Realtors and real estate agents take on many roles during the process of helping their clients find the perfect home, and there’s no question that there are a number of challenges to tackle along the way! One of the top concerns of many families that are planning a relocation is what to do with all of their “stuff” during the process, and having some tips and tricks up your sleeve can help smooth out the bumps in the road and build lasting relationships for your career.

When it comes to dealing with household items during relocation, long-term storage is one of the best options for many people—particularly those who are downsizing, have closing dates that don’t quite match up, or families planning a long-distance move. However, finding a secure storage facility is only one part of the process! The items being stored also need to be carefully packed, sorted, and inventoried to ensure smooth sailing down the road.

At Booth Movers, we have years of experience in efficient, secured, long-term storage services, and we’ve put together the following tips that you can pass on to your clients that are considering keeping their items in a storage facility for the long haul: 

  • Out with the Old: Everyone accumulates a massive amount of items when living in a home for a long period of time, which can lead to a challenging scenario when it’s time to pack up and relocate. The first step in preparing for long-term storage is to get rid of everything that is no longer needed. Generally, if it has been sitting around for a year or more, it’s better to toss it, donate it, or sell it so that it’s not just taking up space in your storage unit. 

  • Quality is Key with Packing Materials: It can be tempting to just start throwing items in any box that is laying around when scrambling to pack for a move, but that is rarely a good idea! You want your items to remain dry, secure, and free from pests during storage, so it is wise to invest in high-quality materials. Avoid plastic materials that can trap moisture, and carefully wrap all fragile items to prevent breakage.

  • Label and Sort Everything: The last thing you want is to discover you need something out of your storage unit and find yourself staring at a solid wall of unlabeled boxes. Avoid the hassle by taking a bit of extra time to label every box with its contents, and strategically pack your unit so that the items that may be needed sooner are at the front for easy access.

  • Keep Your Boxes Off the Ground: Even the most modern storage units have a risk of humidity, moisture, or pests making their way inside—so don’t take any chances! Cover the floor of the unit with a tarp or sheet, and use shelving or pallets to stack boxes. This encourages airflow and protects valuable items from sitting on a damp floor.

Long-term storage is a cost-effective, stress-free way to keep household items safe and secure during relocation, and you can always count on the pros at Booth Movers to make the process as simple as possible! With the Booth Movers Premier Partners Program, we offer a personalized way to bring you all of the tools you need to provide expert solutions for your valued clients, and we’d love to tell you more about the services we offer. Just give us a call today, and one of our friendly representatives will fill you in on all the details.