Twenty years of watching move-ins taught us a few things. Steal them.
Use same-size boxes so they stack square, label two sides of every box, and leave an aisle down the middle of the unit. The five minutes it costs you at move-in saves an hour the first time you come back for one thing.
Pallets or 2x4s under your bottom layer keep air moving and protect against the rare spill or blown-in rain. Furniture goes on end where you can — a sofa on its side takes half the footprint.
Candles, vinyl records, some electronics and anything wax-based don't love a metal building in August. Store those at home, or ask us which units run coolest.
Drain the water lines, pull the battery or put it on a tender, top off the fuel with stabilizer, and cover the tires. Come by every few weeks to run the engine and you'll avoid the spring surprise.
Gasoline, propane bottles, paint thinner, fertilizer, fireworks, food, or anything alive. It's a fire and pest issue and it's in your lease for a reason.
Most folks under-buy by one size. If you're between two, take the bigger one — the $20 difference is cheaper than moving everything twice.
| Size | Roughly holds | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
| 5 x 10 | A walk-in closet or a studio apartment | $60 |
| 10 x 10 | A one-bedroom apartment | $80 |
| 10 x 15 | A two-bedroom home | $105 |
| 10 x 20 | A three-bedroom home or a car | $130 |
| 10 x 25 | A four-bedroom home or a work truck | $160 |
| 10 x 30 | A big move or a business inventory | $180 |