Storage units come in multiple sizes, and the larger the unit, the more you'll pay to rent it. If you can only afford a small unit — or if that is all that's available near you — then you will need to pack that unit as efficiently as possible to fit everything inside. Here are a few tips to help you in that regard.

Put items in plastic totes, not boxes.

Usually, when you put things in a storage unit, you want to stack them on wood pallets to keep them off the floor and protect them from potential water damage. But the pallet takes up vertical space, which you may not have to spare in a small storage unit. Instead, you can buy a few plastic totes and store many of your things in them. Any water that accidentally ends up on the storage unit floor won't permeate the plastic! If you're on a tight budget, you can pack everything else in boxes and stack them on top of the bottom layer of plastic storage totes. Or you can use all totes for even more protection, although the cost can add up.

Store things inside furniture and appliances.

If you are storing any furniture or appliances, make good use of the space inside of them. For instance, you can store clothing inside dresser drawers or put your toaster inside the microwave. To keep things secure, use tape over doors and drawers to hold them shut. Blue painter's tape works well and leaves little to no residue.

Keep your boxes the same size.

You're going to be stacking boxes way up high and maybe even all of the way to the ceiling. This is easier when all of your boxes are the same size. If you have two or three smaller boxes, you can always reserve them for the tops of the stacks, but you don't want 15 different box sizes that you have to juggle in order to make stacks stable.

Keep a stool in the unit.

Purchase yourself a small stool, and stash it in the storage unit. This will make it much easier for you to access the boxes at the tops of the stacks without having to stand on and potentially crush a box.

With a small storage unit, you have to really utilize all of your space, stack things to the ceiling, and rely on plastic totes.

For more information, reach out to a local storage facility.