Storage Tips

When I put my things into storage, I like to make sure everything is well packaged before letting it sit on its own over the course of multiple months. I find things to always be messy, confusing, broken, damaged, or worn down by the time I get them out of storage if I did a half-hearted job when boxing it all up.

Of course, this should be pretty apparent information, but considering that a lot of people don’t put things away in storage as often as they used to, it’s worth reiterating for those that do think about it from time to time. Whether it’s books, technology, old or seasonal clothes, holiday decorations, or just plain shoes, there’s a solid way of packaging everything up for storage and then there’s a wrong way to go about it.

For this article, I’m going to focus on my video game consoles and games and what I do to ensure they’re in tact and still in great condition the next time I want to play them.

The first thing to understand is that having the right packaging supplies is key. If you want a quality packaging job done right, you need to have quality supplies in the first place. There’s no point trying to tape up your boxes with scotch tape unless you want them to come unbound as soon as you pick them up. That’s a no go.

You want to make sure that you’re using strong packaging tape (aptly named for its amazing role in keeping cardboard boxes bound tight). Just as well, don’t store nicer things or any of your valuables in dilapidated cardboard boxes. If you can get sturdy cardboard, that’s your best bet. But if you’re unable to find any corrugated cardboard and you don’t care for top quality, new cardboard that’s sturdy enough will do the trick so long as you aren’t too worried about the box’s condition over a long period of time.

I’m also a big fan of using labeling tape on my storage boxes in order to keep everything organized and easily located. If you’re using blank cardboard boxes, it’s fine to write with a sharpie on them directly, though if you plan to use that box multiple times for different storage items, writing directly on the box isn’t the best idea since it could confuse you with its contents after a while.

Still, I think it’s quite important to have a great setup for your storage system so that things remain in good condition while weathering the test of time.