Open the door of your unit regularly to check on your contents and help ventilation and air circulation. If going away whilst your goods are in storage ensure you arrange for someone to do this for you.

Storage unit tips

Use sheets of cardboard or plastic on the floor or over soft furnishings (B&Q sell light weight plastic sheeting in their paints department – cheap and ideal – try online at www.thepackagingstore.co.uk or the B&Q website www.diy.com [pre-order and collect merchandise at store – find plastic sheets under ‘DECOR’]). Larger items of furniture benefit from being stored with small gaps between each other and between them and the unit walls – again, to help air circulation within the unit.

Keep frequently used or needed items near the entrance of the unit. Store least used items first. We recommend important documents or other paperwork – books etc be stored inside lidded plastic boxes (on-line try www.plasticboxshop.co.uk or www.thepackagingstore.co.uk. Store important documents in the same place. Disassemble beds and wardrobes to save space. Chairs can be stowed seat to seat or upside down on dis-assembled items, mattresses on end (even settees can be stored vertically!).

Thoroughly dry refrigerators, freezers, and washing machines before storing. Clean ovens and cooking utensils to prevent mould or rust. Store appliances with the doors slightly ajar.

If storing garden and garage tools too then be sure to thoroughly clean and dry tools and metals before storing. And then wipe them down with a lightly oiled rag. Tie tools securely into bundles. Vehicles and machinery should be drained of oil and petrol and even (in the case of lawn mowers or strimmers etc) individually wrapped with industrial cling film – again, www.thepackagingstore.co.uk has a big selection of packaging and boxing materials.