Every container offers easy ground floor access - no stairs, lifts or ramps to deal with.
Why Packing Your Shipping Container Properly Matters | We Explain How To
A shipping container is certainly one of best favoured and secure forms of self storage around today, but how you pack one determines just how well your belongings come back out of it again. A well packed storage container holds more than if not correctly packed, keeps everything dry as well as undamaged and lets you get to what you need in your unit without having to spend a day unpacking it into the storage yard. Yes, this has happened. But don't worry - it's easy and your removal or van and man service will have loads of experience in packing one - we've a list of local removal people we can suggest if you're not packing it yourself.
A badly packed unit does the opposite of being useful. You don't want boxes collapsing under their own weight, furniture getting scratched and the very item you need being at the back of your unit.
The good news is that packing a container correctly is not difficult in the slightest. It only takes a little planning, suitable materials together with a sensible loading order i.e. a bit of common sense. This handy guide walks through the whole process from choosing the right size of storage container to closing the units doors. So whether you are storing a full house contents, storing business stock or simply a few bits and pieces of furniture between moves, read on...
Loading day - a van full of contents about to go into your storage container.
Plan Before You Lift A Single Item Into Your Unit
The most common packing mistakes happens before anything is actually loaded into a unit. For example, turning up last minute without a plan. A few minutes with pen and paper to enable some organisation will save you hours of time later on.
Let start with the size of your unit. As a guide, a 10ft or half size shipping container unit provides around circa 80 square feet of floor space and is ideal for storing the contents of a one-bedroom flat, a garage or small business's stock even. It will hold around a Luton van of contents.
A 20ft or full size container offers double the space at around 160 square feet of floor space and comfortably hold the contents of a two or three bedroom house of contents which is ideal for a house move. Both units are about 2.4 metres high inside and that height is storage space too remember - the higher the height, the more usable space. We often hear people telling us they are not bothered about the height of a unit, but this simply is not correct. The more height the better - and we do have some units which have the same floor area, but increased height to enable even a greater amount of contents to be stored efficiently.
Now carefully work through the following list:
- List everything that your going to be placing inside your storage unit. Ideally room by room - if you don't have time, use our AI room estimator on the home page. It lists items which it automatically detects in the photos for you.
- Mark any items you will need to physically reach during their time in storage - this makes it easy to retrieve them when they're inside the unit - perhaps seasonal items such as clothes, important documents, daily work tools etc.
- Note the big, heavy and bulky items because they will dictate loading order because they need to be eventually positioned at the rear of your storage unit.
- Measure anything that is very large and/or bulky. A standard shipping container's door opening is approximately 2.3 metres wide and just a little under 2.3 metres high. That's generally far bigger than the average front door of a house.
If you are torn between two sizes and can't make your mind up, it makes sense to choose the larger unit. There is not a massive difference in price between a full size and half size container unit each month. A shipping container crammed with contents up to the roof with no room to move is much harder to use and we don't want to be forcing things in otherwise damage could occur.
Gathering The Right Packing Materials
Good materials cost way less than having to replace damaged belongings. Why not have these ready before loading day to make life easier:
- Strong double walled boxes in two or three different sizes. They can be obtained on line these days for far less than you think. Matching boxes can stack securely; a jumble of different sized boxes may not and could result in wasteful gaps within your unit.
- A supply of smaller boxes for heavy items, e.g books and documents but larger sized boxes for lighter items such as bedding.
- Use packing or parcel tape to tape boxes shut and write or stick a label on the exterior of the box to identify its contents when you come back to it.
- Use crumpled up newspaper or similar and bubble wrap to protect your fragile items from damage. Great for wine glasses, bone china etc.
- Removal blankets and dust sheets to wrap and cover your furniture - this can help prevent scratches.
- Breathable mattress and sofa covers - not essential, but a belt and braces approach.
- Ratchet straps or rope to secure the load while you transport your contents in a vehicle - we don't want accidents if your moving contents yourself.
