Whether you’re simply storing some household goods or planning the move of a lifetime to a new city, country or continent, knowing how to pack a container effectively will save you a world of hassle. There’s no right or wrong way to load a storage container, but some methods are certainly more productive than others. You’ll want to load your container in a way that prevents the contents getting damaged and is easy to unload.nnHere at Unit Hire, we want the best for your storage container rental experience. Therefore, we’ve put together this useful article to give you some much needed tips when it comes to packing a container.n
Inspect your container
nFirst things first, you’ll need to inspect your container to ensure that it is fit for purpose. We’ve previously written an article on what you should be looking for when choosing a container, and would recommend referencing this before choosing one. The most important thing to check before packing a container is that the box is entirely waterproof. Any holes or major rust in the steel could weaken the container against the elements, causing unwanted damage to the contents stored within.nnIt’s also very important to ensure that your container is large enough for what you intend to store or move before packing. As we demonstrated in this article, a 20ft container should be able to hold the contents of a 2 bedroom home – perfect for that renovation or big move you’ve been planning. For more information on container sizing, a helpful infographic can be found here.n
Have your packing supplies ready
nOnce you’ve guaranteed that your container is the right size for the job, it’s time to start thinking about loading it up. Be sure to have all of the packing supplies you need on hand before anything else. You’ll need cloth covers for furniture, bubble wrap, boxes and plenty of packing tape as a bare minimum. Just be sure that you’re able to give any fragile goods the necessary protection they need.nnWhen packing fragile items wrap them in bubble wrap before placing them into a box, then fill the empty space around the item with polystyrene packing peanuts. The more secure you can make your items, the better – especially if you’re using your container for a major move. Use thick cloth covers to cover any sharp or protruding edges to prevent damage to other objects you’re putting into storage.n
Get packing
nIt’s time to start loading the container. To begin with, make sure you’re putting any heavy objects, such as appliances and large furniture, to the back of the container. Keep these items on the floor and never stack them as they could fall and cause serious damage during transit. Working from the back, pack upwards, putting lighter objects higher up, while keeping empty space to a minimum.nnIn regards to spacing, any open space will give the contents of the container room to move around, so you should do your best to tightly pack your boxes. If this isn’t possible, fill any gaps with soft items such as pillows, cushions, soft toys or even empty boxes.nnOnce everything has been stacked with as few gaps as possible, attach loading straps if you have some available. Straps will secure the items and prevent any movement that may occur. Be sure not to make them too tight, as this can damage your boxes if they bump into them while the container is being transported.n
Unloading
nIf you’ve followed our packing advice above, you should find it a breeze to unpack the container when it arrives at your destination. However, there are a couple of other tips that we have to make unpacking that much easier.nnBe sure to label any boxes appropriately during loading. Simply writing “TOYS” on the appropriate box can save you a lot of hassle, as you’ll know exactly where to take it once you arrive. Get more in-depth and mark boxes as ‘heavy’ or ‘fragile’ and you’ll be fully prepared for everything when you get to unpacking.nnFinally, consider packing any essentials right at the end so that they’re next to the door. Doing this can really help to streamline the unloading process. Fill those final boxes with a box cutter, some toys to keep the kids occupied and a kettle with some tea bags. Unloading the 33 cubic metres that make up the interior of a container is a lot easier with the right tools and a cuppa close to hand.nnKnowing how to pack a container – and, subsequently, how to unpack one – is a handy skill that’ll make your first container rental or purchase experience far easier than it would be otherwise.nn nnFor more information on choosing and loading a container, whether for storage or a move, get in touch with the friendly Unit Hire team today.