8 Brilliant Tips For People New To Self Storage

Self storage solutions are the ideal way to declutter your property or make a home move easier. Here are some key tips you must keep in mind. 

Are you thinking about using self storage for the first time? This is a great solution that has a wide range of applications. For instance, you can use self storage to declutter your home before a sale. By decluttering, you can ensure that your space looks larger and more grand. Alternatively, you can also use self storage to store some of your most prized and valuable possessions. With the right self storage solution, you can keep these items under lock and key and ensure that they are going to be completely protected. If this is your first time using self storage, we have some great tips that you should keep in mind. 

Find A Reliable Self Storage Company

First, you need to ensure that you are choosing the right self storage company. While there are lots of businesses offering this service on the market, they are not all equal. It’s important to find a company that you can trust with your items. One of the ways that you can do this is by checking out the reviews, experiences and past stories of customers. This will give you a clear idea of whether a business will deliver the benefits that you need. You should also be wary of a company that is offering rates that are too good to be true. This might suggest that they are delivering an inferior service compared to other competitors on the market. You need to conduct a thorough search and spend at least a few weeks looking at different options available. 

Take An Inventory

Next, you should make sure that you are taking an inventory of what you are planning to store. This is important as it will mean that you know exactly what you have in self storage and ensure that you can avoid any panics that you have misplaced items. As well as this, it will also help alert you immediately if anything that you stored is missing. You can even use this as a guide when choosing the right size of storage unit. 

Use Insurance

It’s important to protect yourself in case your items are damaged or even stolen. The right self storage solution will provide high standards of security. However, that won’t protect you completely. You need to ensure that you are ready for the worst case scenario here. A full insurance plan will mean that you are not at risk of suffering any financial loss if your items are damaged while in self storage. In some cases, you may be able to add this on to an existing homeowners insurance plan. It could already be covered so make sure you contact your insurance company about this possibility. 

Purchase A Strong Lock

Some self storage units will not provide a lock. Instead, you will be expected to supply your own. This shouldn’t be a deal breaker, but you do need to make sure that you are choosing the right lock. A strong lock will mean that you don’t have to worry about it easily being broken into. Make sure that you checkout the reviews for the best locks available. Alternatively, you can think about asking the storage company which types of locks they recommend for their units. 

Ask About Security Features

When you are checking out different self storage solutions, make sure that you ask about the different security features that they have in place. It’s important that you feel comfortable about the level of security available. For instance, some self storage solutions will provide on-site staff 24/7. Others will utilise remotely monitored CCTV systems. While this does mean that your self storage unit will constantly be closely monitored, there could also be a delay in someone responding to a breaking at the site. That’s why you should always enquire about security options. 

Don’t Store Anything That Is Perishable

There’s a lot of different things that you can store. However, you should avoid storing anything that is perishable such as food or plants. There are a couple reasons for this. First, if the products spoil or rot, then it might attract the interest of rodents and bugs. It could also create a smell that will ruin other items you are storing or potentially lead to complaints from the self storage company. That’s why you should check any items that you are storing to ensure that they don’t include anything that could spoil or rot over time. 

Pack The Right Way 

It’s important to ensure that you are packing your items the right way. This isn’t just about making the most of the usable space although that should be a consideration. You also need to think about how to keep your items safe. For instance, you should make sure that you are storing heavy items at the bottom and lighter items at the top. That way, if anything falls, it is less likely to get damaged. You may also want to label any boxes that you are storing. This will mean that you can easily find different items that you are keeping in self storage. 

Check Out The Unit Before You Store Anything

Finally, before you choose to store anything in the unit, you should check it. You need to think about the type of material that it is made out of and whether it is going to be sturdy enough to store your items. You may also want to think about whether the unit is waterproof and weatherproof. It should be but this isn’t always a guarantee. A thorough check will ensure that you won’t be worried when your items are stored away from your home or your business. 

We hope this helps you understand some of the key points that you should consider before you use self storage for the first time. In doing so, you can ensure that you are making the right choices and avoid some of the disastrous scenarios that people can stumble into here. You’ll be able to keep your items safe and secure in the long term.