- Moisture absorbers, which we cover in more detail below.
Avoid placing contents in bin bags as they tear very easily and can't be stacked. They can also trap moisture against whatever is inside.
Plenty of room to pack methodically and still leave access if you need it.
Prepare Your Belongings Before They Go In
Everything that goes into storage should be clean and dry. Dirt, food residue and damp are the main causes of smells and all three are easy to prevent.
- Appliances. Fully defrost fridges and freezers at least 24 hours ahead of storage and wipe them dry leaving the doors slightly open. Drain the hoses on washing machines and dishwashers so there's no water that will evaporate inside the storage unit.
- Furniture. Dismantle beds, tables and wardrobes if you can. It saves a lot of space within a storage unit as well as removing strain off joints. Tape the screws and fittings to the item in a labelled bag - you don't want to lose these.
- Soft furnishings. Wash and thoroughly dry clothing and fabrics, bedding and curtains etc. Vacuum clean sofas and mattresses.
- Wood, leather and metal. Give wood a coat of polish and leather a conditioner. Wipe your tools, bikes and bare metal items with a little oil to keep rust away. WD40 is superb for this.
- Garden equipment. Clean off soil and grass and remember to drain the fuel from petrol mowers and strimmers as you don't want your unit smelling.
- Boxes. Pack every box (cardboard or plastic ones) to the top of your storage unit without blocking air vents, but always place the heaviest ones at the bottom of the pile making sure ones on top won't crush ones underneath. Keep each box light enough so you can lift it comfortably and make sure they are taped in order that the base of it doesn't collapse.
Keep Moisture And Condensation Out
A steel container is wind and watertight but can sometimes reacts to temperature - so don't keep opening the container door if you don't need to if its minus five degrees in winter - we don't want to let cold air in. When warm, moist air such as your breath inside meets cold metal, condensation can form on the roof and walls. Our units are made for storing furniture but given the British climate, it is still worth guarding against, especially during winter time.
- Don't block the trickle air vents on the container - these are usually at the very top of the unit and there are several of them usually.
- Load only dry items. If you have to load in the rain, towel things off before they go in.
- Keep a very small gap around fabrics so that air can circulate - some people pack clothes into commonly available suction bags which seal them. Not essential but it creates more space.
- Leave a gap of a just a few centimetres between your goods and the steel walls.
- Cover furniture with breathable cotton sheets or blankets as wrapping them tightly in plastic can seal moisture in should they contain moisture prior to them being packed.
- The rule is - don't pack a unit with damp or wet items.
Boxes and furniture packed together - heaviest items at the bottom, spread evenly.
This isn't the best way to pack - see how items are randomly on top of each other instead of being balanced.
Load In The Right Order
The general rule to remember is quite simple: pack heavy items at the bottom of your unit and at the back of it, with lighter items on top. Pack anything you will possibly need to retrieve at the front. Loading contents in that order helps keeps to keep items stable and your boxes uncrushed.
- Plan ahead and don't rush or leave things to the last minute.
- Always load the largest, heaviest items into your storage unit first. Heavy appliances, large bulky items such as wardrobes, chests of drawers and sideboards should be stacked against the back wall of the storage unit (leaving a couple of cm gap), spread evenly across the width.
- Build in tiers. Work from the back of the unit to the front completing each tier from floor to top of ceiling before starting the next.
- Stack heavy boxes low down and lighter boxes higher up. Never put weighty boxes or items on top of fragile items.
- Balance the weight from side to side within a box - or if its going in loose. Do not stack all the heavy objects along one wall.
- Try to fill gaps. Take advantage of soft items. E.g. Cushions, fabrics, duvets and soft furnishings can be wedged into gaps and smaller spaces within the storage unit to stop the load from shifting.
- Load what you need last. Items you expect to collect unexpectedly while they are in storage need to be positioned near to the front doors of your unit. Don't be caught out with this one.
