Aside from cardboard boxes that are gathered from a supermarket or other retailer, most people do not give any thought to what packing materials they might need until they are starting to pack things up to put in a self storage unit. This is unfortunate because it can lead to poorly packed boxes or other problems that occur when they move the boxes to storage and when they return to the storage unit to retrieve a particular item or items from inside one of the boxes.

Most cardboard boxes from supermarkets or other retailers have already been through a lot of use which can weaken them and cause your possessions to dump out everywhere when the boxes are picked up. In addition, the boxes might have been constructed to hold lightweight items and using them to pack heavier items could cause the box to break. Instead of using second hand boxes, it is advisable to check with the storage facility to see if they have sturdy cardboard boxes available for a minimal cost. In addition, if you do not have a permanent marker you should request one because they are essential for labeling the outside of the boxes for easy retrieval in the future.