Storage unit checklist
Storage only works if the packing does. Pack for the day you take things out, not just the day you put them in.
18 items
Makes your own editable copy. No account needed.
The items
- Unit size checked against an actual inventory, not a guessMost people under-estimate by a third — list what's going in before booking.
- Insurance checked
- The facility's own cover and its excess
- Whether home contents insurance already covers stored items
- Access hours checked against when you'll actually need to visit
- Climate control considered for anything that can warp or dampElectronics, wood furniture and photographs are the first to suffer.
- Strong boxes×10The cheap ones collapse under a stack after a few months, not immediately.
- Bubble wrap and packing paper
- Furniture covers or dust sheets
- Padlock rated for the unit, not a luggage lock
- Inventory list kept of exactly what's in every boxWritten down when you pack it, because you will not remember by the time you need it back.
- Boxes labelled on more than one sideStacked units hide labels on the side facing the wall.
- Heaviest items packed at the bottom, fragile at the top
- Furniture stored raised off the floorPallets or boards, in case of any damp on the unit floor.
- Anything valuable photographed before it goes in
- Documents and anything irreplaceable kept out of storage entirely
- Direct debit set up so the unit isn't lost to a missed paymentA missed payment can lead to lost access faster than people expect.
- Route and vehicle checked for the return tripWhatever went in over a weekend with help rarely comes back out the same way.
Makes your own editable copy. No account needed.
Questions people ask
- How much should I insure stored items for?
- Their full replacement value, and check both the facility's own cover and whether your home contents insurance already extends to a storage unit.
- What shouldn't go into storage?
- Passports, certificates, family photographs and anything irreplaceable are worth keeping with you rather than trusting to a unit you visit twice a year.
- What happens if I miss a payment on the unit?
- Facilities can restrict access quickly and, after unpaid rent, sell the contents — the notice period is often shorter than people expect.