Storage Tips

The process of moving as we all know is often time-consuming, tiring, and even a pain in the neck. Even for the most seasoned individual who is used to moving, it’s always important to plan the moving and packing system before the actual moving day. This is to ensure that you have packed everything properly so that the move to your new home or to the self-storage space will be smooth with all items intact and in good condition. If you’re in need of packing items, we have put together the 5 essential packing items and merchandise from Extra Space Asia’s Box Shop that everyone would need when moving.

1. Boxes in different sizes

Too many items to pack? One way to pack is to base on either the room type or by category. This system would allow the unpacking and finding process to be simpler too. At Extra Space Asia, we offer three different types of carton boxes to cater to your needs. We have the document box (42cm x 34 cm x 26cm) at $17 each, Large box (55cm x 55cm x 55cm) at $28 each and Small box (45cm x 45cm x 45cm) at $20 each.。

Here are some packing tips to take note:

• Try to pack the smaller items in a smaller box so that there is less empty space within the box. You can also add in some packing paper to minimise the empty space. This is to prevent the items from moving around the box too.
• After packing, please remember to stack the boxes with the heavier big box at the bottom followed by lighter items and smaller boxes. This ensures that the boxes would not topple due to the heavy weight.

2. Permanent Marker

After packing your items in the different boxes, it would be good to label them accordingly. We can label the boxes based on the room types or list down the items which are in the boxes. Labelling the boxes speeds up the unpacking process as you would know what items are in each box at a glance.

When it comes to labelling, you should try to label all sides of your boxes. That’s because during the moving process, the boxes could move to face another direction. If you’ve fragile items, you should do an additional marking or use another coloured marker to label these boxes, so that your movers can take note of these boxes. To be really organised, you can also create a numbering system. This is one way to know how many boxes should be moved. If you need some blue or black permanent markers, you can purchase them at Extra Space Asia merchandise shop for $4.80 each.

3. OPP Sticky Tapes

When packing heavy-duty items like kitchen appliances or fragile items and glassware, it’s important to prepare your boxes by using strong hold tapes at the bottom of the boxes as well as the sides of the box. You can tape your boxes more than once to ensure that your box is more secure when handling heavy items and does not give way during the transportation process.

In terms of sealing boxes, it’s always better to choose sticky clear adhesive tape as compared to masking tape which has the feel of paper. That’s because the sticky clear tapes are more water-resistant, sturdier and stickier to seal boxes. Pick up some OPP clear tapes at Extra Space Asia Box Shop for $8 each.

4. Bubble wrap

Packing fragile items like your glassware and personal collectables? Even if you were to pack these fragile items in the boxes, it’s always good to layer them with some bubble wrap to offer another layer of protection.

Bubble wrap is an excellent insulator against impact, especially when you accidentally drop the boxes during moving. Purchase these pliable and transparent bubble wraps from our Extra Space Asia Box Shop today at just $4 per 150cm (L) or $120 per roll which is 915cm long and 45cm(W).

5. Pen Knife

A retractable pen knife, sometimes also known as a box cutter, is a good tool for cutting through tough materials such as cardboard and packing tapes. As compared to our usual home scissors, a pen knife will be more swift and efficient in terms of cutting through thick materials.

These pen knives are usually durable and last for years. If you are planning to buy some packing materials and boxes from our Merchandise Shop, you can also pick up our industrial grade blades for just $4.50 each.

You can purchase all these 5 must-have packing items and merchandises from our Extra Space Asia Box Shop located across all of our storage facilities. Feel free to visit our storage facilities during our operation hours from 10am to 7pm, Monday to Saturday to purchase them.

Love buying new items as an add-on to your personal collection of toys, sneakers or bags? We understand the joy and excitement of scoring that new limited edition collectible. But what about the lack of space? Good news, you don’t have to let the issue of storage hinder your growing collection.

1. Make use of your wall space
   

   Credit: Minifiguresdisplay

Used up most of the space on the floor? Don’t worry, you can always build and install some shelves on the walls at home. With shelves, you’ll not only enjoy extra space to showcase your personal collection, but they also serve as a great centerpiece at home.

Opt for small placeholders/platform for your small toy figurines to stand on or a long shelve across your wall to hold bigger collectibles. You can also explore installing shelves along the perimeter of your home wall. Use reference sites like Pinterest or Instagram to explore more ideas.

It is important to take note of the weight and height of your toy figurines and personal collection too so that you can build a sturdy display. If you are planning to place your toys and sneakers collection on shelves, make sure that your shelves are installed in an area with no direct sunlight as it might affect the colours on the sneakers or toys in the long run.

2. Use racks

The great thing about racks is the flexibility of choosing the number of layers you want. In cases where your personal collection includes loads of sneakers, toys or bags, this is a good option as you will be able to see all of your personal collection at one glance. This might not be the prettiest storage option, but it allows collectors to have more space when their prized collectibles are stacked nicely on the racks. With racks, you will also enjoy a more organised living space without the clutter. They are easy to build, affordable, super lightweight and durable. You will also be in control of how many sneakers or bags go on each shelve on the rack. 

