You’ve found a storage unit in Capitola, CA and you’ve packed up all the belongings you plan to leave there, but now you have to figure out how to transport them. It’s easy to hurt yourself if you try lifting heavy things without the right techniques, and you might even lose time at work. Watch this video for safety tips for lifting boxes and heavy objects.

Don’t try to lift something that’s too heavy for you to handle by yourself. Try to lift one corner of the object to determine how heavy it is, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Look for handles or another good place to grip before lifting. Standing next to the object, bend your knees and spread your feet to about shoulder width. Keep your back straight as you slowly lift the object, and keep it close to your torso.

When you rent a storage unit, you will trust your storage rental facility to protect and preserve your stuff when it is under their care. Before you choose a storage facility, it is a good idea to ask about any pest prevention methods that they have in place. A quality storage rental facility will have methods in place that are designed to keep rodents, insects, and other unwanted pests away. Let’s take a closer look at some common pests that are found in storage units, and how they can be prevented.

Rodents

Rodents are among the most notorious pests that can invade a storage unit. Rats and mice like to build their nests in the dark, out-of-the-way spaces that are located throughout an untouched storage unit. If a storage facility has signs of droppings or unused nesting materials, this may indicate a rodent problem. By implementing rodent exclusion methods, a properly equipped storage unit facility will be able to keep these nasty pests away.

Cockroaches

Cockroaches are familiar with pests that can be found in storage units around the world. When cockroaches invade a storage facility, they can bring nasty diseases and pathogens, such as salmonella, E. coli, and more. To keep cockroaches away, it may be necessary to treat the interior and exterior surfaces of a storage unit with a special repellant. Traps and other physical methods can also be used to control and eliminate a cockroach population.

Bed Bugs

Bed bug infestations are on the rise around the country, and storage units are not immune to these dreaded insects. A bed bug colony can make its home on mattresses, furnishings, and in any other carbon-based materials. In the unfortunate event that a bed bug infestation breaks out in a storage facility, it may be necessary to treat each individual unit. If you have concerns about pests and your stored items, your storage rental company will be happy to answer your questions.

The first step to making sure your furniture is well-preserved while in storage is to select a reputable storage rental company near Capitola. It should have clean, leak-free storage units, as water damage can be disastrous for furniture. After you rent the right size of storage space for your furniture, lay some thick plastic sheeting on the floor of the unit, and then start loading up the moving truck.

Clean and repair the furniture.

Slide each piece away from the wall, and wipe it down thoroughly. There could be mildew in areas where you don’t often clean, and one moldy piece of furniture in a storage rental will contaminate the rest of it. If any of your furniture needs repairs, this is a good time to take care of it.

Take your furniture apart.

There’s no point in throwing out your back and testing the goodwill of your friends by trying to move a huge credenza as is. Instead, take off everything that can be removed. Slide out drawers and take out shelves. On some pieces, you might even be able to remove doors and legs. Disassembling your furniture lightens the load, and it might be easier to grip while moving it. Be sure to label each disassembled piece so you can put it back together again later. You can use adhesive labels for this. Put nuts, bolts, and screws into a plastic bag, and tape the bag to the furniture. Use a separate bag for each piece of furniture.

Protect your furniture in transit.

It’s inevitable that furniture will shift around inside a moving van. Wrap each item with padding, such as blankets. Do not stack furniture inside the moving van—if it topples over, it will sustain damage, and it will likely damage other pieces of furniture.

Load the storage unit.

When you arrive at your self-storage unit, position the largest, heaviest pieces of furniture toward the back. As you bring pieces in, try to leave space for one or two walking paths. This way, you’ll be able to access the items in the back of the unit if you’ve stored lighter boxes of possessions on top of the furniture.

The opportunity to spend some time with out-of-town relatives is one of the wonderful parts of the holiday season. Make the most of your time with your houseguests by eliminating the possibility of cramped conditions. There are affordable storage options available in Capitola, CA, and you can choose from self-storage rentals in a range of sizes to suit your needs .

