Storage rooms can get cluttered in a hurry. But there’s no need to fret – we’re here to provide you with the best tips for cleaning, clearing, and organizing your storage spaces. From an entire self-storage unit to a storage room at home, take a look at how you can best make use of your space.
Let’s start with the tools and the cleaning supplies you’ll need to get started. These items will help you clean and organize a storage room as easily as possible.
- Broom
- Mop
- Soap
- Bleach
- Wooden pallets
- Tarp
- Goggles and/or protective glasses
- Plastic gloves
Grab all of the above and head to your storage area. Be sure to have several hours of free time before you get started. The longer it’s been since your storage space has been organized, the longer it is likely to take you to get your space in shape.
Make a Plan for Storage Cleaning Day
Enlist the help of friends and family members for your cleaning day. (You should especially request their help if their items are also stored in your storage space. 😉 )
However, this is your show. Tell everyone what their job is and how they will be helping organize your storage. Give out tasks, and stick to the list. It’s easy to get distracted when you are cleaning and organizing a storage unit. By sticking to the list you can save time and remain as efficient as possible.
Take note that if you’re doing a complete overhaul, you don’t have to do it in a single day. It’s ok to return over a few days in order to finish the job. Don’t allow yourself to get overwhelmed with cleaning your storage room, instead take the time to do it right.
While on the subject of going easy on yourself, this may be an emotional process, and that’s ok. You will find sentimental items and may or may not want to part with them. Let yourself consider the options and take time to go through each scenario.
Take Inventory of Items in Storage as You Clean
Next, keep a running list of what’s in storage. This will help you find items in the future, as you’ve inevitably forgotten what’s in your storage room or where you placed it. Make life as easy as possible by using these best practices.
Meanwhile, create a space in or outside of your unit where you can stage the items you are organizing. This will allow you to remove items from your storage unit or storage room and decide where they will go. (Either back in the space or elsewhere.) At home, this should be an easy fix. If you need help finding working space at a storage facility, talk to our manager about where you can place your items temporarily while you are organizing them.
Clear the Storage Space
Get it all out – remove items one by one until you have an empty room in front of you. In your quest of how to clean and organize a storage room, this will be your most important step. It’s far easier to start with a blank slate or empty room in this case.
You should have four piles: trash, keep, donate, and sell. As items are cleared from your storage space, start organizing them into these piles. Boxes that are being kept should also be wiped down or dusted off, or even relabeled so you can easily see what’s inside from a distance.
As for items you are trashing or getting rid of, clear them from the area. Put them into your vehicle or a nearby dumpster. If your storage area has a donate section, you can utilize it at this time.
Clean the Storage Room
Now it’s time to sweep, dust, and mop the floor and walls of the storage unit. Grime can pile up faster than you realize. Getting rid of excess dust will help to keep your storage items cleaner, longer. Cobwebs and bugs are other things you’ll want to keep out of your items.
Sweep and mop away grime and stains, or if you’re utilizing an outside storage area, you can even pressure wash for a faster and more effective way to clean your storage room. A clean storage room also provides you with a clean slate in moving forward.
Organizing Your Storage Room
Finally, you can start putting it all back together. Stack wooden pallets to create an elevated surface on which you can stack your items. Wooden pallets are great for outside storage spaces or basements that may have any issues with leaks or bugs. They can also simply keep storage items neat and tidy.
You can also follow Silverado’s list of best practices for better ways to put your storage room back together. Start with the biggest pieces or seasonal items you will not need for some time, then work your way to smaller boxes or those that you will need more frequently.
When putting your storage room back together, know that there is no right or wrong way to do it. You should consider your own personal practices and how you will use each item and how often. This will help you create a clean and organized storage unit that best adheres to your needs.
Contact us at our website or give us a call at 775.785.8600 if you have any questions about your storage space and want to learn more about the steps we take at Silverado Self Storage to keep your storage space clean.