an item in question. They’ll also make the cleanout a lot more fun!
Keep the Focus Small
To avoid overwhelming yourself, avoid focusing on too many areas at the same time during your storage unit cleanout. Pick a small section of your unit, like a 2’x 2’ area, and focus on sorting and organizing that area until it’s finished. Then, you can move onto the next area.
Clean Unit Itself
One of the most important parts of your self-storage cleanout is to sanitize your unit. Most people don’t realize the various little bits of crumbs, garbage, and other debris that are just hanging around.
Get a moving dolly to help you roll your organized piles outside to clean your unit better. Sweep out all debris, dirt, and dust and wipe down your unit with a sanitizing cleaner.
Get Rid of Your Stuff
After cleaning your unit, the final step of your storage unit cleanout will be to rid yourself of the stuff you’ve organized with the Four Box Declutter method.
For items you’re donating, put them into your vehicle and drop them off at a thrift or donation site. If there’s too much to donate, call and ask about donation pick-up services. For the items you’re keeping, load them up in your vehicle and bring them back home with you. Any items that are remaining in storage will stay put in the freshly cleaned-out unit. Don’t forget to remove all trash and haul it away to the dumpster.
Bay Street Storage is here to help you with all your storage needs.
Bay Street Storage
Storage unit cleanouts are no small tasks, so use these tips to be best prepared. At Bay Street Storage, we’re here to make your storage experience as easy as possible. If you need any help, let us know.
If you’re looking for a self-storage unit in Post Falls, Bay Street Storage is your go-to storage provider. We have two convenient locations for you to choose from, and we’ve got all your storage needs covered.
