When people come and see me at The Store Room’s Manchester self storage facility (I’m the manager there), one of the things that I always advise is for them to have a look at the storage unit and try to imagine how their items of furniture and other bits and pieces will best fit in order to make the most of the space. Some people are better than others at working this out, and of course I will always help them as best I can. But it can be difficult even for seasoned movers-and-storers!

Our aim at The Store Room is always to try and get people into the smallest space possible, which will save them money, as the smaller the unit, the cheaper the storage will be. I’ve been renting Manchester storage units to local customers since 2007, and there are a few tips and tricks that I’ve picked up along the way and I wanted to share them with everybody!

Sofas – Use The Height Of The Storage Unit

With sofas, to maximise the space in the self storage room I always advise people to store the sofa upright or ‘on its end’ if possible. Our storage units are 8 ft tall, so this really does free up space in the room. I would also recommend using a sofa cover for protection, and these are available for just a few pounds in reception.

Storing Tables

If a table will dismantle then I would always recommend doing this, as once this is done the table will take up next to no space in the storage unit. If this isn’t possible, wrap the top of the table with blankets or bubble wrap, turn it upside down, and then you have the space to put other items on reverse of the table top.

Mirrors and Pictures

If these items are large, always store them upright rather than flat – they take up less space that way and are less likely to be damaged. Consider using some bubble wrap and some corner protectors to make 100% sure that the pictures will get through your house move unscathed.

Self Storage Boxes

When it comes to storage boxes, I recommend sturdy double-layered boxes that can stack. Being able to stack the boxes without your tower collapsing will not be possible with most cardboard boxes (like the ones you pick up in the supermarket), so come and see me in reception at our Manchester self storage site and I will show you what I mean (and recommend the boxes best for you). As a general rule, heavier items such as books should go in smaller boxes, lighter items such as duvets and bedding can go in bigger boxes, as these boxes will then be easier to move.

These are just a few tips, but I have many more up my sleeve! If you’re looking for a cheap self storage unit in the Manchester area, give me a call on 0161 789 4679 and we’ll take it from there…