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Moving Timeline & Checklist

Moving


Standard self-storage unit with concrete floors and roll-up door.

Moving Timeline & Checklist Your step-by-step guide to a smooth, stress-free move Whether you’re moving across town or across the country, a clear plan can make the difference between a chaotic moving day and a calm, organized transition. This moving timeline and checklist will help you stay ahead of schedule, protect your belongings, and avoid last-minute surprises—especially when it comes to storage needs. 8 Weeks Before Moving Day: Start Planning ✔ Create a moving binder Store estimates, receipts, inventory lists, and important documents in one place. ✔ Research moving companies or storage options Compare quotes, check reviews, and reserve early—especially during peak seasons. ✔ Declutter your home Sort items into keep, donate, sell, and store. This reduces what you move and helps you see how much storage you might need. ✔ Create a moving budget Include movers, packing supplies, storage fees, cleaning, and any deposits. 6 Weeks Before: Prep & Organize ✔ Gather packing supplies Boxes, tape, labels, bubble wrap, furniture covers, and markers. ✔ Take measurements If you’re moving into a smaller space, determine what fits. This is the perfect time to plan which items will go into storage. ✔ Begin packing non-essentials Seasonal clothes, décor, books, and rarely used kitchen items. ✔ Notify important contacts Schools, medical offices, insurance companies, and employers about your move. 4 Weeks Before: Confirm & Pack ✔ Reserve your storage unit Choose a size based on the items you’re storing. Consider climate-controlled units for electronics, wood furniture, documents, and artwork. ✔ Start room-by-room packing Label boxes clearly with both room and contents. Color-coded labels work wonders. ✔ Plan moving day logistics Confirm dates with movers or helpers, arrange childcare or pet care, and plan where the moving truck can park. ✔ Update your address For mail forwarding, banks, subscriptions, and online accounts. 2 Weeks Before: Final Arrangements ✔ Pack valuables separately Jewelry, important documents, medications—keep these with you. ✔ Service your car (if relocating far) Check tires, fluids, and emergency supplies. ✔ Clean and repair If required, prepare your home for checkout or resale. ✔ Confirm storage unit access details Know gate codes, office hours, and how to ...


Access Storage
December 9th, 2025

The Benefits of Using Self-Storage When Downsizing

Moving


Discover how self-storage makes downsizing easier, more organized, and less stressful. Learn practical tips, benefits, and storage solutions for moving into a smaller home. Access Storage is here for all your storage needs.

Downsizing is a major life transition. Whether you’re moving into a smaller home, simplifying your lifestyle, or helping a loved one relocate, the process can feel overwhelming—especially when it comes to deciding what to keep, donate, or let go of. That’s where self-storage comes in. It gives you the time, space, and flexibility to make thoughtful choices without the pressure. Here’s how self-storage can make your downsizing journey smoother and more organized. 1. Sort at Your Own Pace—Without the Clutter When you're reducing the number of belongings you can fit in a new home, decisions can feel rushed or emotional. With a storage unit, you don’t have to make every choice immediately. Self-storage gives you breathing room. You can store items temporarily while you go through each room carefully and decide what truly matters. No clutter piling up. No stress of sorting everything in one weekend. Just space to think. 2. Protect Sentimental and Valuable Items Some belongings mean too much to give away on the spot—family photos, heirlooms, childhood items, antiques, and collections. A secure, climate-controlled storage unit keeps these items safe until you decide their long-term home. Instead of forcing quick decisions, you can revisit these items when you're ready. 3. Stage Your Current Home for a Faster Sale If you’re selling a house while downsizing, decluttering is essential. A clean, spacious home shows better to buyers and often sells quicker. Storage allows you to: Remove bulky furniture Clear out seasonal items Store excessive décor Create open, market-ready spaces A storage unit can even increase your home’s value by helping buyers see its full potential. 4. Make Your Smaller Space More Comfortable Moving into a smaller home doesn’t have to mean feeling cramped. Self-storage makes it easier to adapt and create a functional layout. You can store: Seasonal items Outdoor gear Holiday decorations Kids’ keepsakes Furniture you may want later Your new home stays clean, organized, and clutter-free. 5. Save Money by “Right-Sizing” Instead of Upsizing Some people feel they need a bigger home just to keep all their stuff—but that leads to higher rent or mortgage payments. A small ...


Access Storage
November 18th, 2025

How To Choose The Right Size Storage Unit

Moving


Choosing the right size storage unit at Access Storage can help you utilize your space more efficiently. Our website has helpful tools to make the right choice.

How to choose the right size storage unit Trying to figure out what size unit you are needing can be a struggle. We suggest using this guide to estimate how large of a unit you will need. We also do offer you to gain temporary access with a facility manager to view a unit in person if you think seeing the size in person would help you. 25-99 sq ft - Large Closet 1 small room of furniture and/or items such as boxes, desks, chairs, bookcases, beds, mattresses, dressers. Choose our 5x5, 5x10, 15x5 or 7x12 storage unit. 100-199 sq ft - Small Bedroom 2-4 rooms of furniture and/or items such as sofas, TVs, dining sets, tables, pianos. Choose our 10x10, 12x10, or 10x15 storage unit. 200-299 sq ft - Single Car Garage 5-7 rooms of furniture and/or items such as appliances and outdoor furniture. Choose our 10x20 or 10x25 storage unit. 300+ sq ft - 2 Car Garage Multiple rooms of furniture and/or contents of an average to large-sized home and/or garage items. Boat and RV storage. Choose our 12×25 or 10×30 sized storage unit. Did you buy a new bike or motorcycle that just does not fit right in the corner of your garage? A 5x10 unit is the perfect size to store those new toys. The best reasons to use a 5x10 storage unit include: Temporarily remodeling a room in your home Making room for a nursery or new baby Eliminating the extra cost of having a garage for storage A child leaving or returning home from college Repurposing a room once your child has moved out Lawn Care tools & equipment to free up space in your garage Bikes & seasonal toys Motorcycles Luggage & Seasonal decor ...


Access Storage
February 6th, 2025

How to safely store mattress & furniture in Storage

Moving


Access Storage explains how to properly store a mattress in a storage unit for short or long term storage

Whether storing a tradition spring mattress or memory foam, follow these tips. 1. Remove all bedding from mattress – do not store with sheets & mattress covers still on. 2. Clean the mattress with upholstery cleaner, let it dry & vacuum both sides. 3. Wrap the mattress in a secure & breathable plastic cover. Secure with tape/rope – you can also purchase a mattress cover based on the size of mattress you are storing 4. We suggest using a temperature-controlled unit to store upholstered/fabric items. 5. Make sure to store the mattress flat – storing on its side can deform & make it fall out of its shape. 6. DO NOT lay mattress directly on floor – use boxes inside unit or even the bed frame itself to set the mattress on if possible. 7. Don’t place heavy items on top of the mattress as that could cause it to deform. ...


Access Storage
January 9th, 2025

Packing Fragile Items

Moving


Access Storage makes moving easy with online renting of standard and temperature controlled units

The Best Way to Pack Fragile Items When moving or renovating, packing up fragile items can always be tricky. To avoid your items from breaking, be sure to have these materials handy to assist with your packing. Small boxes Bubble wrap Dish/glass packers (optional) Markers Newspaper or packing paper Packing peanuts Plastic furniture covers Tape Towels/rags Once you have these materials collected, follow these steps and tricks to pack away those fragile items for transportation. Secure the bottom of each box by taping seams very well. Build a cushion base & sometimes even walls with bubble wrap Individually wrap each item with bubble wrap/fill with a towel & place item in cushioned box When placing items in the box, be sure to place heaviest items on the bottom and lightest on the top If boxes have pre-dividers, insert items in appropriate compartment. If there is empty space in the box be sure to place packing peanuts, towels, or paper to prevent movement within the box. ...


Access Storage
July 9th, 2024

Tips for Staging a Home for a Showing

Moving


Access Storage makes moving easy with online renting of standard and temperature controlled units

Tips for Staging a Home for a Showing 1. Make a plan for Showing. More often than you would like, you will receive a last minute notice that someone is interested in looking at your home. Be sure to have a plan in place to help you quickly get your house in order for any unplanned showing. 2. Designate a Place for dirty clothes/towels & other items. Have an empty tote ready to throw all dirty towels & clothes in along with small appliances that fill counter space. Have a new specific set of towels and even maybe bedspreads available to present fresh clean rooms throughout the home. 3. Let the sunshine In. Buyers don’t like dark spaces. Be sure to open all window blinds & curtains, open all doors & turn on all lights throughout the home to brighten the home. 4. Décor. To replace your personal items for showings, have a few pieces ready to place throughout the home for a showing to add some personality to the home. A centerpiece for the dining room table and counter (if there is space) can make a home more appealing. 5. Remove Pets. Any trace of an animal in the house or the smell of an animal can deter any potential home buyer. Be sure there is no trace of their smell and remove litter boxes. Clean and ...


Access Storage
June 20th, 2024

Why Temperature Control

Moving


Access Storage makes moving easy with online renting of standard and temperature controlled units

Why Choose Temperature-Controlled Units? When deciding between standard and temperature-controlled units when researching your storage solution, you might question what items should be stored in a controlled temperature environment. While some items don’t need the attention, other items such as furniture, electronics, photographs, appliances are recommended to be stored in a temperature-controlled unit. What is the difference between standard and temperature-controlled units? A temperature-controlled unit uses HVAC systems to control the temperature in the building while standard units do not. Throughout the year, the temperature-controlled units keep a controlled temp between 50 degrees in the winter & 80 degrees in the summer. The temperature controlled unit helps prevent your items from being damaged by extreme temperatures. When storing in a standard unit, the temperature can fluctuate and cause harm to some household items that you might be storing. A few examples of items that might be affected are electronics, vinyl records, wine, fine art & musical instruments & metal items. Choosing temperature-controlled storage gives you peace of mind that your items are in a controlled temperature environment and have less likelihood of being damaged. ...


Access Storage
April 10th, 2024

Tips To Plan & Prep a Home to Sell

Moving


Access Storage makes moving easy with online renting of standard and temperature controlled units

Are you considering selling your house? If the answer yes, make sure you plan and prepare to reduce the amount of stress moving can cause. Reaching out to a local realtor to discuss the best plan is a great start. See below some tips to prep your home to sell and also pointers to help you create a plan to get your home ready to sell. 1. Declutter. The first step in your plan should be to reduce & get rid of unneeded items that make rooms appear to be smaller than they are. Messy, cluttered rooms do not allow the interested buyer to see the full potential of a clean & well-organized home. Remove items off kitchen counters & refrigerators. 2. Remove some of your furniture. Understandably, most people live in their home while attempting to sell, so keeping essential items like your beds, couches, tables is needed and helps envision what the home could look like. However, oversized furniture, unneeded bookshelves, end tables, shelving, extra chairs, can make a home look overcrowded. In this case, renting a storage unit can be a temporary solution while staging your home to sell. 3. Get rid of personal décor. Go through your home and remove all personal items. Photos of family, religious symbols, collections, and other family heirlooms and knick-knacks. These items can also be stored in the storage unit with your furniture. 4. Deep clean. If you have the time and desire, you can deep clean your home however, hiring a professional cleaning service to come in and provide a deep clean is also a great solution. This cleaning includes, going through entire house and removing cobwebs in the ceilings, corners and baseboards, moving furniture and cleaning underneath beds, dressers, couches, wash all windows and windowsills, wipe down cabinetry. Be sure to dust, vacuum, and put everything away before each showing. 5. Improve curb appeal. Planting colorful flowers and plants and keeping flowerbeds weed free is ...


Access Storage
March 7th, 2024