Public storage units are great places to keep everything from Christmas decorations to family heirlooms. They help you to eliminate clutter from your home without having to give up the items that mean the most to you. Sometimes, however, even your storage unit can become too full and disorganized. Use these storage tips to maximize your space and keep everything easily accessible.

Build Shelving Units

Your public storage unit can be customized in any number of ways. Bakers racks or metal shelving units can be anchored to the wall to hold boxes and storage containers, letting you stack your boxes neatly and out of the way of the main storage space. Consider painting the shelving units different colors so you can color-code your belongings. This makes it easier to look in the right area for holiday decorations, seasonal clothing or other items without having to shuffle boxes around the storage unit. You can also take pictures of the items stored in boxes on the shelves and attach the images to the corresponding boxes for an even faster way to find your items.

Ditch The Brown Boxes

Moving boxes might be the best way to transport items to your storage unit, but they are big and bulky. Instead of letting these large boxes fill up the space in your unit, opt for containers of varying sizes and organize the items you want to store. Vacuum-sealed bags can be stacked on top of each other to reduce the space you need to store your clothes, and portable wardrobes let you hang wedding dresses, tuxedos and gowns, protecting them from wrinkles and other damage. Use the space on top of the wardrobe to store smaller boxes of shoes or other personal items. Check with your local discount store to find specially designed containers for items such as ornaments, wrapping paper, dinnerware and footwear.

Repurpose Old Furniture

If you are storing old armoires, dressers or cabinets, make these items do double duty for you as storage spaces. Dressers can provide great storage for smaller items, and cabinets can be used to hold clothing, dinnerware or random items. Make use of the space on top of the furniture by adding wire shelving, which lets you store more items on top of the dresser without making it look cluttered.

Hang Clothesline From The Ceiling

Clothesline can be used for more than just hanging your clothes out to dry. Hang clothesline in your storage unit and use it to hang garland and holiday wreathes. You won't have to store these items in large boxes, and you'll get them off the floor in your storage space, leaving you more room for other items. You can also use the clothesline to hang coats and clothing, but be sure you store them in garment bags to keep them protected from dirt.

Get the most out of every square inch of your public storage unit using these ideas and a few of your own. Your unit can be clean, tidy and organized with simple changes to the way you store your items.