Storage Unit Cleanouts Service - Knoxville, TN

How To Get Rid Of Storage Unit Junk

Holding things in a storage unit can be a fantastic way to keep your belongings safe and protected until you can utilize them later on. However, eventually, we all have to clean out our storage units and sort through all of the items that have accumulated over the years. Whether you need to make more room for additional items, have decided to move, or are simply trying to get your life a little bit more organized, going through a storage unit can seem overwhelming.

 Bearing that in mind, there are a few things that you can do to make getting rid of storage unit junk easier. Having a game plan and taking things one step at a time is a great place to start! Below, we will walk you through the easiest way to clean out a storage unit, organize items, and possibly even make a little bit of money back on things that you’re no longer using. Without further ado, here’s how to clean out your storage unit and get rid of unnecessary junk with the least possible hassle!

Assessing the Junk

Before you move a single box, it's smart to take an assessment of what's actually in your storage unit. After all, most of us aren't taking a regular inventory of what we store in an off-site unit. So before you do anything else, let's go over how to assess your junk.

Evaluating the Items in a Storage Unit

If possible, do a walk-through of your storage unit to check out what's currently in there. If you can't actually walk through your unit, do a visual assessment and take note of everything you see.

Categorizing Items Into Keep, Donate, Sell, or Discard

Decide what's worth keeping, what someone else might make use of, and what is best to toss out. Some items that you no longer need could be worth money. Furniture is a great example of this. Do you have an extra dining room table that might bring in some cash? Perhaps, you have baby items that could be donated to an expecting couple. Anything that is damaged, stained, or no longer relevant probably belongs in the junk pile.

Identifying Valuable or Sentimental Items

Baby books, photographs, event t-shirts, and other sentimental items might not be worth money but are still worth keeping. If you are prone to hanging on to things that you don't need, consider setting a limit on how many sentimental items you are going to keep beforehand. Then, find totes or storage bins so that you can securely stow your sentimental belongings away. Items of value like jewelry, furs, and nice furniture should be removed and kept somewhere secure.

Planning and Preparation

Now that you've taken an assessment of what's in your storage unit and planned how to deal with everything, it's time to start prepping for the big “clean out”. This involves deciding how long to give yourself to clean your storage unit out, setting a budget for supplies (storage totes, cleaning supplies, trash bags, etc.), actually getting your supplies, and thinking about how/where you will throw things away.

Setting a Timeline and Budget

It's easy to go overboard on a project like cleaning out a storage unit. To keep yourself from overdoing it, set a timeline and a budget. How long do you really need to get your storage unit cleaned out? A few hours? A few days? Also, decide how much money you are willing to spend on cleaning/storage supplies. How many plastic totes do you need? Do you have enough trash bags? Do you own a broom, a mop, cleaning solvents, and other necessary cleaning supplies? Setting a timeline and a budget can be incredibly helpful so that everything stays on track and doesn’t drain your wallet.

Gathering Necessary Supplies

For cleaning a storage unit out and storing the items you plan to keep, there are a few things you will need. Here's a list of supplies to consider gathering.

Supplies to Gather for Cleaning/Organizing a Storage Unit:

 • Broom
• Dustpan
• Mop
• Cleaning solvents (Windex, 409, Pine-Sol, etc.)
• Bucket
• Hose or water source for cleaning and wiping down dust/debris
• Insecticide (if you live in a warmer climate)
• Heavy-duty trash bags
• Plastic totes and storage bins
• Trash can
• Tape and packing materials for safe transport and storage
• Truck or trailer to load unwanted junk into
• Labels

Researching Disposal Options

You will need some sort of conveyance to help you remove unwanted junk. This could be a box trailer, a flatbed trailer, or even the bed of a pickup truck. However, chances are, you will have furniture or large items that need to be disposed of. Research your disposal and waste removal options so that you won't be overwhelmed when it comes time to actually move things out. If you don't think you will have more than a few trash bags worth of stuff, still be sure to know where you will dump everything. Do you need to take a trip to your local city dump or is there a public dumpster available that you can use? Be sure not to leave a bunch of junk and trash in a dumpster that somebody else owns, or you could wind up in a contentious situation.

Disposal Options

Disposing of unwanted items can be a stressful ordeal. However, if you have a plan in place and know what you are going to do with your junk, things will be far less overwhelming. Here are some disposal options to keep in mind.

Donating Usable Items

Donating your unwanted stuff can be a great way to rehome your belongings. There are plenty of people who will find good uses for the things you no longer need. You can look at social media to find people seeking donations, search through classified ads, or plan to hold a garage sale. Your local

Goodwill or Salvation Army will probably be happy to take your donations as well.

Selling Items Through Online Marketplaces or Garage Sales

Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and other social media outlets can be great places to find people who want your stuff. Or, consider holding a garage sale!

Recycling or Upcycling Materials

Recycling the things you no longer need feels good and is a resourceful option. Are there any materials that could be used for something else? Upcycling can be a great option as well!

Properly Disposing of Hazardous Items

Be sure to adequately dispose of any hazardous materials. Paint, some electronics, chemicals, or flammable materials, should be handled with care and disposed of properly.

Hiring a Junk Removal Service

If you're really stressed out and don't want to sort through everything, you could always hire a junk removal service. This saves you the most time, though it definitely will cost a little bit of money. If you plan to hire a junk removal storage service for cleaning your storage unit, first remove all of the items that you want to keep. From there, the process usually involves giving them the key to your storage unit. This is definitely the simplest solution!

Execution

Now it's time to actually begin cleaning everything out! Since you have a game plan in place and have thought out your waste removal options, this process should now be far easier.

Sorting and Organizing Items

Sort through and organize everything that you want to keep and everything that you want to get rid of. Since you've already done an assessment of what you plan to do with your things, this should go pretty quickly.

Implementing the Chosen Disposal Methods

You know what you want to throw away and how you plan to do this. Now, use your chosen disposal method to get rid of it.

Properly Packing and Transporting Items

You already have all of your transportation and packing materials, so put them to good use! Be sure to store glassware safely and use insulation for items that are sensitive to temperature fluctuations, water, or moisture.

Cleaning and Organizing

Now that you have everything packed away in the trash thrown out, it's time to organize what you've got left. This step should be fairly easy if you followed your game plan thus far!

Cleaning the Storage Unit

Once everything is moved out, sweep, mop, and wipe down your storage unit.

Organizing the Remaining Items

If you are still keeping things in your storage unit, put them back using your preferred organizational process. Put larger and heavier items down low and lighter or more delicate items up high. Labeling your boxes can be incredibly helpful later on down the road!

Implementing Systems to Prevent Future Junk Accumulation

Nobody wants to wind up with a bunch of junk in their storage unit. So, make a future plan to address how you will keep from accumulating unwanted items in the future.