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Self Storage – Tips for Using Self Storage
An article provided by Simply Self Storage

With the downturn in the economy, many people are finding it necessary to consider ways to either downsize their own living space or make space available in their home for family or others who may be moving in with them to save money. As a result, you might find yourself in need of a self storage space to store items that you no longer have space for in your home.

Selecting a Self Storage Space

When choosing a storage facility, it is important to choose a storage space that is adequate for your needs. The last thing you want is to discover that you have a storage unit that is too small for your belongings.

Choose a self storage facility that is close to your home. If you need to go back and take things out from time to time, then it will be easy for you to run over and pull something out. Also, if your items are close to home, then it will be easier for you to go and check on your storage unit from time to time. Even though you will most likely have a lock on your unit, it is still possible that someone might break in, so you will need to check it occasionally.

Call several self storage facilities and ask about prices. You may find that you will be able to get your first month or even several months free rent if you call and compare prices, particularly if you anticipate needing to store your possessions for longer than six months.

Also, read the self storage rental agreement carefully. It is not uncommon for self storage facilities to have certain items they do not allow to be stored, for example, items that might be potentially explosive, particularly when exposed to heat. Although some storage facilities provide air conditioned units, not all facilities provide this benefit. If you store items that are in violation of the rental agreement and then there is some sort of damage to your unit, your rental agreement will be considered void, so read carefully.

Ask about security at the self storage facility. Some facilities provide excellent security, with cameras and security gating and even security officers. However, some smaller facilities may only offer the security you provide yourself by having a padlock on your unit.

Think about how you will store your possessions. If you plan on simply boxing everything up and stacking the boxes, then you will need much less space than if you plan on putting up shelving and being able to walk in and pull items out. Also, if you are planning on storing furniture, think about whether or not stacking boxes on top of the furniture will damage it.

Storing Items

Consider how you will store your items. Do you plan on boxing everything up or will you put standing shelving in so you can see everything you store in your unit? Also, do you think you will need to take things out of your unit from time to time?

If you will be boxing items, consider making up packing lists and numbering each box. You can even paste a copy of the packing list for each box on the front of the box, so you will know what is in the box. Being organized is one of the keys to making self storage easy instead of a headache when you start taking items out of your unit.

Regardless of whether or not you are boxing your possessions or simply placing them directly into your self storage unit, you should consider making up a detailed list of the items you store. This will protect you should items become damaged or you storage unit be broken into.

Other Options

Although renting their own self storage unit can be the best option for many people, another option is to rent a storage unit as a group with several other people. This option may be especially attractive to individuals who only have a few items or boxes that need to be stored for a short period of time.

Other forms of self storage include mini storage units, which are similar to general self storage but may be smaller individual units and may be available for shorter rental periods, vehicle storage, which includes space to store one or more vehicles that are not in use or need to be stored because of travel or other reasons, boat and RV storage, and long term storage for storage of possessions for periods longer than six months.

Simply Self Storage - What Could be Easier than Simply?
Simply Self Storage is the largest privately owned self storage company in the United States and Puerto Rico. We own and/or operate over 228 facilities with over 16.1 million square feet of storage space.

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