If your home is relatively roomy and uncluttered, rent a small self-storage unit. Or perhaps you’ve been using your guest bedroom as a catchall place to put random items. Don’t let your houseguest trip over odds and ends—make him or her feel welcome by clearing out the clutter and stowing it away in temporary storage. Consider how your guest plans to arrive at your home. If he or she is driving, it would be courteous to offer space in your garage for your guest’s car. This means it’s time to gather together your yard tools, bikes, and miscellaneous junk, and store them safely until your houseguest leaves.

No matter what distance you’re traveling during your move, there are a few tricks you can use to make the process easier. First, give yourself more time to plan your move than you think you’ll need. Next, explore your storage options in Capitola, CA, deal with unnecessary clutter, and stock up on packing and moving supplies.

Reserving a Self-Storage Rental

A disorganized move is stressful and inefficient. An effective way to keep your family organized is to rent a temporary storage unit, especially if you’re a military family. Military families move often, and they don’t necessarily take all of their belongings with them each time they move. If you or your spouse is headed for an overseas deployment, start checking out the rates for self-storage. Talking to a storage rental company is also a smart idea if you’re a college student. You might not want to move all of the contents of your dorm room back home each summer. Rent a storage unit near your campus to streamline your move when the new school year starts.

Dealing with Clutter

The day of the move is the wrong time to deal with clutter. As soon as you decide to move, start sorting through your possessions. Get rid of items that you can discard, recycle, sell, or give away. Inevitably, there will be some items with sentimental value that you might not need any longer. If you can’t decide what to do with these items, you can put them into storage, and deal with them after you’ve settled into your new home.

Stocking up on Moving Supplies

It’s a waste of time to run out to the store for packing supplies in the middle of your move. Stock up on more supplies than you think you’ll need. Get plenty of:

• Boxes of all sizes
• Tape
• Scissors
• Markers
• Packing peanuts

Delegating Tasks

Your move will go smoothly if you delegate tasks to each family member. For example, adults and older children can wrap and pack the breakable items. Younger kids can help by packing their own clothes and stuffed animals into plastic bins. When everyone pitches in, the move will go faster than you think.

A cluttered house can be a stressful home, especially if your at-home storage space is minimal or you have a large family. Take advantage of affordable self-storage to clear out your home of seasonal items at the end of the summer. A storage rental company in Capitola, CA can offer clean, secure units in a variety of sizes.

Summer Clothing

Gather together any hot weather clothing you don’t intend to wear until next summer. Make sure each item is clean and thoroughly dry to discourage mildew. One of the most effective ways to protect clothing in temporary storage is to place it in vacuum-sealed bags. Then, stack the bags in a sealable plastic bin. While you’re at the storage unit, take the opportunity to get your chilly weather clothing out of storage.

Recreational Gear

Californians are able to enjoy the great outdoors year-round, but there are still some recreational items you might not need once summer is over. Use your self-storage rental to put away tents, portable camping stoves, and coolers. Any other recreational gear you don’t plan to use for a while can also be stored away, such as rollerblades, kayaks, golf clubs, and mountain bikes.

Pool Accessories

Once you’ve closed your pool for the season, there’s no need for all those accessories and cleaning equipment to take up space in your garage. Your storage unit can easily accommodate pool floats and cleaning chemicals. Or, perhaps you have a kiddie pool that your children won’t be using until next summer. Protect it from the elements by storing it.

Holiday Gifts

Did you know there’s a right time of year to buy certain things? By taking advantage of end-of-year sales during the fall, you can finish your holiday to-do list ahead of schedule. You can store bulky gifts in your self-storage rental so that prying eyes won’t find them prematurely. The fall is a great time of year for deals on toys, housewares, electronics, and BBQ grills.

