4 Self Storage Questions You Should Always Ask

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Office relocations, residential moves and other major transitions can leave you with a big pile of stuff still waiting for its permanent home. On other occasions, you may decide that it's time to clear space in your home or office, but you still need to hang on to those bulky items. Commercial storage units can be a real lifesaver in these instances -- if you know how to rent them wisely. Here are four questions you should always ask before you spend money on one or more storage units.

1. "How Much Storage Do I Need?"

Figuring out how much space you should rent can be a real puzzler if you're not used to renting a storage unit. Fortunately, you'll have a wide range of sizes to choose from: Mini storage units can be as small as 25 square feet; these units are commonly recommended for personal storage equivalent to an efficiency apartment or office storage room. A 100-square-foot-unit can contain all the contents of a typical office. The largest commercial storage units may be 300 square feet -- enough room to pack several offices' contents inside. If you're storing more than half a dozen offices' materials, you'll need to rent more than one unit.

2. "Do I Need Climate Control?"

It might strike you as odd to spend extra money on a fully enclosed, climate-controlled storage unit -- after all, your chairs don't care what the temperature is. But think carefully about which items you'll be storing -- and how they might be affected by environmental extremes. Examples include:

  • Humidity - Humidity promotes mold, which you presumably don't want to see on your cloth-covered furniture. Moisture also causes wood to warp and rot. 
  • Heat and cold - Extreme temperatures can do serious damage to sensitive electronic components such as computer equipment and accessories.
  • Pests - Bugs, rats, and other vermin can chew up valuable papers and the cardboard boxes they're stored in.

If you plan on storing organic or electronic materials for a long period of time, it's best to invest in climate control. More robust items can take up a second, standard storage unit if necessary.

3. "How Secure Will My Stuff Be?"

Security should be one of your primary concerns when storing your valuable possessions or equipment. Make sure your storage provider offers both unique locks for each unit and electronic gate controls to keep unauthorized personnel from wandering through the facility at all hours. Some places even have state-of-the-art video monitoring and sensing devices. Ask whether the facility also has on-site security and/or management who can monitor the units and react appropriately to suspicious activity.

Taking out insurance on your stored items isn't just a smart additional security move -- in many storage facilities, it's also a requirement. In these cases, the facility may help you purchase such insurance right there in the office, or you can purchase it elsewhere and show the proof of insurance to the facility manager when you rent the storage unit.

4. "Outdoor or Indoor?"

Many storage facilities offer both outdoor and indoor units for rent. Which kind you require depends on how bulky your items are and how easily you need to gain access to the unit. the most versatile outdoor commercial storage units are "drive-ups." These units are equipped with their own loading bays for quick, efficient truck loading and unloading. Outdoor units are also located on the ground floor, which not only makes storing heavy items simpler but can also be extremely helpful for access by disabled individuals.

Indoor storage may seem less convenient than the outdoor variety, but they have advantages of their own. For example, the fact that many of them are located on upper levels (and protected by exterior walls and doors) presents an extra degree of security against theft. Indoor units are also more likely to offer climate control, though some outdoor units provide this feature as well.

Asking yourself and your storage unit company the right questions in advance can spare you a lot of trouble, confusion and possibly even disaster later. Armed with the answers you need, you can rest assured that your stored stuff is safe and sound!

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31 March 2015

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