An international move is difficult, especially if you are moving your furniture. Sometimes, you might need to move to another country but you cannot bring all the items with you. That’s why you need to find storage for your items. For this reason, here are the best commercial storage ideas and solutions. They might be a little bit different in Japan than in the United States. However, tips for organization are almost the same. If you need to transport the said items, you can search for companies that offer exhibition cargo Japan services. You should find the best storage facility that offers quality services.

Differences between American and Japanese storage 

Since you are searching for storage and warehousing services in Japan, you should see the difference between American Japanese ones. First, available land in Japan is quite limited. For this reason, companies lease their properties. In addition to this, there are no onsite managers nor they have an office. Since the site is extremely small, usually a company will have less than 100 units, there is no need or space for an office with managers. Furthermore, you will not find computer-controlled access gates or high fences. If you want to access your unit, you will have to use a key. You can visit your unit 24/7. Lastly, when you wish to rent a unit, you can visit official websites and call to reserve your visit. Many companies ask for a security deposit. Storage facilities do not organize auctions.  

Commercial storage ideas and solutions – types of units 

Here is some basic information about storage units in Japan. You can find some commercial storage ideas and solutions by reading this guide. 

• Sizes and rates – the average size is 30 square feet, which is quite small when compared to American units of 150 square feet. Therefore, you will have to search for a warehouse for project cargo. In addition to this, Japanese units are more expensive since you will have to pay $6 per square foot per month. 
• Business model – companies would purchase or rent office properties and convert those to self-storage facilities. Some companies will use space under office floors. 
• Indoor vs. Container storage – container storage is not located inside an indoor facility. They are not very popular in Japan since they are not safe. 

Ideas for your storage unit 

If you are worried about the safety of your storage unit, then you can invest in some best commercial storage ideas and solutions. This is a good way to reduce the level of stress you might be experiencing. First, you can get high-security cabinets. They will protect your items from robbers. In addition to this, you can see if your storage facility offers robotic walls. This is a new feature where you can move walls with a remote, add or remove shelves or drawers. However, this option is expensive. In addition to this, you can buy some quality lock and key if you are not happy with the company’s lock. The same thing applies to shelves. If you believe they are not sturdy enough, bring yours. However, first, see with the company allows such alterations. 

Create a master list 

Now that you know about the storage situation in Japan, here is how you can organize your unit. First, create a master contents list. This is especially important if plan to leave Japan and live in another country for some time. For this reason, you should know which items you stored. First, write down all the boxes. Then, specify the contents of the same boxes. In addition to this, you should label your boxes as well. Write down numbers on all the boxes. Then, use the same numbers for your master contents list. If you do not like to use a pen and a piece of paper, you can type it. Just make sure to print it. In addition to this, you should place the map of your items inside the unit, preferably, right at the entrance. You will save time by having the map. 

Commercial storage ideas and solutions – tips for the organization 

If you plan to use your storage unit often, then make a plan. You should put the furniture at the back on the opposite wall from your items. This way you will have a clear path in the middle of the unit. In addition to this, you should pick one box size for your items if possible. Apart from this, see which items you might need to most. For this reason, you should put those items next to the entrance. These following items are only examples but you can put the items you consider important. 

• Summer or winter clothes 
• Holiday items such as Christmas decorations, costumes for holidays, etc. 
• Trip items such as sleeping bags, tents, camping gear, etc. 
• Children toys since your kids might want to play with their old toys  
• Tools or hobby related items 
• Office or important documents 

How to organize your boxes and shelves 

As mentioned, place sturdy shelves on the walls of your units. Then, start from the back of your units. Place the items you will not use for some time. First, place the heavier boxes on the bottom and then the lighter boxes at the top. In addition to this, you should be careful how high you stack your boxes if you are not using shelves. If the stack is above your head, then they can fall over and cause damage to the items inside. If you use the same sized boxes, you can use a brick-wall pattern. You can remove the box you need without moving the other boxes above it. Lastly, when you place the boxes, make sure you can see the label. Otherwise, your map will not be useful.  You should be able to find the box by looking at the map.