When you are moving to LA that includes a lot of preparation. There is always a moment before packing when you declutter your home. Time to decide what will you take with you and what you do not need anymore. In case you do not want to get rid of some things you can store them until you decide what to do with them. You can rent storage for a certain period. But you should also maintain it. So, check out this storage maintenance checklist.
Prepare your items
Make a list of all the items you want to store. In that way, you won’t forget what you want to store and it will make it easier to sort the items too. Before storing them, you need to prepare them. You should wash them properly, check if some of your items demand some special treatment, get the packing supplies to prepare your items for storage. Your residential relocation will be easier this way.
If you are about to store some of the clothes, you should wash them. Even it is not dirty you should wash them properly to prevent odors that can attract pests. Before doing that you should check the labels so you can wash them properly. You can wash them at your home or take them to the dry-cleaning. The same thing is with the shoes, you should clean them and pack them properly. After washing your clothes, you want to keep them fresh as long as possible. So, here’s a little trick. You can apply a few drops of some essential oil on a paper towel and put it in a box or a plastic bin. Lavender oil is frequently used for this. As well as your clothes and shoes, you need to clean your sports equipment. If you are going to store it. Clean them, and pack carefully.
If you have some furniture to store or any large equipment, they should be disassembled and packed so they do not get damaged. It will also help you to save some space. It is very important to clean and polish wood pieces before storing them.
When you have washed and prepared your belongings, you need to pack them. You will be needing some packing supplies. You can use carton boxes, bubble bags, plastic bins, packing and duct tape, and scissors.
Find a storage
After washing and packing your belongings you should find the storage that fits your needs. It is important to find a climate-controlled storage Los Angeles has to offer and that has enough storing space so you can store all your items. Be careful when choosing the storage unit. Check the safety of the storage, if it has in-person surveillance or video monitoring, and how many locks does it have in the door. It is also important to check the size of the storage unit you need so you can place all your items. Make sure you put the items in places that are best suited for their size and weight. If you think that you will be needing some of the items before the others be sure to place them on an easy-to-reach spot near the door.
After all of this, you need to relocate your items to storage. Find reliable movers in LA that will relocate your belongings from your old home to a new one but that will also relocate your belongings to the storage unit.
Storage maintenance checklist
As already said, if you decide to rent a storage unit make sure you maintain it properly. So here is what you should put on your storage checklist for maintainance:
- Units and doors
- Pest control
- Facility exterior
- Security equipment
- Roofs should also be part of your storage maintenance checklist
- Intercoms and amenities
- Entry gates
Units and doors
One of the most important maintenance tasks is to keep your roll-up doors working properly. The door interior and exterior should be checked every time someone moves out and before the next tenant moves in. Make sure the door doesn’t creep down while in use. Doors can be easily freshened with a good cleaning. So from time to time, you can wash them. Some storage facilities are subject to humid summers with salty air, so corrosion and rust may be a concern. So you can put some lubricant like wd-40 to slow the progression of damage from the elements.
Facility exterior
Keep your grass neat and tidy. Keep trash and debris out of your lawns as well as your entryways and parking areas. Maintain your fence. Keep walls looking fresh and clean. In some areas, vines, and weeds can tear apart a fence or wall. Try and keep any vegetation from growing up through your fence line. If you use hanging or potted plants, make sure you place them carefully to avoid injuries. Flowering bushes and shrubbery along with entry ways or walkways can fill in some of those blank areas.
Lightning
Check all outside lights regularly. During winter, they should be on before you leave for the night. Parking areas and entrances should be a primary focus. Properly positioned lights can improve security along walkways and building exteriors. Don’t forget your emergency lights too. You can test them from time to time. Take care of the interior lighting. Don’t wait for bulbs or wall packs to burn out before you buy them; have extras on hand for emergencies.
Roofs
Don’t forget to look up. The inside of a ceiling can tell you a lot about the condition of the roof. Stains, sagging or odd discolorations can indicate roof leaks or condensation. Check the rooftops too. Roof panels can expand and contract in the heat and cold and can loosen seals and seems.
Storage maintenance checklist – conclusion
These are just a few maintenance essentials to which you should be paying attention. It’s best to create storage maintenance checklist to cover these basics. Also, it would be good to learn how to fix some common problems yourself whenever you can.