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Cleaning Out Your Storage Unit: Tips and Suggestions

Author: 
Ray Victor
Last Updated:
November 4, 2025

We know how stressful it is to clean out your storage unit. Sorting through the clutter can be a genuine headache, whether it's the items you have gathered over the years or the many gifts and tokens you may have received from someone else. To help you get rid of and sort through the clutter to ensure that you use the storage unit to its full advantage, we have put together this list of advice and recommendations to make your life much more straightforward. 

Here is what you should know about cleaning out storage without further ado. 

Taking inventory 

Whether you inherited a bunch of stuff from your family or if you are a collector and like to have many pieces of furniture, art, and other household items, remember to take inventory. Taking inventory is beneficial for two reasons: 

  1. It helps you keep track of all the things you have in your inventory 
  2. It lets you know if anyone goes missing 

Plus, an inventory gives you an overview of all your items. So when you're making piles of what to donate, what to throw away, and what to keep, you know exactly which item is in each list. This can be very useful and save you so much time! 

Make a designated space for sorting. 

You'll want to clear up some space inside your house or outside for sorting out your items. This space will be the designated sorting space; you can put all the things you want to go through here. By doing this, the rest of your home will be cluttered-free, and you'll know exactly where the storage unit items are. Ask a buddy to assist you if you have some heavier goods or are having trouble lifting and moving heavy objects, or consider getting a man with a van service or a removal one for more efficiency.

Dispose of, donate or recycle

You can give usable items to local charities or thrift shops; look for groups in your area that could accept contributions. Make sure to separate any trash into what can be recycled; it's a good idea to find out which products should be reclaimed from the local authorities in your unit. You can consider hiring a waste bin for the collection and disposal of trash if you have a lot to deal with. The items you need to store or sell will remain once the unwanted ones have been eliminated.

Choose from a range of affordable Chelsea self storage units to suit your specific requirements.

Deep clean 

Cleaning your storage area thoroughly can make it a more pleasant and secure location to store your stuff and help keep pests like rats and cockroaches away, which can harm your stored goods. Deep cleaning your storage space means ensuring that your property stays looking fresh and clean for longer. Remember, a dirty storage space has more chance of ruining the items stored in it than a clean one. Deep cleaning is the way to ensure your items stay out of harm's way. 

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