- Where boxes are the same size, a good trick is to overlap them like brickwork. A stack tied together like this is far steadier and stronger than separate unstable tall columns.
- Container Storage In Carlisle don't recommend mixing gardening and garage contents with your general house furniture contents in the same unit. It's much better to have two separate units in this instance.
Make Loading Day Easier
A little organisation on the day itself makes the job quicker and safer.
- Bring help if you can. Two people can load a container quicker than one person and heavy furniture should never be lifted alone in any case.
- Use a trolley for moving appliances and stacks of boxes. It saves your back, saves time as well as protecting items.
- Load the van in reverse. Whatever goes into the container first should come off the van first, so pack the van with the heaviest items near the van doors as these items are going into the back of the storage container first.
- Lift properly. Act safely. Bend your knees keeping the load close to your body and never twist while carrying.
- Wear gloves and only wear flat shoes while on site remembering to keep the area around the container doors clear of trip hazards.
- Allow enough time and take the odd break. Rushing the last hour is when boxes get thrown in and the careful stacking falls apart.
A 20 foot Hi-Cube container - extra headroom to make the most of every inch.
Use The Height And Leave Yourself A Way In
Most people run out of floor long before they run out of space. With around 2.4 metres of useable headroom in the container, the upper part of it is usually an area that gets neglected. Ensure you stack as high to the units ceiling.
- Stack contents to the roof where it is safe to do so, using a sturdy step if needs be.
- Stand sofas on end if the frame is strong enough, and store table tops and bed frames on their edges.
- Use the space inside cupboards and draws. Fill wardrobes, drawers with lighter items - bits and bobs, clothing etc or even linen and cushions.
- Bring freestanding shelving if you are storing business stock - many people rack out their self storage units with shelving.
If you plan to make ongoing visits to your unit, a good idea is to leave a narrow walkway down the centre or along one side of your unit. Yes, it costs space, but it means items can be reached without fully unloading the container. An isle down the centre of the container is recommended.
If you don't anticipate needing to revisit site until you decide to empty your unit, skip the walkway and pack your contents tightly instead. A snug load has less room to shift also.
Picture above: Furniture packed neatly inside one of our containers - look at the use of space within the unit. This is the correct way to pack making maximum use of space.
Protect Furniture, Appliances And Fragile Items
Different items of furniture need different types of handling. Below are items that could come out of storage damaged if not put in carefully. Lets see how to avoid it.
- Sofas and armchairs. Cover them with breathable dust sheets and keep heavy boxes off the cushions, which could compress onto the fabric, potentially damaging it.
- Mattresses. Use a breathable cover. Sprung mattresses can stand upright on their long edge and take up surprisingly little space inside the storage unit. Memory foam is better laid flat on top of the load with nothing heavy on it.
- Wooden furniture. Wrap it in blankets protecting its corners and if possible, remove table legs from tables where possible.
- Fridges, freezers and washing machines. These need kept upright with the doors wedged slightly open so that air can circulate. When switching back on after being in storage, ensure they are sited and left for a few hours before switch on to allow gasses to settle within the applicance.
- Televisions and electronics. Use the original boxes if you still have them. Store screens upright, never flat. You could cushion them between soft items for added protection. Take the batteries out of remote controls, because they can possibly leak over time.
- Mirrors, pictures and glass. Be careful with these and wrap separately. Remember to stand them on their edge. These take up hardly any space within the unit so a good spot is between a mattress and the container wall.
- Crockery and glassware. Try to wrap every piece in packing paper or bubble wrap for increased protection before putting them in a box. Stand plates on their edges and try to fill any empty space left in the box. Writing Fragile on the box will also remind you to be extra careful with these.
- Books and paperwork. Pack books flat in small boxes to protect the spines if they are hard backs. Keep important documents in archive boxes, but either way, keep them off floor of the container.
