Unless you are an uber-minimalist, you’re bound to have extra items in your home. From piles of books to childhood mementos, it can be hard to let go of items that have sentimental value. When you feel your home is bursting at the seams or you’re moving, you might be wondering, should I get rid of it? Or should it go into storage? The pros at Florida’s Best Moving & Storage help you decide whether it makes sense to go into storage or not…
Storage & Moving
Whether you are downsizing or moving to a new home across town, it can be difficult to decide what to keep and what to discard. Sometimes the stress of deciding is too much, and there might be some items that you need extra time to decide on, so keeping your items in storage is an excellent way to make the right decision later on.
What SHOULD Be Kept in Storage
To help you make the best decision for you, here’s what you should put into storage:
- Furniture
- Seasonal Items & Decor
- Appliances
- Important Files and Documents
- Collectibles and Family Heirlooms
Furniture
Furniture is one of the most common items that people put in storage since it can take up a lot of space. Here are some reasons to store some of your furniture:
- You are unsure of or you don’t have enough space in your new space for all of your current furniture.
- Your current pieces don’t match the interior of your new space.
- The place you are moving into is fully furnished.
While it might be easier to declutter or sell furniture pieces before your move, some of these items might have sentimental value, like a dresser that your great-father made, or the table that you ate dinners around growing up. You might need these items in the future if you decide to move again.
Furniture items that are most commonly put into storage are beds, mattresses, tables and chairs, dining room tables, dressers, and patio furniture.
Our local moving and storage experts recommend disassembling larger furniture pieces if possible to save space in your storage unit. Before we pack things up, you should clean all furniture to prevent mold growth or damage (although when you work with us your items are stored in a safe, climate-controlled unit).
Store your extra items with Florida’s Best Moving! We have short and long-term storage options available. Give us a call today for a quote: 813-485-6580!
Seasonal Items
Seasonal items such as bulky sweaters, winter jackets, holiday decor, etc. are often put into storage since they are only needed for a short time. When you are moving, it can be wise to put your seasonal items into storage too.
- Clothing: Winter clothing can be put away and stored during your move in the warmer months.
- Seasonal equipment: While we don’t use winter gear like snowboards or skis in Florida, you may take a ski-trip every year and have gear that you need to store.
- Holiday Decorations: If you are an avid decorator, your seasonal decor can take up quite a bit of space in your home; storing Halloween or Christmas decor can free up some much-needed space!
Large Household Appliances
If you are moving into temporary housing, storing items like your refrigerator, washer and dryer, or dishwasher can make sense. Especially since you’ll most likely need these items again in the future.
Many of our local clients who have some time between homes choose to store bulky items like furniture or large household appliances with us. Call Florida’s Best Moving for a free, no-hassle quote to keep your items safe and sound until you’re ready for them.
Files & Documents
While you’ll want to keep your most important documents with you during a move, there are many documents that you might have that can be stored for later.
These include warranties on appliances, receipts, some medical records, financial documents, employment records, school diplomas, etc. Storing these documents in a secure storage unit gives you the chance to keep those non-essential documents safe until you find the perfect spot for them in your new space.
Collectibles
Collector’s items, artwork, and family heirlooms are also popular items to put into storage. Especially when seniors are clearing the empty nest. As a family-owned business, we care about your sentimental items and keeping your most prized possessions safe during your move or spring cleaning.
What NOT to Put Into Storage:
Here’s our top list of what you should take with you as it’s not the best idea to put any of these items into storage (ever.):
- High-value items (be careful with sentimental items like photos too especially if your unit isn’t climate-controlled)
- Live plants
- Food items/perishables
- Animals
- Hazardous materials
- Guns & ammo
- Wet items
Should I get rid of it?
If you haven’t used it in a while (about a year) or you forgot you even had it, then you may want to donate it for someone else to use instead of storing it.
If it’s in poor condition, ripped, or otherwise damaged, then you should throw it away.
Store It With Florida’s Best Moving
Moving can be stressful, and making quick decisions on furniture or other sentimental items can be a mistake. Store your items until you have space or make a decision with our storage solutions at Florida’s Best Moving and Storage!
With both short and long-term storage options, you can rest assured that your items are safe and sound while building a new home, or while transitioning in or out of an assisted living facility. Contact us online or give us a call today at 813-485-6580 for a storage or moving quote!