When renting a storage unit, there is often a lot of time and organization put into keeping items there for the first time. When you have children, it can become stressful to keep them occupied while using your unit. Instead of letting your children run rampant around a self storage facility, you can put them to work. Whether it's for weekly chores or as a way to earn extra allowance, there are multiple chores a child can complete right at the storage facility.

The following storage unit chores can help a child learn responsibility and a good workmanship. These chores can easily be completed in most self storage facilities.

Sweeping & Dusting

The conditions of any storage unit can easily cause dust and dirt build up. One of the easiest tasks for a child to complete is a deep dusting and sweeping of the unit that you own. A small duster should be used first to eliminate dust and debris off of any boxes or totes. Then a child can sweep the open floor and remove the debris from the unit.

Along with sweeping and dusting, a child can help remove any garbage from the unit. When going through items that you are putting into storage, a child can separate recyclables from regular garbage. Not only is this a great chore, but it can help teach a child about protecting the environment.

Picture Catalogs

Keeping track of the items you have in storage is important for your organization and any insurance purposes. Armed with a smart phone, your son or daughter can easily complete the task of capturing images. By snapping photos, you will have a digital catalog of everything you are keeping in storage. Give your child a well-lit spot to easily take photos.

Instead of taking images of individual items, a child can group items together. For example, the top of a tote can be lifted up and a picture can be snapped to capture everything inside. Once the photos are taken, children can tag them with keywords so you can easily search and organize them on your phone.

Box & Tote Organization

Staying as organized as possible is the best way to achieve the most success with your storage unit. Placing items into boxes or totes will help remove the full clutter from your unit. There are multiple ways that children can be involved with this organization.

• Alphabetical Order: Keep children busy by having them organize totes of books or DVDs in alphabetical order.  This will make it easier to retrieve a specific title in the future.
• Extra Protection: Provide newspaper or bubble wrap so that older kids can wrap fragile items like glasses, plates, and collectibles.
• Clothes Organization: Folding clothes is a great chore for children and it can help save space in totes.

Unloading Lines

Unloading a vehicle can take hours when you have a lot to place in storage. If you have multiple kids, one of the best ways to keep them busy and to stay organized is by creating an unloading line. Keep the oldest child at the back of the vehicle and form a line leading into the unit where you or another adult can wait. Items are passed down through the line and delivered so they can quickly get placed.

As the rotation builds up, the flow will increase and your time at the unit can be cut down significantly.

Snack Preparation

Loading and unloading from a storage unit takes a lot of work. Everyone deserves a break, and a healthy snack is a good way to do it. While you organize items in a storage unit, you can give your child a fun chore by having them prepare a snack.

For example, a child can spread peanut butter over crackers or pull grapes off of the vine. The exact depth of the snack preparation depends on the child's age and experience with different kitchen tools.

To keep things fun and light, give your child a list of available chores and allow them to select the task they would like to complete.