Sometimes, a storage unit is just the thing you need for extra stuff. As much as we like to talk about decluttering, some things you just can’t get rid of for whatever reason, and if you don’t have space for these overflow items, storage units can be the solution. Of course, this creates a whole new set of problems: what if your storage unit gets too cluttered with stuff you can’t get rid of yet? There’s ways to organize your storage unit, just like there’s ways to organize any room in your house, it just takes a little patience and the right supplies. Here’s a few tips we’ve found to help get even the messiest storage units under control: Divide and conquer. This might be a tall order if you’ve already moved into your storage unit, but separating everything and taking inventory is a great place to start. Make a detailed inventory of everything in your storage unit to help understand what you need to organize (and what you have in there, in the event of an insurance claim). From there, try to rebox everything with like items—bedroom supplies in one box, kids’ clothes in another, etc. Label absolutely everything. It might sound obvious, but you’d be surprised how many storage unit tenants skip this step—and just how much of a headache it causes later. After everything is separated and reboxed, make sure to legibly label everything (be it with a label maker or simply a Sharpie) on a side where you can see the label when it’s all stacked back up. It’ll save you a lot of time in the long-run. Make it feel more at home. A lot of people consider their storage unit separate from their house, and while that may be true in a physical sense it’s still another place where you need to organize your belongings, and a good rule of thumb is to consider it another extension of your basement or garage. In most cases this means you need to set up some extra storage like wire shelving or garage shelving to hold the load and keep everything organized, but it will make everything much easier in the long run. Another good touch is to keep air fresheners and moisture absorbers around, particularly in units that aren’t climate-controlled. Be careful when stacking. Cardboard boxes are a fine solution for storing things in storage units for any amount of time, but you need to pay special attention to how and where they’re placed. Fill cartons tightly to prevent half-filled boxes from collapsing, seal them as tight as possible to prevent dirt and pests as well as provide stronger balancing, keep heavy items in smaller boxes to distribute the weight better, and provide padding like bubble wrap, packing peanuts, or even towels and rags. Remember the smaller things. A lot of items that get packed will have smaller parts or accessories, and in many cases these can go into other boxes. Separate small parts like feet or or arms from all stored furniture, take chargers from electronics (and label them, of course), and keep all glass objects like drinking cups and mirrors safely wrapped and stored in their own box away from the less-delicate objects. Organize by need. Whether you’re in there once a year or you make constant visits to take stuff back out, it’s a good idea to stack everything by how often you need it. Put bigger, more awkward, or less-needed stuff near the back and keep the front free for smaller items that you’ll need to access more frequently. It’ll save you more headaches than you expect.