There are some events in life where you leave and you have no idea how long you may be gone. You begin to prepare for these journeys in ways that other people may or may not prepare, including purchasing life insurance, writing out a will, and even moving every worldly possession into a long-term storage facility. Here is how to store your belongings when you do not know when or even if you will return.
Wrap Everything Up as Though It Is Going to Roll Down a Steep Hill
When you want your belongings to remain in the best shape possible, you have to wrap them up in newspaper, bubble wrap, Styrofoam, and whatever else will cushion them when they are in storage. Just picture everything you own rolling down a steep hill, and then wrap it to prevent that level of damage. Doing so will keep your stuff well-preserved while it remains indefinitely in storage.
Make Sure You Have a Big Enough Storage Unit
People tend to accumulate a lot of stuff over time. Depending on your current age, you might have a lot of stuff (i.e., forty-seven years' worth of stuff) or you might only have a little stuff (i.e., eighteen years' worth of stuff). Either way, you need to make sure that your long-term storage unit is big enough to hold everything you own. You do not want to have to pay for more than one storage unit for the length of time you will be far from home. One unit the perfect size to fit everything is exactly what you want.
Store Your Belongings Inside
If you are military and about to be deported for a year or more, your stuff should be stored in an indoor, climate-controlled storage unit. This will prevent everything from getting too cold, getting too hot, peeling, or becoming very damp or wet. There are certainly plenty of options for the long-term indoor storage. There are even some companies that have commercial glass doors that lock and can only be opened with the storage unit owner's passcode or plastic pass key.
Pay Your Rent for a Year or More
Your stuff is important to you. You do not want to miss a rent payment for any reason because doing so means that the storage unit company can confiscate and sell off your stuff to cover back payments of rent. Get ahead of that by paying an entire year's rent up front.
With these tips in mind, you will be able to safely store your stuff for as long as you need.