3. Rent a self-storage unit

Looking for a reliable and secure space to store all of your personal collection? Start storing in a self-storage facility like Extra Space Asia, where you will enjoy 24/7 access to your storage unit. With an Extra Space storage unit, it’s like an extension of your living space where you can enjoy the freedom of space to expand your personal collection. The perks of renting a self-storage at Extra Space Asia is the flexible storage terms allowing you to store from as short as 14 days to as long as you need. You can also enjoy the flexibility of up sizing your storage unit any time you need more space.

If you have questions on self-storage, contact us at 3974 6000, and we will find you the perfect storage unit to fit your personal collection. You can also visit our storage facilities located in Sai Wan and Hung Hom Monday to Saturday 10am to 7pm to get a personalised facility tour to understand more. No prior appointment is required.

As houses get smaller and more expensive, mini storage is gradually becoming a necessity. With a mini storage space, we have extra room for miscellaneous items such as seasonal clothing, and personal hobby-related items. Useful as it is, renting extra storage space can get pricey if you store without a proper plan.

Here’s how you maximise the benefits of your mini storage!

1. Pack before renting

Most people tend to get a quote based on roughly how many items they are going to store. Estimates are usually inaccurate. We recommend you declutter first – this means to pack, discard or donate all items – before you request for a quote. This way you’ll have a clearer idea on what you want to store and what to keep at home. This will also help you choose a storage size that best suits your current need.

This process may be tiring, but if you do it once, everything will become more organised! At Extra Space Asia, we always encourage our customers to only store in a storage unit that fits their current needs as we have flexible plans that allow upgrades or downgrades anytime.

2. Plan before storing

If you just store as you go, you might end up wasting space in your storage unit. Plan the packing layout first. Label all your boxes, so that when you move-in to your storage unit, you will know what is in each box and how heavy it will be. Then, stack them according to weight and frequency of use. If you need extra boxes, you can always purchase them at our Box Shop too!

To optimise space, be aware of the vertical and horizontal spaces in your unit. The goal is to make full use of the vertical space first before spreading horizontally across the floor area.

3. Make more room with shelves

Only have a few boxes, but most of them are heavy? For easy and direct access without unnecessary heavy lifting, consider using shelves instead of stacking them.

This method of arranging will be especially useful if you’re a business owner who frequents your storage unit 24/7. Now you can conveniently retrieve and store all your inventory with ease!

When it comes to finding suitable storage spaces and add-ons, you can always count on Extra Space Asia! Contact us today at 3974 6000 to arrange a personal tour and for more advice on what suits you best.

Ever wondered how you can maximise storage space in your storage unit? Good news: we have tips for you. With some strategic planning, you can now enjoy more savings by choosing the right storage size!

Let’s jump right in:

1. Storage Space Planning – Vertical vs Horizontal

If you fill up your storage unit without a plan, you’ll end up wasting valuable space. To stretch the usable space in your storage, remember to consider both horizontal and vertical aspects of the area.

Start by placing the heaviest items at the bottom of your unit. Like building a foundation, this will start you off with a solid base to work upwards with lighter and more fragile items.

2. Ensure Accessibility to Commonly Used Belongings

Are there any items that you need to access regularly? If yes, do please place them right in front of your storage unit. This tip will save you from the tiring hassle of moving items around in the unit, only to repack once you’re done. Imagine going through this routine every time you visit your storage unit. Oh, what a nightmare!

3. Create Walkway Your Storage

Maximising space usage also means thinking of ways to optimise movement and mobility within your storage unit. After all, being able to access your belongings is as important and storing them properly. So remember: During space planning, cater a little space for walkways. This will make accessing your items that much more convenient!

4. Fill Up Gaps in Your Storage

Still need more space? Time to get creative. Analyse the overall area in your storage unit. Look high and low for gaps of unused space. Can any of your items fill that space? Good. Now, fill it up. Think like you would when you’re playing Tetris – it’s not about how much space you have, it’s how you use it!

Making that ‘big move’ to a smaller home? Well, downsizing doesn’t mean you have to downscale your life.

Here are 5 quick tips to optimise your shift to a cosy home!

1. Space planning

If you have a certain design concept or furniture in mind but you find yourself asking, “I don’t know if I have the space,” then you should try out a space planning exercise first before anything.

Through this exercise, you’ll be able to get a better idea of your home’s total available area and also plan for a more functional home that suits your needs.

To get started, try a free space planning software online such as Smartdraw or Floorplanner to get an initial assessment of how much available space you have. Then, engage a professional ID or renovator to get an expert opinion.

2. Get organised with a timeline and budget list

With so many things happening at once, it can be challenging to get a full grasp of what is going on and how much are your total expenses. You don’t need any special tools to keep track. With something as simple as an Excel sheet or a Google Document, you can note down your budget and project timelines for renovation, moving dates and packing timeframe. This list will definitely help you avoid any lapses in schedule or overspending for a particular furniture. #lifehack

Moving can be a thoroughly enjoyable process since it marks a start of a new journey. Plan well and smart, and you’ll never be overwhelmed!