Harvest Wine

Even if your home lacks a wine cellar, you can take advantage of the fall harvest deals on wine by storing extra bottles in your self-storage unit. Fall is one of the best times of the year to buy wine, as it’s when vineyards introduce new vintages.

The beauty of a storage unit in Capitola, CA is that you can use it to store just about anything you want. From seasonal decorations that would otherwise clutter up your living space to valuable family heirlooms that you don’t have room for but don’t want to lose, you can keep your belongings safe until you want to come back to them. At JD Mini Storage , we want the best for our customers. That means that we do our best to keep our premises safe and your belongings protected. Read on and take a look at JD Mini Storage’s security measures.

The point of using a storage unit is to keep your belongings safe when you don’t have room for them in your house or apartment. When you rent a unit from JD Mini Storage, you will get a personal access code that lets you get through the gate. Without the access code, you can’t pass through the gate, and this does a good job of keeping potential thieves and vandals away from your unit. You can also count on the presence of at least one manager onsite at every hour of the day for further protection.

Packing up your belongings the right way helps keep them safe during the move, and it’s also useful when it comes to pest prevention. You don’t want to return to the storage unit in Capitola, CA to find bugs in your boxes, so you need to know what to do and what to look for. Wash your clothes before you pack them, whether you’re moving them to a storage unit or to a new home. Pack using only the best packing materials so you can close bugs out, and inspect your belongings before you put them away. If you want to pack to prevent pests, read ahead.

Wash Your Clothes

Certain types of pests like to feed on fabric, which makes your clothing a target for their meals. You might already have small bugs like moths and silverfish in your clothing as it hangs in your closet, but an infestation can occur if you pack them away with your garments. Wash all of your clothing in hot water before you pack, so you can kill the bugs and avoid an infestation while your belongings wait in your storage unit.

Use the Right Materials

Sometimes people end up dealing with pest problems because they failed to use the right packing materials. As cheap and convenient as it might be to take empty boxes from a department or grocery store, there are a few problems with this tactic. First, the boxes might not be sturdy enough, and your belongings could break if they bottom out. Secondly, they might contain bugs that you didn’t notice. You don’t want to return to your storage unit to find pests waiting, so use clean boxes that are designed for moving.

Look Before You Leave

Knowing how to identify a pest problem gives you a leg up when packing to prevent one. Inspect everything before you put it away, especially your bedding. Look for blood spots in your sheets, blankets, pillowcases, and the seams of your mattress. If you find any, you might have bed bugs. Call a pest control professional and wash all of your bedding in hot water.

Proper labeling on your moving boxes is vital to keeping your move and your storage unit well organized. There are many ways to label boxes—such as using a color-coded system or individual inventory list—and each has its own drawbacks and attributes. However, you can use a mixture of different labeling systems to ensure that your boxes are easy to keep track of during the moving process and in your Capitola, CA storage rental . Read on to learn about a quick and efficient way to label all of your moving boxes.

Before beginning the process, purchase new labeling supplies. You will need colored permanent markers, colored painter’s tape, and colored labeling stickers. Separate your boxes and items by the rooms they belong to. Each room will be designated a color, such as blue for bathroom items and orange for kitchen items. Take the correct colored marker and write the name of the room on all four sides and on the top of the box. You can also include a short inventory list on each box or on a master list that includes the number of boxes and furniture that will be moved to your new home or storage unit.

A moving checklist is an important component during the moving process. A checklist will have the steps you need to ensure a quick and efficient move. These steps will include purging unwanted belongings, renting a storage unit, and purchasing labeling and packing supplies. Your checklist should also have important phone numbers attached, such as your storage rental company in Santa Cruz, CA. Let’s take a closer look at the steps that should be on your moving checklist.

Purge Old Items

Sorting and purging your clothing, furniture, and belongings should be one of the first steps on your moving checklist. This step is important to prevent you from needlessly moving items that are broken, outdated, or unwanted. Keep the purging step manageable by sorting room by room and creating different piles for items you wish to keep, sell, and throw away.

