If you find yourself in the market for a self-storage unit for the first time, you might not know where to start looking. Maybe you and your family are moving and need a place to store things for a bit while you get settled. Perhaps you have an overflow of items from a loved one that passed away and you need someplace other than your home to store it. Whatever the case might be, there are certain dos and don’ts of self-storage units. Here are several self-storage tips on what you should and shouldn’t do when loading up your items inside of a unit.
Do: Purchase Storage Insurance
Prior to reading this article, you may not have known that storage insurance even existed. It sure does, and if you’re using a self-storage unit, then you need to invest in insurance for it.
Consider it along the same lines of something such as rental insurance for your apartment.
You agree to pay rent for your storage unit just as you would for an apartment, and so, as the renter, your insurance will protect your items in the event of damage or loss.
This means things such as fire, water damage, theft, or vandalism of your property is completely covered.
Be sure to reach out to a trusted storage insurance provider to secure your belongings today!
Don’t: Place Perishables Inside the Unit
To some, this might seem like an obvious no-no, but it’s worth repeating in case you were considering it.
The main idea of a storage unit is to place items inside of it you don’t see yourself needing for a certain amount of time. It’s not necessarily a place you’ll want to visit on a weekly basis.
Because of that, you should refrain from placing any perishable items inside. That means things such as food or plants should not be placed inside.
Remember, you’re only renting the storage space, not buying it to own it. Leaving perishable items inside can make the entire unit start to have a bad smell that your storage provider may tack you for down the line.
Do: Label All of Your Boxes
As previously mentioned, you’re probably going to store items inside of the unit and not revisit them for a while.
While you may think that you’ve organized them properly as you store them, you will come back several weeks/months later and not remember what you put where.
That will lead to the infamous task of going through all your boxes just to find one item you desperately need or want. Staying organized can prevent that!
To avoid such a hassle in the future, be sure to label all of your boxes in an organized manner. From there, place all your items in a similar category close together so that you know where to look next time you need to retrieve an item or two.
Don’t: Store Invaluable Items Inside
Everyone has items that they can’t part ways with. The item(s) have too much meaning and backstory to them for you to ever throw them away.
However, depending on what that item is, you may or may not feel that you have a place for it in your house.
One thing you should never do is place those invaluable belongings inside a self-storage unit. If you can’t bear to lose it, don’t place it inside.
While you have storage insurance that will help you during loss, there’s no way to recover the meaning behind the keepsake items that you lost in the process. To avoid such a detrimental blow, be sure to refrain from placing them inside a storage unit
Do: Compile a Team of Movers
While it’s not as big of an excursion as moving all of your items into another house, it’s still a move nonetheless. Depending on how many items you plan on storing, the event might be quite exhaustive.
Try to gather as many people to help you with the move as possible. There are several ways that you can go about doing this.
First, you can hire a team of professional movers who will help you with transporting and organizing your items.
Secondly, you can save a bit of money by rounding up your friends and family members to take time out of their day to help you out. Try incentivizing them with pizza and beer/soda for anyone that helps you move. That should do the trick!
Don’t: Share Your Keys to the Unit
Depending on the unit that you rent from, your key might be a physical key for a lock or just a code to open the door.
Whatever “key” you’re given, be careful about who all you give it out to. Ideally, no one outside of you or your spouse should know the code.
If the occasion arises where you need your dad, mom, brother, or sister to swing by and pick something up, then you can give them the key for that purpose. However, if it’s a physical key, be sure to have them return it right away.
Also, be sure to purchase a strong and efficient key lock box for your unit to double-down on the security of your items.
Heed the Advice In These Self-Storage Tips!
Now that you’ve seen all the essential self-storage tips, it’s time to start with the first step and invest in storage insurance.
Be sure to read this article on why storage insurance is so crucial for all of your self-storage belongings.
For more inquiries, please begin by receiving your free online quote and we’ll be happy to assist you further!
I like how you mentioned to properly label all of your boxes if you’re going to store them so you can avoid the headache of searching through every box to find something. My wife and I are thinking of looking for a self-storage facility because we’re considering moving to a city that doesn’t snow as much as where we live now. I think it’s a good idea for us to consider hiring a reputable professional that can help us store our belongings safely if we do decide to move.