Home renovations can be stressful, inconvenient, and time-consuming. One simple way to ease the burden is to consider self-storage when renovating your home.
Whether you are modernising, adding value to your home, or simply stamping your taste and preferences on your home, the process of renovation can be a difficult journey.
But like most journeys, a few shortcuts can make a big difference. For home renovations, self-storage is such a shortcut!
This article discusses why self-storage can help avoid the stress and pitfalls of a home renovation.
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Renovation Problems that Self-storage can Help With:
At the start of a renovation project, the end result can seem a long way away. There is a seemingly endless list of problems that can seem insurmountable. This is even truer if you are residing in the property being renovated.
However, much as the task might seem daunting, many of the problems can be substantially eased with a self-storage unit. Here are just a few of the renovation problems that self-storage can help with:
- A Lack of space
Renovations of any size will inevitably lead to furniture and belongings having to find a temporary home. This isn’t a massive problem if the work is relatively minor, but for larger jobs, this can quickly become a time-consuming logistical problem.
Frequently shuffling bulky items from room to room takes up valuable time that could otherwise be used to concentrate on the real job at hand. This both slows the whole process down and can result in damage to belongings.
- Dust, grime, and debris
No matter what precautions you take, dust and debris have a nasty habit of overcoming any defences. Items like electronics and soft furnishings can succumb to fine dust. In the case of furnishings, this can be difficult, if not impossible, to remove. For electronics, dust can quickly cause overheating and ultimately malfunctions.
General debris and grime that are always associated with renovations can also cause damage to valuable belongings.
- Fumes and Paint Damage
We are all aware of the mess that a knocked-over can of paint, or even just some slapdash brushwork, can cause. Once again, the time wasted shuffling furniture about, and rejigging dustsheets can be better spent getting on with the work instead.
But apart from the obvious problems associated with painting and varnishing, there are also the fumes to consider. Delicate materials and furnishings are only partially protected from fumes with dustcovers. In the worst cases, the smell of fumes can linger for months and even damage more delicate materials.
- Furnishings
Doing a “perpetual furniture shuffle” is bound to happen in larger renovations and, to a lesser degree, in smaller jobs. Again, this is more time wasted, but it also leaves plenty of opportunity for damage to furnishings. Of course, shuffling heavy furniture from room to room also has the potential to cause personal injury.
- Save Money
Renting a self-storage unit amid an expensive renovation project might seem like an unnecessary overhead. However, by freeing up the time spent shuffling furniture around and taking precautions to protect belongings, a self-storage unit can end up being a cost-cutting exercise. Additionally, placing valuables in self-storage can end up saving the cost of having to replace them!
Self-storage units are not expensive, and with the weekly cost of a good-sized unit less than the hourly rate of a tradesman, it doesn’t take much for it to start saving money.
Using a Self-Storage Unit to Ease the Renovation Blues
The above are just a few of the renovating issues and bottlenecks that a self-storage unit can help with. The ultimate service it provides is the ability to create the room needed to renovate as efficiently as possible and to keep valuable belongings safe during the renovation works.
Once the decision is taken to rent a self-storage unit, following a few simple steps and guidelines can make the process simple and ensure your belongings remain in perfect condition:
Location, location, location
Make sure the company you choose has a facility close enough to make it a practical option. Even without rising fuel prices, traipsing halfway across the country every time you need to retrieve or store items is burdensome, to say the least.
Prepare properly
Even if you are storing your belongings for just a few short weeks, it is still good practice to prepare everything properly before storing them. A little time making sure that everything is clean and dry before you store them negates the possibility of mould, mildew, and even insect infestations taking hold.
For shorter-term storage, plastic sheeting can be used to protect furniture when in storage, but if storage is likely to run for more than a few weeks, then consider a breathable fabric.
Plan your storage space
The point of using self-storage when renovating is to make your life easier while the work is ongoing. Planning your storage space properly makes sure it achieves this!
It is always a good idea to plan how you organise your space, but this is particularly so if you intend to chop and change what is stored. Many people shuffle belongings back and forwards from their home to the storage unit as the focus of the renovation changes.
This is made a whole lot easier if the storage unit is planned so that belongings that are likely to be needed first are not stored at the very back and under a mountain of other belongings. Draw up a list of what is being stored and mark items and store items according to when and how often they will need to be retrieved.
Use quality packing materials
Finally, it might seem like a good idea to get a few old boxes from the local supermarket, but this can be a recipe for disaster. Firstly, these are designed to get the product to the shop floor and not much else. Effectively they are disposable items without the inherent strength of proper packing boxes.
The other problem with this route is a lack of consistent size with “borrowed” boxes. This makes them difficult to stack and adds to the risk of a stack of boxes collapsing.
Using boxes that are fit for the purpose and of uniform size makes for simple and safe storage. Many self-storage providers can supply high-quality packaging materials.
One further tip when selecting packaging boxes. There is always the temptation to opt for the largest possible box. This isn’t always the best option. Large boxes can be overly heavy, difficult to handle, and awkward (if not dangerous) to stack.
Summing Up
It is difficult to think of an argument not to use a self-storage unit during renovations. They offer a flexible storage solution that is the perfect size for your needs and only needs to be rented for the period you require.
As a way of easing the “renovating blues,” self-storage units are hard to beat. They save time and money, ease stress, and protect valuable belongings. If you are planning a renovation, then a self-storage unit should be at the very top of your to-do list.
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Millie is a perfectionist with a passion for property and writing articles. You’ll find her researching the latest housing trends and the newest up and coming areas worth investing in. Read more about Millie here.
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