Long Term Storage with Self Storage

Long Term Storage with Self Storage
An article provided by Simply Self Storage

While permanent long term storage may be the right option for some, using a self storage unit for long term storage makes a lot of sense for a wide variety of reasons.

If you have items, such as businesses documents, that you have to store, but don’t often need to access, long term self storage is an ideal solution. You can add to or locate documents as they are needed on your own schedule.

Vehicle storage, such as car, RV storage, or boat storage, is ideal for a self storage situation. Many times the vehicles can fit into a regular self storage unit, with the exception of very large RVs. This gives your vehicle long term storage protection from the elements at a moderate cost.

Mini Storage is an excellent fit for long term storage of seasonal wardrobes. You can even treat a mini storage unit as an extra closet and rotate clothing every six months or so.

If you have chosen a self storage option for long term storage of excess business or personal materials, then you’ll want to keep a few things in mind as you prepare the items to be packed away.

Business and Important Personal Documents

With important papers and documents, either electronic or paper, it is a good idea to have backup copies of each paper and keep them in a separate location. If the only copy is in a single storage unit and something happens there in terms of a natural disaster, even the best insurance may not be able to recreate the information you need.

You may want to use locked file cabinets or firesafes rather than storage boxes for some of the documents.

Consider climate control storage for long term storage of documents to better protect against mold, mildew, and reaction to extreme temperature changes that are exaggerated by a metal storage unit.

Protect the information with proper packaging. Consider using static controlled packaging for DVDs, CDs or video tapes. For documents you wont’ have to access, use airtight packaging that protects from mildew or water. Place binders at different places in a file box to add structure and prevent collapse.

Avoid using newspapers in the same boxes with other important documents, since the ink can transfer to the documents.

Boxes need to be lifted off of the concrete floor to prevent moisture transfer. You can use wood, plastic or cardboard to accomplish this.

Tips for Long Term Storage of Clothing

Consider climate control storage for long term clothing storage. This units maintain temperatures between 50 and 80 degrees, which prevents problems such as mold and mildew, pests, molting furs and cracked and dried leather.

Avoid using plastic bags, including vacuum packed plastic bags, for clothing. These can not only crush fabrics and damage furs, but sealing clothing in an airtight bag may actually encourage mildew or mold.

If you are hanging clothing items for storage, avoid metal hangers. Allow space between the items being stored to encourage air circulation. A high quality garment storage box can be a good solution for clothing and furs that need to be hung for storage. A self storage facility will likely sell such boxes for long term storage. A garment cart on wheels is another option for hanging clothing storage.

Avoid adhesive liners for boxes or drawers where you will be storing clothing. The adhesive can attract bugs. Instead, use acid free tissue between articles of clothing and white muslin to cover clothing items.

If you are folding and stacking clothing for storage, put the heaviest clothing on the bottom.

Computer and Electronic Long Term Storage

For self storage of computers and electronic equipment, including electronic musical instruments, climate control is crucial.

If you live in a part of the country that tends to have extremes in temperatures, you will want to find a long term storage rental that provides climate control storage. Additionally, be sure that the facility controls the humidity level, since moisture can be devastating to electronic equipment.

Before committing a piece of equipment to long term storage, be sure the data on it has been backed up several times and stored in other places.

Use bubble wrap to protect the screens of monitors or scanner beds, but don’t wrap the equipment in plastic for long term storage. Instead, use sheets or pieces of fabric.

There is also the option of container storage at a specialized self storage company that provides container storage. With this option, the home or business owner requests a container. It is delivered to the site, loaded securely, then the storage company takes it away and stores it, usually in a stack of containers.

This is only a good self storage option for long term storage, since it is difficult to get access to the containers.

Need Storage Call Now