Best Items to Store in a Storage Unit

Oaktree Self Storage has been helping Suwanee folks at 1619 James Burgess Rd figure out their storage needs for years, and one question comes up constantly. What should I actually put in a storage unit?

When people search for storage units near me, they usually have specific items in mind. But sometimes what seems like a good storage candidate actually isn't, and things you haven't considered might be perfect for storage. In this blog, we’ll discuss what actually makes sense to store.

Storage in Suwanee, GA

Living in Suwanee means you're dealing with growing family neighborhoods, proximity to good schools, active lifestyles, and homes that fill up faster than you'd expect. The area attracts families and professionals who accumulate belongings through normal life but don't always have space for everything.

Georgia weather also creates specific storage considerations. Hot and humid summers, mild winters, seasonal activities that require different equipment. What you store and how you store it matters in this climate.

When Suwanee residents look for storage units near me, they're usually dealing with one of several situations. Moving between homes, downsizing, growing families with too much stuff, seasonal item overflow, or business inventory needs.

Furniture That Needs Storage

Quality furniture is expensive and often worth keeping even when it doesn't fit your current living situation. This is probably the most common category we see stored.

Extra furniture when downsizing makes total sense. You're moving from a four bedroom house to a three bedroom, and not everything fits. That guest room furniture or extra dresser can go to storage instead of getting sold for pennies on the dollar.

Kids' furniture between siblings works great for storage. Your oldest outgrew the toddler bed, but your youngest will need it in two years. Store it instead of buying new later.

Inherited furniture you're not ready to use but don't want to get rid of belongs in storage. Grandmother's dining set doesn't match your current decor, but has sentimental value and might work in your next home.

Furniture for future use, like items you're keeping for kids when they move into their own places. They're in college now, but will eventually need that bedroom set and couch.

The key is storing furniture with purpose and a timeline. Not just keeping every piece of furniture you've ever owned indefinitely because you can't decide what to do with it.

Seasonal Items and Holiday Decorations

This category is perfect for storage and probably offers the best value for most Suwanee families.

Christmas decorations take up massive space for eleven months of the year when they're not being used. Trees, lights, ornaments, outdoor displays, wreaths, village sets. These all store beautifully and free up closet and attic space at home.

Halloween decorations, if you're the house that goes all out every October. Props, animatronics, yard displays, costumes. No reason these need to clutter your garage year round.

Other holiday items like Easter decorations, Fourth of July flags and bunting, Thanksgiving tablescapes. If you decorate for multiple holidays, storage keeps your home functional between celebrations.

Seasonal sports equipment rotates throughout the year. Pool toys and beach gear during Georgia winter. Cold weather items during summer even though Suwanee winters are mild.

Camping and outdoor equipment used seasonally rather than year round stores perfectly. Tents, sleeping bags, coolers, hiking gear. If you camp three times annually, this stuff doesn't need daily garage access.

Label everything clearly by holiday or season when storing. Future you will appreciate knowing exactly which box has Christmas lights versus Christmas ornaments when you're retrieving items.

Clothing and Textile Items

Clothes multiply faster than seems possible, especially in growing families. Storage helps manage this overflow smartly.

Out of season clothing frees up closet space dramatically. Winter coats, heavy sweaters, and boots in Georgia summer. Lightweight summer clothes during cooler months. Rotate twice yearly, and your closets feel twice as big.

Between size clothing for kids makes sense to store. Your seven year old's outgrown clothes that your four year old will fit into in two years. Keeping these organized in storage beats cramming them into closets for years.

Maternity clothes between pregnancies don't need closet space. After your first baby, store maternity wear until you're ready for the next pregnancy instead of keeping it accessible for years.

Special occasion clothing like wedding dresses, suits, formal gowns, and military uniforms. These have meaning but don't need daily closet access.

Business Inventory

Suwanee has plenty of entrepreneurs and home-based businesses. Storage solves space challenges without expensive commercial leases.

E-commerce inventory for sellers running Amazon, Etsy, or other online businesses. You need space for products, but don't want your garage looking like a warehouse.

Professional equipment for photographers, videographers, event planners, and contractors. Expensive gear and supplies that need secure storage between jobs.

Seasonal business inventory rotates based on your industry. Tax preparers store files after season. Event businesses store decorations between bookings. Landscapers store equipment during slow seasons.

Documents and records for businesses that generate paper. Medical offices, legal practices, and accounting firms. Old files that must be retained but don't need office space.

The business owners getting the most value from storage are the ones who organize properly and use it strategically rather than as a dumping ground for business chaos.

Vehicles Storage

This is a big category for Suwanee storage and one where people searching for storage units near me often need specific features.

Boats are used seasonally rather than year round. Why pay to keep a boat in your driveway nine months of the year, taking up space and annoying your HOA?

RVs and campers between trips make sense for storage. These are huge investments that need protection but don't need to monopolize your driveway constantly.

Classic or project cars that aren't daily drivers deserve secure storage. Your weekend fun car or restoration project doesn't need to sit outside in weather.

Motorcycles during seasons you're not riding. Some Suwanee riders are year round but plenty put bikes away during cooler months.

Trailers and equipment between uses. Boat trailers when boats are in storage. Utility trailers. Enclosed cargo trailers. These take up serious driveway space when not actively needed.

Things You Should Not Store

Now let's talk about what doesn't belong in storage units because we see people try to store inappropriate items regularly.

Perishable food or anything that can spoil. This creates health hazards and attracts pests. Don't do it.

Hazardous materials including gasoline, propane, paint thinner, fireworks, chemicals. These are prohibited for safety reasons.

Anything illegal. This should be obvious but apparently needs saying. Storage units aren't hiding places for illegal items.

Living things including plants, pets, or obviously people. Storage units aren't habitable spaces.

Wet or damp items. Don't store things that are actively wet or moldy. Dry and clean items first or they'll damage everything around them.

Items worth less than storage costs. If you're paying 100 dollars monthly to store a 200 dollar couch, after two months you've lost money compared to just replacing it later.

Sentimental items with no actual plan. We see people store things because they feel guilty getting rid of them, not because they genuinely want to keep them. Guilt isn't a good reason for ongoing storage costs.

How to Store Items Properly

Storing the right items is half the battle. Storing them correctly is the other half.

Clean everything before storage. Dirty items attract pests and develop odors. Furniture should be wiped down. Clothes should be laundered. Everything should be as clean as possible.

Use quality containers for organization. Clear plastic bins beat cardboard boxes for long term storage. They stack better, protect better, and let you see contents.

Label everything on multiple sides. You'll thank yourself later when you're looking for specific items and can identify boxes without unpacking everything.

Disassemble furniture when possible. Table legs come off. Bed frames break down. This saves space and prevents damage during storage.

Cover upholstered furniture and mattresses. Furniture covers or old sheets protect from dust and keep items clean during storage.

Create an inventory list of what you've stored. Keep it on your phone or at home. When you're wondering if you stored something, check the list instead of driving to your unit.

Our James Burgess Road Perspective

We're at Oaktree Self Storage in Suwanee because we wanted to help North Atlanta area families and businesses solve real storage challenges. When people search storage units near me, they deserve facilities that actually meet their needs with honest guidance about what makes sense to store.

The best items to store are the ones you have legitimate plans for, that justify their storage cost, and that are stored properly in appropriate conditions. Everything else deserves serious reconsideration before you commit to monthly storage fees.