A Complete Guide to Storing Appliances & Organising Your Unit

Once your boxes are packed and your furniture's protected, the last piece of the puzzle is getting your appliances ready and your unit organised so everything's easy to find later. Here's what we recommend to AKM Self Storage customers across the Hunter Valley.

Storing Appliances the Right Way

Clean every appliance thoroughly before it goes into storage. Food residue, moisture or dust left inside a washing machine, oven or fridge only causes problems the longer it sits, so a proper clean before move-in day is worth the effort.

For fridges and freezers, leave the door slightly ajar to prevent mould building up inside, and tuck the power cord inside the door to keep it propped open. It's a small detail, but it's the difference between opening a fridge months later to a clean interior or a mouldy one. If you need the space, you can even store a bag of linen inside the fridge, since an empty appliance is otherwise just dead space in your unit.

Organising Your Unit

• Keep frequently used items, like clothing or seasonal gear, near the front of your unit for easy access.
• Use a high-quality padlock for security, and keep your keys somewhere safe.

Beyond these two essentials, think about your unit the way you'd think about a small room: leave a clear path down the middle if you can, put anything you'll need again soon near the door, and save the back of the unit for things you genuinely won't touch until you move out. A 6 m² unit and an 18 m² unit both work better organised than crammed full.

What Not to Store

A few things don't belong in any storage unit, no matter how well you've organised the rest. Flammable liquids, gas bottles and perishable food should stay at home, both for safety and because they can attract pests. If you're not sure whether something's suitable for storage, ask our team before you pack it. We'd rather answer the question upfront than have it cause a problem later.

Security That Backs Up Your Own Precautions

A good padlock is your first line of defence, and our facility backs it up with 24-hour CCTV monitoring, controlled entry and scheduled fumigation, so your organised, well-packed unit stays exactly as you left it.

We're Happy to Help

A well-organised unit means you're not unpacking half your belongings just to find the one box you need. If you'd like more advice on setting up your unit, whether that's appliance storage or how to lay it out for regular access, our team at AKM Self Storage is always at the end of the phone on 0420 539 468.