Dos and Don'ts of Self Storage

Posted by Ashima S on March 14th, 2019

When preparing to rent a self-storage unit for your extra items in the office or at home, there are important things that you should know – the dos and don’ts of self-storage. There are various reasons as to why you would need a self-storage unit at some point in your life and you must look forward to a great experience. This is especially if you stick to doing the right things and avoiding things that can land you into problems. It is important to make sure you have done your homework before choosing a storage facility and signing that rental agreement. It will help you a lot knowing that you have understood the nature of storage you are signing up to and the kind of help you will get from it.

Things to Do

To get the right storage units Plano for your items, take some time to carefully make a choice of what you need. Here is what you need to do:

• Study the Market

Look for a number of options before settling on your preferred choice. Begin your search online and take time to compare issues to do with physical conditions and the rates guided by available information and feedback from past users.

• Assess the Security Measures in Place

Security is a major concern in self-storage facilities. Therefore, you must make sure that your items are kept in tight-security conditions. It is advisable to make a physical visit to the facility to get a feel of how things are.

• Organize your Space Well

Keep heavy items at the bottom and lighter ones at the top. Ensure that fragile items are well wrapped and packaged to avoid damage. You will also need to keep items that may be needed occasionally at the front section for ease of access.

• Record all Items in Store

Prepare an inventory of what has been kept in the storage facility. It is advisable to list the items as you move them from your premises and counter check as you put them in store. This will ensure that everything that was taken out of your premises arrived for storage in the facility.

• Ensure that your Items in Storage are Insured

You can start by asking the renters whether they have insurance covering items for their clients. If not, it would be prudent to get a comprehensive self-storage insurance plan for them.

Things to Avoid

Even with information on what you should do in your search for a self-storage unit, there are things you must not do. They are as follows:

• Don’t do Everything all at Once

There should be time allocated for doing the search, renting the facility and moving into the facility. Avoid the last minute rush and doing everything at ago.

• Don’t pick any kind of Unit

Self-storage units come in different sizes and arrangement. Make sure you understand your needs and only pick what you need. You may end up paying for space you don’t need or getting inadequate space.

• Don’t Keep Climate-Sensitive Goods anywhere

Remember to ask about climate controlled facilities for climate-sensitive goods. If you fail to do so, the items may be damaged due to harsh temperature and humid conditions. This is especially in regions where the weather conditions are extreme.

• Don’t Opt for Drive-Up units if you can’t manage dust

To avoid elevators and long walks, a drive-up unit may be the solution you need. However, you must be prepared to handle the dust that is common in such places. If you don’t have a solution for it, it is better to keep off such options.

• Don’t Store Dangerous Goods in Self-Storage Units

Beware of keeping toxic and flammable substances such as acids, gasoline and such like substances. Any unlicensed products should not be kept here. It is important to avoid such if you are to have a great storage experience. With the help of your insurance provider, you can get to know what can be kept in a rental agreement or not.  

Self-storage units are a great solution for those in need of storage space for their extra items at their premises or for temporary storage. To get a good experience with self-storage, there are things that you should do and others to avoid as discussed here.