When you have a bunch of stuff that has no logical place to be at the moment, it is much more feasible to put your belongings in storage than to keep them around to clutter your life. Even though self-storage facilities provide the random person with a valuable service, it is all too common for the people to make mistakes about how they prepare their items before tucking them away. If you are planning on taking some items to be stored, grab a pen, and jot down this list of slip-ups you should avoid when you start packing.

Don't: Forget to deter pests and critters.

Why: Even the cleanest and most protected storage units can see the occasional moth or mouse. Even when a storage facility has pet control in place, you never know what might be placed in the storage unit closest to you and a moth could fly right in at any given moment. Do yourself a favor and drop in a few moth balls or a sachet of cedar chips before you close up boxes.

Don't: Pack your items in garbage bags.

Why: A good and sturdy garbage bag may seem ideal for bulky bedding or clothes, but there is a good chance that bag will be ripped more than once during transport and storage. Ripped bags lead to clothing and bedding scattered on the floor, and this is always an open invitation for pests.

Don't: Skimp on packing materials.

Why: You may be placing your items in safe keeping where they will not be disturbed, but who is to say that a few months from now you will not forget exactly what is in each package and how fragile it may be. Furthermore, in the event that the self-storage manager had to enter the space for pest control or security purposes, you will want all of your breakables protected.

Don't: Agree to share storage space with someone else.

Why: If you really don't have a lot to store, it may sound logical to grab a friend and split the storage costs for one unit. Not only is this often forbidden by storage facility contracts, but could lead to major problems as well. Suppose your good friend loses the key to the unit, forgets to lock up, or brings in a group of cockroaches with their belongings. All of this could cause issues with your own items and their safety.

If you want to get the best out of the storage experience you have, make sure you do what you can to avoid these costly and time-consuming mistakes. Your end goal is to declutter your life, but eventually, you will need your items back and you will be much happier if they are the same as they were when you put them in storage, such as Epic Group Inc.