Space is a valuable commodity in America. With everyone being quick to buy up all of the newest gadgets and accessories, most Americans are having less and less space at home to keep all of their belongings. This is why self storage facilities have become increasingly popular in America, with more than 48,500 facilities available throughout the country. When renting a self storage unit, you are responsible for returning the unit in the condition you received it. You can be held responsible for any damages that have occurred to the unit. This article looks at 3 tips on how you can prevent scuffing up the walls and floors of your unit when moving your stuff in.

Place a Cardboard Sheet Against the Walls

If you accidentally drop your boxes or push a large and heavy item against the wall too hard, you'll end up scuffing up the walls with either skid marks or scratches. The best way to prevent damaging the walls is to place a cardboard sheet against the walls before you even start moving anything into the storage unit. The cardboard sheets should be relatively durable, sturdy and capable of taking a beating. This will prevent items that you push too hard against the wall from scratching it up. The cost of the cardboard sheets will be much cheaper than the cost of having to repair the walls of the storage unit.

Measure the Size of the Entranceway to Confirm that All Boxes and Large Items Will Fit

It's also easy to scuff up the frames of the entrances, especially when trying to fit large items into your storage unit. Before you even try to move any of the larger items into the storage unit, measure the size of the entranceway and the size of the items you want to move. This can help you determine whether everything will fit or whether you will need to disassemble the larger items in order to get them through the entrance with no hassle at all.

Place Rubber Mats on the Floor

Most storage facilities have cement floors; however, this may not always be the case. Still, if you want to avoid damaging the floors, consider laying out some rubber mats in your storage unit beforehand. This prevents skid marks, scratches and other damages that are usually inflicted onto the floor when heavy items are dropped. The rubber mats will also act as traction to keep your items in place. If you install padded rubber mats, the rubber mats will also prevent injuries from slip and fall accidents.

Conclusion

Although the structure and frame of most self storage units can take a beating, don't forget that you are responsible for repairing the unit should you accidentally damage it. To avoid incurring hefty fees and penalties, be careful and cautious when moving your items into your storage unit.