Storage | Drayton Valley Storage

Organizing Your Self Storage Unit

August 9, 2016

The trailer is packed and you’ve signed your lease for your new storage unit. Now comes the fun part; Unloading. How do you pack your unit so you are able to find everything when the need arises? Here are 5 tips for organizing your storage unit to make this chore stress free come moving day.

Labels. Always label your boxes – if you’re putting a variety of items in them try to add a description. This will help you organize your unit into sections. Use a brightly colored label & stack your boxes or totes with the label facing the front, so that you will be able to find things quickly in your unit.
Regularly Used Items in Front. Pack the items that you will be using most towards the front of your unit. This will prevent you from having to move any extras away so you can reach them when the time comes. This includes items like seasonal wear, sports equipment, Christmas décor etc.
Leave an aisle. One of the most common mistakes when storing is not leaving any room to get to the items in the back of your unit. The last thing you want to do is come to grab a box and have to move all your items out to get to it. Leave an aisle down the middle of the unit so that you’re able to reach most, if not all boxes and items.
Take Pictures. When all of your items are loaded into your storage unit, take a few pictures so that you know what is in the unit and where to find it. This will save you time when you get to your unit and is especially important if you are storing long term.
Draw a Map. Even if you’ve taken pictures it’s good to draw a map of where your belongings are, especially the important items that you do not use often. This will make your visit shorter if you know where these are packed away. This may include family photo albums, jewelry, tax files etc.

Using these 5 tips will not only save you time when you visit your storage unit but it will also reduce the mess you would have to make when searching through boxes to find a specific item. Have you stored before? Let us know your organizing tips in the comments below!
— Kayla Akerstrom

Relocation – How to Make the Move Better!

July 18, 2016

Source: TJC Properties

The time has come and you have decided to move for your job, your family, or maybe both. Whether you are moving across the province or the country, relocating is a big commitment, and a big job! Here are a 10 tips from an expert to help make the move better:

Organizing Your Garage

June 15, 2016

This could be the year you take back your garage and use it for a work shop or even to park your own car!
Garage spaces large and small, often become the dumping ground for anything removed from the house and yard. These can be items that you are not willing to part with, or perhaps seasonal things you are only going to use once a year. Read more

Top 5 Day Trips Around Drayton Valley

May 31, 2016

Want to take time away but you’re under a time constraint? Here are a few places you can go for the day or longer that are nice for vacations or a day trip and won’t interfere with that dreadful time limit. Read more

10 Tips on Storing Winter Clothes

May 4, 2016

Our clothes closets need a twice a year change over. As we head into spring, it’s a good time to look at storing your winter clothes. Not everyone has the room to store clothes year round, most closet spaces or smaller apartments do not leave room for the extra storage. Clothing can be expensive and it’s a good idea to store your items properly in order to keep your investment safe for another year. Here are some tips to help with this.
Read more

How To Pack Portable Storage Containers

April 18, 2016

A portable storage unit provides you with the ability to pack your belongings yourself at your own pace. However, you will be responsible for how your things are packed. This means you’ll want to take every precaution to ensure that your boxes, furniture, and appliances are safely loaded. Here are a few tips to help you to load your storage container in the most effective and secure way possible.

Moving Truck versus Container Rental Pros and Cons

March 31, 2016

To reduce the stress of moving many people hire a moving company. But, this can be expensive, and also means you have to work around the moving company’s schedule, not yours. To get around this expense and scheduling issue many people choose to rent their own moving truck. Did you know there’s another option that can be even more cost-effective and convenient? Portable storage containers offer all the advantages of a rental truck without some of the hassle. Here are some of the reasons why you may want to consider a portable container for your next move:

Packing & Moving Tips From The Experts

March 15, 2016

In my 26 years, I have averaged a move every couple of years, these tips have helped to create a sense of organization and efficiency during an otherwise chaotic time – Moving Day! Packing, preparing for, and executing a move can be quite overwhelming. Here are some tips to help you pack and prepare efficiently and effectively, to help your move go as smoothly as possible:

Make your last grocery shop 2 weeks before moving.
To avoid a larger mess to clean out of the fridge, and not to mention the “great giveaway” of all your refrigerator food to your neighbor or friend, plan your meals for the last couple of weeks before the move, grocery shop accordingly, and do not overbuy. Before loading up your fridge with that final shop, do yourself a favor and give the fridge a good wipe down at this time. You could also get a head start on throwing away all your near- expired condiments, to save yourself the hassle come moving day.

Downsizing: What To Keep

March 1, 2016

The thought of downsizing makes me nervous, what do I keep and what about my sentimental items? Many of us have been living in the same place for a long period of time and have accumulated so much. It’s tough to know what you should take with you and what needs to go, making this task discouraging.

Recently, my aunt decided to move into a smaller place. Unfortunately, as we started going through her things she realized downsizing was a larger task than she expected. She didn’t realize how much she had kept; cards, letters, photographs, knick knacks and more. Here are 5 tips we used to help her downsize: