At Santa Fe Self Storage we want you to have the best experience possible. By following these best practices you can avoid some of the common headaches of self-storage. Please read through the following DOs and DON'Ts and consider them when you are arranging your storage space!

General/Boxes

• Have a stool or small ladder available to avoid injury when stacking items in high places
• When packing smaller objects, try to fill boxes completely and stuff open areas with plain newspaper to prevent collapsing when stacked
• Consider packing small objects inside of furniture drawers, as they will be better protected and use fewer boxes
• Use boxes of the same size for easy stacking
• Try to only use large boxes when storing lighter items such as clothes, linens and pillows, as large boxes tend to be heavy and awkward to move
• Use high quality boxes whenever possible, as they last longer, and tend to handle being stacked without collapsing. Santa Fe Self Storage sells packing materials on site, if you are in need of quality packing materials, ask the Facility Manager for details
• Store heavy and sturdy items on the floor and stack lighter and more delicate items and boxes on top to avoid damaging your items
• Store items that you may need towards the front of the unit so they are easier to access
• Use bubble wrap to protect valuable or fragile items
• When packing fragile items and breakables such as dishes, glasses, ornaments, etc., pack these items tightly into strong or reinforced boxes, filling any gaps with paper or filler. Mark “Fragile” on any boxes containing breakable items
• Label all boxes, so that they are easy to identify when you need to access them
• Use high quality locks on your unit. Santa Fe Self Storage sells locks on-site, just ask the Facility Manager for details

Furniture/Appliances

• When storing upholstered products such as mattresses and sofas, consider investing in covers, bags or sheeting for additional protection
• Disassemble furniture such as beds and tables before you store them so they take up less space. Put small loose parts and nuts, bolts and screws in a small plastic bag and tape it to the furniture it came from
• Store large pieces of furniture vertically to save space. Stand sofas on end when possible
• Some chairs can be stacked seat to seat. Try stacking them this way so that they take up less space
• Try storing small items like pots and pans inside of large appliances, such as stoves or refrigerators
• Defrost refrigerators and freezers and dry out washing machines thoroughly to avoid water damage and mildew growth over time
• Leave refrigerator, freezer, microwave, washer and dryer doors open slightly to keep them dry inside

Equipment/Tools

• When storing lawn or garden equipment, drain any fluids, including fuels, and make sure the equipment is dry prior to storage to avoid damage caused by corrosion
• Wipe down metal objects and tools with a little oil before storing them to keep them from rusting
• Shovels, hoes, rakes and hoses can be stored together in empty trash cans and will be fairly well protected
• Stack extra cans inside one another for extra space
• If you work in construction and need to store large equipment, check with the Facility Manager to make sure the equipment is ok to store

• Don't store too many items in plastic bags, instead consider using boxes as many moving companies require items be stored in boxes, and boxes are easier to stack inside of your unit and take up less space
• Don't store mirrors and framed artwork flat, and do not stack other items on top of them, as they are easy to damage
• Don't store combustible, flammable, hazardous or toxic materials
• Don't store perishable food products such as cereals, produce or meats as they will spoil and may attract pests, canned foods are the only exception, but keep in mind the expiration dates before storing them for long periods of time
• Don't store or leave animals or plants in a storage unit
• Don't stack boxes too high, as they can become a safety hazard
• Don't give your key or access code to ANYONE that you do not trust