It rarely seems like you have enough space to store all your possessions comfortably and with city homes being built where floor space can often be at a premium, it might require some extra options to resolve your storage issues.

Here is a look at how to cope with your short and longer term storage needs, including how to work out exactly what space you need, how to pack your items safely, plus some storage tips to help keep your things in good condition while they are stored away.

Big enough to cope

Having decided that you need to make use of a storage option like pinkstorage.co.uk/bridgend you don’t just need to know how long you want to rent the storage space for but also, how much space you need to meet your needs.

This is often a dilemma that troubles plenty of people who want to rent some extra storage space.

If you are between homes and only need something for a few weeks, going away for a few months or more, or simply need some extra space to put some of your things away safely for an undefined period, you will still have to work out exactly the right space to rent.

You want to rent a storage unit that is large enough to cope with all your belongings but you clearly don’t want to overpay for space that is more than you actually need.

On the other hand, if you try to cram everything into a tiny unit, you increase the chances of something getting damaged when it is stacked high and squashed in, so how do you know what size of unit will cope with what you have?

The answer depends on what stuff you have that needs to go into storage and what size home you have.

If you have lots of books and other small items, you might just get away with a small unit that is about five-foot square. The contents of a one-bedroom flat would probably fill a 10-by-10 unit, and a three-bedroom home would normally easily fill a 10-by-20 storage unit.

Talk to the storage company who should be able to give you a reliable estimate of the space you need to cope with what you own and want to put into storage.

How to pack

Although the size of unit you need won’t change whether it’s for a short or long rental period, the planned length of your storage of possessions will make a difference to how you pack them for the duration.

If you are planning on putting items into storage for a period that extends beyond three months there are some things you should consider doing to help keep your items safe.

It would be a good idea to avoid packing any items in plastic bags, despite the fact that you might consider this a sensible way of adding some protection from water damage. However, plastic bags tend to manage to trap humidity and moisture, as well as speeding up the mold and mildew process, so don’t use plastic bags when putting items into long-term storage.

Don’t be tempted to economize on the quality of the storage boxes you are going to use to store your personal items.

Sturdy boxes are always the best option as they will help keep your items safe from damage and you should be able to stack better quality boxes on top of each other with more confidence, which means you can maximize the space available in the unit.

Treat your items with the respect they deserve

Looking after your items properly goes beyond good quality storage boxes and there are some things to remember when you are packing your possessions that should keep them in good shape while they are away from you.

Any fragile items you are storing should be generously protected with bubble wrap before you put them into a box and think about keeping them away from the rest of the stored items if you can, as an extra precaution.

If you are going to be storing any clothes and fabrics like curtains, a good tip would be to use vacuum-sealed bags to protect them for a period of time.

Domestic appliances should also be prepared for long-term storage. It is often assumed that you can simply wheel your cooker or washer into the unit without a second thought, but any dirt or mold on the appliances could quickly spread to other items in the storage unit.

Give them a wipe down with some bleach or baking soda before you put these sort of items into storage.

Keep an inventory and label each box as a final precaution before you close the door on your storage unit.

Scott Evans is the co founder of pink self storage who has been awarded with Young entrepreneur of the year in 2016.