A lot of people across the nation store at least some of their belongings at self storage facilities. There are at least 52,000 such facilities around the United States. Approximately one in 10 American adults have some of their items in storage in one. The number is growing, From 1995 to 2012, the number of people who rent self storage units throughout the country grew by at least 65%. If you are thinking about renting one of the many self storage units, here are some tips for finding the right one for you.
Storage Unit Tips:
- Good things comer in small packages. Get a great lock but make sure it cannot be easily cut with a bolt cutter. Sure you want to rent your self storage units at a reputable location with a decent security system but that does not mean you should not take some more precautions to protect your belongings. Get a lock that is weather proof, sturdy and small.
- Keep your stuff dry and dirt free by wrapping it. You will not ever be able to wrap every single thing that you own, you can wrap a lot of it with industrial plastic wrap. This will keep your belongings safe from bugs, dirt and any water.
- Do not let your belongings sit on the floor. It will cost a little more but your stuff will weather the time it spend in self storage units better if you buy pallets to put under your stuff. Think this is over kill? What happens if there is a flood of the entire building? Natural disasters can hit anywhere. What happens if another unit near yours has some liquid in it that leaks to surrounding units? Your items will have an added layer of protection if they are not placed directly on the floor.
- Save yourself valuable time by labeling everything you place in self storage units. Getting into the habit of labeling boxes as you pack them is always a good thing. You should also date the labels so that if you reuse boxes or bins. Some people, with larger self storage units, will even make a map of the storage unit and label where they put all of the boxes. You can keep a copy of this map in the storage unit and keep one at home. This will make finding items you may need a whole lot easier.
- Weather proof your stuff. This may not seem like a big deal because the unit you rent is in a climate controlled building but anything can happen with that. You will do yourself and your stuff a big favor by protecting it from any changes in the weather. Your stuff needs to be protected from heat and cold and any big changes in the temperature in general. Wrap in the plastic but also get insulated wrapping for your more fragile items or what you know may be vulnerable to changes in climate.
- Make sure you do not damage the unit. If you damage the unit at all while you are renting it, you can be responsible for damages to it. Read over your agreements carefully before you sign anything. Protect your items and yourself by not leaving any trace after you are done using the unit.
- Use your space wisely. Every unit can be useful but care needs to be taken when you load your items into it. Think about the old computer game, Tetris. If you liked that game, you will love packing your storage unit.
Self storage units are great for extra furniture that you may not have room for in your home but that you do not want to get rid of. If you have a few cars or other vehicles but not enough space in your garage (or if you do not have a garage), renting car storage units is a great way to protect them from the elements during the winter or summer. Long term car storage is a great option for people who know they will not be using their car for a while but want to keep it protected from the weather.
Regardless of what you store, renting self storage units can be a great way to keep your belongings safe.