There are several reasons why people put their belongings into storage. Storage units are useful for people travelling overseas for an extended period as well as people who just have too much stuff at home. As someone who needs to hire a storage unit for their things, it is important you have a plan to protect your stuff from water damage. Whether it be flood damage, or water coming from a fire sprinkler above, these three tips will ensure your belongings return home safe and dry after their stint in a storage unit.

Location, Location, Location

There is no way to predict when a summer storm will strike. But, some Queensland storms in the past year have brought with them substantial surface flooding. When looking at storage units to rent, it is worth looking at places that offer multi-story storage units. While flood water can seep under the door of a ground floor storage unit, there's no chance it will rise high enough to get into a second story unit.

However, if you do choose to hire a storage unit that is not located on the ground floor, make sure there is a working, good-size lift to help easily get your things into your unit. You don't want to be carrying everything up the stairs!

Shelving

If your only option is to hire a ground floor storage unit, consider going to your local home hardware store to buy some garage shelving. Garage shelving can be purchased in a range of sizes and heights. Many of them also have adjustable shelf heights which help you to store a variety of different size containers.

By placing your belongings on shelving rather than directly on the floor, you achieve two things. Firstly, there is a space under the shelving where flood water can go without soaking the bottom of your things. Secondly, placing your items on shelving stops the boxes from squashing the items directly beneath them.

Tarpaulin

Once you have all your items in the storage shed, it is worth purchasing a tarpaulin or two that you can drape over the top of your belongings. Many interior storage units are protected from fire by overhead sprinkler heads. This safety feature, however, is going to damage a lot of your things if activated because of a fire in a nearby unit.

Draping a tarpaulin over your things is an easy way to protect your belongings from sprinkler water damage. You can purchase a large tarpaulin at your local hardware store, and then cut it to a size to suit your needs.

These three tips will help protect your belongings from water damage while they are in storage, so consider which of them best suits your future needs.