- Clothes. Wardrobe boxes keep hanging clothes in shape. Everything else can go into sealed boxes once they are clean and dry. But ensure they are dry. There are also plastic vacuum bags on the market which operate by sucking the air out with a hoover. This takes up a lot less space and keeps them airtight.
Label Everything And Keep An Inventory
A box you cannot identify is a box you will have to open. Labelling takes seconds per box and saves a great deal of searching later.
- Label every box on at least two sides, not on the top. The top disappears as soon as another box sits on it.
- Write the room and a short list of contents, and give each box a number.
- Keep a matching list on your phone, with a note of roughly where each box sits in the container.
- Take a photograph of each tier as you finish it. Together they make a map of the whole load.
Keep the inventory somewhere other than the container itself. It is also useful evidence if you ever need to make an insurance claim.
Clearly labelled boxes, filled right to the edges so nothing can shift in storage.
What Not To Store
Some things should never go into one of our storage containers, simply for safety, legal or practical reasons. Lets take a look.
- Flammable or hazardous goods, including fuel, gas bottles, paint, solvents, fireworks and chemicals are a big NO NO.
- Perishable food, or anything else likely to rot or attract pests and creates smells. It's a big NO NO.
- Living things, meaning plants and animals - that's pretty much common sense.
- Cash, jewellery and irreplaceable valuables - the onus is on you, but these really belong in a bank or a safe.
- Illegal goods of any kind - that's a massive NO. Also, Quad bikes, trial bikes and motorcars - these need to be in a lock up garage instead of a shipping container.
Please check with Container Storage In Carlisle before you load up and take a look at our question and answers FAQ page. It is also the moment to make sure your contents are insured for their full value while they are in storage - we can provide you with insurance for your contents.
Final Checks Before You Close The Doors
Last but not least...
- Make sure nothing is leaning against the inside of the shipping container doors or likely to fall out of the container when you next open them.
- Make sure not to block the air vents within the container - we've mentioned this previously, but they're designed with air vents for a reason.
- Make sure moisture absorbers are in place if you're worried about the cold, though we find this is not an issue within our units given the fact they are suitable for furniture storage all year round.
- You take an inventory of what is stored - not essential, but its good practise.
- Both doors are fully closed and every locking bar is engaged.
- A good-quality padlock or container lock is fitted and you have the keys with you - we supply these - just ask us.
If you are intending storing with Container Storage In Carlisle for more than a few months, call in and open your unit from time to time - there's no harm doing this. Check that nothing has shifted for example after its been packed.
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Packing A Container - Common Questions
Will my belongings get damp inside a shipping container?
Not if it's packed correctly. Bear in mind our units have trickle vents and our storage units are actually brand new one trip shipping container units - so they are well suited to full house moves. These particular units have been designed to travel the high seas through the very worst of weather, but please avoid opening container doors in sub zero temperatures if possible as the rubber seals tend to be less flexible when you come to re-close the unit - leave alone until milder weather, if possible.
Can I get back into my container once it's packed?
Yes - our sites offer 24/7 gated access with your own Your Lock Your Key® padlock meaning you can come to site whenever you want. Our main branch is on the huge Rome Street Depot which is a huge storage hub these days. Container Storage In Carlisle never closes.
How do I know what size container I need?
Our Sizes & Help page runs through what fits in a 10 foot, 20 foot and 20 foot Hi-Cube container - but have you tried our free AI Unit Size Estimator because it not only works out the best size of unit from a few photos, but it actually lists each item. Its amazing.
Packed with a little thought and forward planning, a shipping container will keep your belongings safe for years if needs be. They are dry and easy to reach for as long as you need one for.
Plan first, prepare everything properly, load heavy to light items within your unit and from back to front and don't put wet items in ie. drain that washing machine or fridge. Do those little things and the moment you unload will be as straightforward as the day you packed your unit. Enjoy storing with Container Storage In Carlisle.
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