Rent a Storage Unit

There are many reasons to rent a storage unit during the moving process. You may be downsizing to a small apartment or rental house before moving to a larger home. You may have a child move out and require a student storage unit. You can also use a storage unit to hold certain items that you are reluctant to part with. No matter the reason, take the time to rent a unit and check it off your moving checklist.

Purchase Labeling Supplies

Labeling supplies will be one of your best aids during the moving process. Use multicolored markers to categorize boxes for different areas. You can also use painter’s tape, highlighters, and colored label stickers to help distinguish all of your moving boxes. Put the color and the number of boxes for each location on your checklist, so you can check off items as they are unloaded.

Organize Moving Boxes

Prior to loading boxes into a moving truck or storage unit, take the time to organize them by size and importance. The most important items—such as valuables or toiletries—should be loaded into a truck or storage rental at the end. This task will help you easily access your items right away.

Before you start transporting your belongings into a storage unit, you will need to make sure that your boxes are properly packed and organized . To reduce your stress in the days leading up to your move into self-storage, you may want to create a detailed packing plan. A company that offers storage rental near Capitola can also provide you with boxes, tape, and other supplies that you will need to pack your items. Here are some simple hacks to keep in mind as you prepare your items for storage:

Create a Labeling System

After you have moved all your boxes into storage, you may quickly forget where you have placed certain belongings. To avoid confusion during and after your move, it is a great idea to create a labeling system to use on your boxes as they are being packed. Colored tape, for example, can be used to clearly identify the contents of certain boxes. You may also want to list the general contents of a box on its exterior label.

Use Sheets and Towels As Packing Materials

To save space while you are packing household goods, you may want to consider using your extra sheets and towels to protect more fragile items. Your linens can be securely wrapped around vases, lamps, and other breakable belongings to provide them with an extra layer of protection. As a bonus, using towels as packing materials will eliminate the need to purchase bubble wrap or packing peanuts.

Avoid Overfilling Your Boxes

During the packing process, it may be tempting to cram as much stuff as possible into a single box. If you pack your boxes to the point where they are bulging or overflowing, however, you will have a much more difficult time arranging them in your storage unit. As a general rule of thumb, you should always leave a few inches of space at the very top of each box that you pack.

Whether you’re trying to clear up some space in your house or you’re moving back from college, a storage unit in Santa Cruz, CA, can help you out. If you want to have the best experience possible, it’s a good idea to look around and find a storage facility that you can trust . Think about the location of your storage unit compared to where you are and where you will be, how easy it is to access your things, and whether or not your stuff will be safe. Continue reading for more on what to look for.

Convenient Location

If you’re moving to a new location but you plan on coming back, a storage unit can keep your things safe in the meantime. The same applies when you’re clearing up clutter in your house and you need a place to keep your belongings. When you choose a storage facility, choose one that is in a logical location for your needs. Pick a storage unit that’s close to your school if you’re moving back home for the summer, and choose one near your home if you’re getting rid of clutter.

Accessible Units

A storage unit wouldn’t be a great solution if you had limited access to your belongings. That’s why you should find a storage facility that has convenient hours that work for your schedule. Look through different storage facilities’ websites to get an idea of how easy it will be to get to your things before you make a decision so that you’re never left stranded when you need something important.

Secured Storage

Coming back to your storage unit to find that someone has ransacked your things is not a good feeling, but with the right storage rental, you won’t have to worry about it. Different storage facilities will take different measures to protect your belongings. You should look for one that’s gated in so that potential thieves and vandals can’t get to your things. In this day and age, electronic keypad access is a useful security measure that keeps criminals out while still allowing you to get to your things.

A storage unit in Santa Cruz, CA , can be a lifesaver, especially for college students. You can use it to store your seasonal belongings, furniture, or anything else you might need in the future but have no space for at the present. You should realize, however, that not everything you own can or should be sent to the storage unit. There are some items that might not fare well in temporary storage, so it is important to identify what they are before it’s too late. Take a look ahead for some examples of surprising things that you shouldn’t pack away in your storage unit.