3. Make a list of what you’re bringing over to your new home

As you’ll be moving to a smaller space, bringing over everything can be a real challenge. Fret not, and start with a packing list. Create categories such as “Needs”, “Wants”, “Throw/ Donate” and “Box Number”. This trick will help you organise your items and make it clearer to sort them out.

When in doubt, just ask yourself these questions:

• “Do I need this item for my daily use or will I use it only once in a blue moon?”

• “Do I have space in my new home for this item?”

• “Do I have something like this which I just packed?”

• “Did I use this item in the past 6 months?”

• “Is this product energy saving and still working well?”

You don’t have to discard all your unwanted items. They can always be donated to people who need them more than you do. Visit The Salvation Army, 2nd Chance Hong Kong to find out more.

4. Adding multi functional furniture in your new home

With the limited space available, consider furniture that comes with built-in storage or designed with multi-function features which not only fit your interior design theme but also your storage needs.

For a start, you can opt for bed frames with storage space. This allows you to have more space to store your bedsheets, books or even shoes. You can also purchase a mobile storage trolley that is convenient to push around anywhere in your house, such as the RÅSKOG trolley from IKEA. Its streamlined form is designed to fit between tight spaces – the perfect piece for all your knick-knacks and accessories.

5. Storing items in a reliable self-storage facility

Self-storage facilities can be the storage solution for small homes. It provides space for you to store things that you may not need on a daily basis. This will not only free up space at home, it can also safeguard your personal and family items in a secure location where you can access any time, any day.

Extra Space Asia Self-Storage offers a wide range of storage sizes which you can choose from, depending on your needs. You even have the flexibility of increasing or decreasing your storage size!

Many of us live in a home with really small bedrooms. But! There are also people who live in bigger houses who just want to downsize too. The choice of downsizing could also be due to other practical or personal reasons.

Regardless of why, once you start living in a smaller home, you’ll definitely have to do some space planning and compromises to your home décor to fit everything perfectly! There are, of course, some simple methods to make a small space look bigger! #lifehacks

Keep scrolling to find out 5 simple ways to make a small home look more spacious.

1: Leaving empty spaces around

The first hack is really considering a suitable placement of furniture or big home décor pieces in your new home. #Didyouknow that you don’t have to place all of your items near the wall or squeeze them near to one another even though the space is small? Try setting your furniture at an angle with some surrounding space. This can quickly help create an illusion that you have a spacious home – a definitely must-try home décor hack if you have a small living room area.

2: Mirror, mirror on the wall

Mirrors. They can definitely help make spaces look much bigger as they reflect the illusion of depth. They are also able to reflect both natural and artificial light to make your home look brighter day and night.

For homeowners, there are many ways you can explore putting up a mirror in your home.  You can opt for a few small mirrors grouped together or a statement mirror that can give you the ‘oomph’ to your home and double up as a beautiful art piece too.

3: Explore the option of building floor to ceiling shelves

Consider having your home contractor install a floor to ceiling shelving if you’re looking for ways to elevate your home. These shelving units will make the ceiling of your flat look taller. Also, these shelves are also a great storage option for knick-knacks as well as the avid reader. Keep in mind not to over pack your shelves to its maximum load as it would clutter up your home. Try to leave some empty spaces for a cleaner effect.

If you’re looking for ways to further organise your shelving, consider purchasing small storage boxes and baskets. They can serve as small home décor pieces while neatly storing your items.

4: Choose light and soft colours for your home

Dark tones can make your home look beautiful and cosy. But they tend to absorb the natural light and make a space look much smaller?

Use light and soft colours like white, and you’ll make your living space look much bigger and brighter. Light colours will reflect light and make your living space feel more open. Paint your walls in soft colours such as light grey or soft pink, or other bright colours that go well with your colour palette and furniture at home.

Painting your home is definitely one of the fastest and most price-friendly ways as compared to a complete home renovation makeover!

5: Never stop decluttering.

Let’s be frank, when we live in a smaller home, there’s definitely lesser available space after placing all our furniture and home décor pieces. It’s key that we declutter our home once at least every three months. Decluttering every day is a chore, and nobody likes doing chores! However, step by step, little by little, we can maintain a neater look and truly enjoy a clutter-free living space.

Here’s how you can start: Plan to declutter room by room instead of just randomly selecting areas to work on. This way, you’ll be more organised as to where has been cleaned up. Next, donate items which you have not used for the past year. Because if you’ve forgotten about this item for one year, it means that you no longer need this item. You should also throw away stuff that is in bad condition.

Looking for extra space to keep your memorabilia, books or even clothes which are just lying around at home?

Here’s another idea: Why not try Extra Space Asia Self- Storage today where you can still access your items 24 hour, any time and any day. If you are unsure on how much storage space you might need and the cost of renting one, you can always call us.

Try Extra Space Asia today if you’re looking for more space at home.