SmartLock Self-Storage: Community Outreach with the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office

 On Thursday, January 31st the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office conducted a practical exercise for one of their officers undergoing the promotion process to become an investigator. We were honored to be able to help some of the officers who protect us in Montgomery County, and give back in a small way by offering one of our units to be used for their practical exercise.

See the images captured on the day of the practical exercise, we hope he gets promoted!

*Note - Our units are extremely secure and no real crime took place at the facility, this was simply a practical exercise that was being conducted by the Sheriff's Office.

To the members of the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, thank you for your service!

10 Easy Tips to Remembering What You Packed and Where in Your Storage Unit

One of the most frustrating parts about packing up your belongings into a storage unit is if you need to find one specific item, but you can't remember where it is! Here are some quick tips to help you remember what you packed, and be able to find anything in your storage unit easily.

1. If you're reusing old boxes, make sure to cross out any descriptions from previous moves that you've made.
2. On the boxes, put the date when you packed the box and when you moved the box into your storage unit.
3. It's very helpful to write a quick description on the side of each of your boxes. This will make it easier when you're unpacking your belongings.
4. Make sure to write the description for the box on multiple sides of it, so that you'll still be able to see what is in it once its all packed.
5. Create a Master List on a piece of paper or in a spreadsheet with #'s and the contents of each of those #'s. Then place that # on the side of each box that is put away in your storage unit. This extra step may take a little longer to do, but it will be well worth the effort later!
6. Take your Master List and tape it to the inside of your storage unit. That way you can use it as a quick reference when you stop by your unit.
7. Remember to group similar items together when you're packing (i.e. kitchen supplies or bath supplies).
8. Before you start throwing things into your storage unit, take a minute to map out specific areas where you want to place certain items. For example in the right hand corner place all of your kitchen supplies. When you come back looking for something, you know you can look in a certain place of your storage unit to find what you're looking for.
9. As a rule of thumb, place your heavier items at the back of the unit, it makes less of a hassle when you're looking for something.
10. Keep a copy of your Master List with you at home, for quick reference if one of your family members is at the unit and needs help.

For more storage tips on maximizing your storage unit, visit us today at: www.smartlockstorage.com

Have a wonderful day!


Mr. SmartLock
SmartLock Self-Storage
Proudly serving Radford, Blacksburg and Christiansburg, VA.

10 Easy Tips to Packing Your Storage Unit

Whether you are a veteran at packing and storing your belongings at a storage facility, or are just about to jump into renting your first storage unit, here are some quick packing tips!

1. If you run out of space in your storage unit, look up! There's usually enough room to stack another set of boxes near the ceiling of the storage facility.
2. Remember that the higher you stack your boxes, the more secure they need to be. Don't forget to tie down any tall stacks of boxes, securing them to ensure that they won't fall down.
3. Leave an aisle going through the center of the unit so that you can easily get to any boxes. You never know when you might need to get to something that is in the very back of your unit!
4. Start with the heaviest items at the floor of your storage unit, work your way up with lighter items at the top.
5. Remember to use bubble-wrap, newspaper or packaging peanuts to protect your valuables in boxes.
6. Use packing blankets for larger items that need to be protected.
7. For clothing, blankets, or pillows place them in space saver bags. These space saver bags will drastically reduce the amount of space that these bulky items take up in your unit.
8. Place items that you're less likely to need at the back of your storage unit. The last thing you want is to have to go through the whole unit just to get to that one item that you're looking for.
9. Take the extra 10-15 minutes to label your boxes with descriptions of their contents. Most people want to get done with packing as fast as possible, but taking this extra step will pay dividends when you're unpacking later.
10. If you're storing multiple pieces of clothing that are usually hung in a closet, consider investing in a specially built clothing box with a built in closet rod. This added closet rod makes storage much easier and more organized.

For more storage tips on maximizing your storage unit, visit us today at: www.smartlockstorage.com

Have a wonderful day!


Mr. SmartLock
SmartLock Self-Storage
Proudly serving Radford, Blacksburg and Christiansburg, VA.