If you come across a great deal on scented candles and decide to stock up, don’t plan on leaving your stockpile in a storage unit. Anything that smells too strongly can attract insects and rodents, which is a problem that you will not want to have to deal with. For the same reason, you should never keep food in your storage unit. You should also make sure you don’t store anything while it’s moist or damp, as this moisture can quickly lead to a mold problem and ruin the items in its vicinity.

Going away to college is exciting, but you need to have a plan for where you’ll store your things . If you are planning on going far away from home for your education, it can help to have a storage unit in Capitola, CA. College students tend to move quite a few times during their time on—and off—campus, and having storage options can be incredibly helpful. The summer can be especially tricky for college kids, so it’s usually a good idea to plan in advance. Here’s how students can solve summer storage problems with a temporary storage unit.

When you ship off for your freshman year in college, you’ll probably bring quite a bit of luggage with you. Although the sofa that you and your roommates have come to know and love is dear to your heart, it might not have a place at your parents’ house. In this case, a storage unit can be an excellent alternative. When you need a place for your furniture over the summer, your storage unit will be there. If you’re wondering what you can do with your college things over the summer, a storage unit may be the way to go.

Whether you are packing your belongings up to move to a new house or you’re getting ready to put some things into your storage unit in Santa Cruz, CA , you are going to need the right packing materials. Always go for quality boxes rather than used ones, and be sure to pad each box for extra protection. You should also invest in a couple of heavy-duty markers so you can label your boxes and find what you’re looking for. Continue on for a guide to choosing the right packing materials.

Go for Quality

If you want to make sure your belongings are kept safe during their stay in your storage unit, make sure the packing materials you use are sturdy enough to survive. Many people like to take the easy route and grab used boxes from department stores and supermarkets, but they have been known to give out. Since you don’t want your packed belongings spilling out onto the ground when you’re transporting them, you should look into sturdy moving boxes. You can even find boxes that are designed for clothing, making it even easier to move part of your wardrobe to your storage unit.

Pad Your Belongings

You don’t necessarily have to go overboard in protecting everything you bring to your storage unit, but your fragile items will need some extra care. When you pack delicate items like glassware or jewelry, be sure to wrap them up before you store them away. You can use old newspapers to cushion your glassware, or you could go the extra mile and buy some bubble wrap for even more protection. You should also remember not to stack other boxes on top of your fragile items in the storage unit.

Use Sharpies for Labeling

Once you’ve padded your things and packed them in sturdy moving boxes, you should label the outside of each box. Label each one with the room that it came from or should end up in so that you don’t have to rummage through all of your things to find what you need when you come back to your storage unit rental.

Before you can make use of your storage unit in Santa Cruz, CA, you will need to think about how to pack your belongings . Packing the wrong way can be risky, as boxes may break, cave in, or get knocked over if you don’t do it right. Check out this video for a quick look at packing seasonal decorations for storage.

Seasonal decorations tend to be on the fragile side, especially little ball ornaments that you might hang from a Christmas tree. Fortunately, you can keep them safe in storage with a little creativity. Line a plastic bin with plastic cups, and then fill each cup with ornaments and decorations. Then use a thin sheet of cardboard to create the base for a second layer. Repeat the process, secure the lid on top of your bin, and rest assured that your decorations will be safe in the storage unit.

As convenient as a storage unit in Capitola, CA can be, it helps to have one on the ground floor. Whether you are moving to college for the semester or you’re moving your business to a new location, a storage unit can provide you with the flexibility you need to make the move as comfortable as possible. A ground level storage unit will be easier to access, and you’ll have a much simpler time loading and unloading your belongings when you go to and from your unit. Here are some of the benefits of using ground level storage units.

