With the fall season well underway and winter just around the corner, many are finding that now is the perfect time to pull various fall and winter items out of storage in preparation for the changing of the seasons. Packing up a storage unit is a carefully, crafted task, but equally important is the task of unpacking items that have been stored for extended periods of time.

If you have items that have been stored over the last year, and you are looking to incorporate them back into your home or seasonal décor, here are a few SMART tips that will help to make the process a little easier.

SMART Tip 1: Unpack Carefully

As items are accumulated and stacked into a storage unit, it can be easy for your belongings to become hidden behind all of the items you have stacked in your unit. A key tip is to carefully remove boxes and belongings that are hinderingaccess to the seasonal items you need so that nothing gets broken. After all, you have taken great care to protect and store your items throughout the year, and it would a shame to get that close to using them again, only to have them break.

Once you do obtain the items you need, try to reorganize your stored items back in a way that will allow you the same convenience of retrieving those items when you need them at a later date. You will appreciate the extra effort later, as well as the ability to conveniently locate what you need.

If you find that you have opened up the wrong box, take the time to repackage and seal it so that the items stored will remain properly protected. 

Unwrap breakable items carefully so that they will not scratch or break during the unpacking process, and so they will maintain their appearance and structure.

SMART Tip 2:  Holiday Items

If you have holiday decorations and items that you need to take out of storage, consider replacing that storage space with clutter that may presently be taking up extra room in your home. This will help to prevent cluttered space in your home during the holiday season, and allow you to maximize your storage potential.

As you unpack items such as ornaments and holiday decorations, be sure to keep track of all of your wrapped items, and double check to make sure you do not discard small or delicate pieces within packing paper or storage wrap.

SMART Tip 3:  Stay Safe

Smart packing means staying safe, and if you are unpacking items from within your storage unit, be careful of how you lift, reach and remove various items you have stored. A good tip is to make sure that you always wear proper attire and shoes when accessing your storage unit, especially during the fall and winter months when the weather may be damp or snowy, making ground conditions slippery. Proper attire will also enable you to stay warm during the colder months if you have to spend a lot of time unpacking seasonal items from your storage unit.