There’s no reason to do more physical labor than you need to, so it’s a good idea to look for a storage unit that’s on the ground floor. Having a ground level storage unit means you won’t have to worry about bringing heavy items up and down the stairs. This can make life much easier, and it will be particularly beneficial for the handicapped and those who are not especially strong. Lugging a television, couch, or other heavy fixture up or down several flights of stairs can be a taxing venture, but your ground level storage unit will make it easy to store your things.

You can use your storage unit in Santa Cruz, CA to get rid of some of your clutter and make the most of your space, but you’ll want to make sure you protect the belongings you leave in your unit. If you are worried about mice or other rodents getting into your stuff while it’s in a temporary storage unit, there are steps you can take to keep the pests away. Take a look at this video clip and consider this mouse deterrent in your storage unit.

Mice can chew through your belongings and contaminate your living space, but the right kind of deterrent can protect your home. Although mothballs won’t necessarily cure your mouse infestation, they can displace the mice from their nesting areas. If you are going to use mothballs to keep your mouse problem at bay, it’s a good idea to put them in nylon socks and tie them up.

When you are planning on moving or selling your house, you may find yourself in need of a place to safely house your furniture. A storage unit in Capitola will provide you with ample space to store your sofa, table, or other large furnishings when they are not in use. Prior to moving your furnishings into your storage unit rental, you will want to make sure that they are properly covered and ready to remain unused for a certain length of time. Let’s explore some methods that you can use to keep your furniture safe when it is being stored.

Take Apart Wooden Pieces

If your wooden furniture is capable of being disassembled, you will want to take it apart before it heads into the storage unit. A large wooden piece of furniture is more likely to be scratched or dinged if it is fully assembled during moving. Taking off legs, footboards, or headboards will help you maneuver your wooden furniture safely, and will also make it easier to lift.

Clean Upholstered Items

Your upholstered furniture will require a bit of attention and care before it goes to the storage unit. If your upholstered sofas or chairs are not cleaned before they are stored, they will be more likely to develop mold, mildew, and other issues over time. By using an upholstery safe cleaner on the surface of your upholstered furnishing, you can rest assured that it will not deteriorate while it sits in your storage unit.

Wrap All Furniture Carefully

All furniture needs to be carefully wrapped before it is placed in storage. Your storage facility may be able to provide you with special plastic sheeting or fabric that is specifically designed for use on furniture. Any sharp edges or corners should also be contained with plenty of bubble wrap. After your furniture has been covered and wrapped, it will be ready for your big move.

A storage unit rental will provide you with a safe and secure location to house your most valued personal belongings. While a standard storage unit will protect your stuff from theft and environmental wear and tear, there are actions that you may want to take to keep rodents and other unwanted creatures out of your storage space. With services from a storage rental company in Santa Cruz , you can make sure that your storage unit is safe, secure, and pest free. Let’s take a closer look at some tips for keeping rodents out of your storage.

Avoid Storing Food

Food items are very tempting to rats and mice of all kinds. If you are concerned about a rodent infestation in your storage facility, you will want to make sure that you avoid storing food altogether. Since food is typically perishable, it may not be allowed in your storage unit to begin with. Keeping food away from your facility is an important step towards rodent prevention.

Tightly Seal Your Boxes

When rodents enter a storage unit, they may be looking for cozy spaces to build their nests. Unfortunately, a cardboard box may provide the perfect environment for a colony of rodents to nest and breed. To keep rodents out of your storage boxes, you will want to make sure that they are tightly sealed with tape. For the ultimate in rodent protection, you can also invest in sturdy plastic boxes, which will also stand up to water damage and other pests.

Wrap Mattresses and Furniture in Plastic

Plastic wrap can be very useful when you are protecting your storage unit from rodents. In the event that rodents do enter your storage unit, plastic wrap will protect your furnishings from becoming contaminated by rodent droppings or urine. Ultimately, you will also want to ask your storage facility about any rodent exclusion methods that they are using to keep rodents away from their units.