Thanks to our friends at StorageUnits.org for this informative guest blog.

Storage space – you can never have enough. Clutter piles up, closets overflow and garages fill up quickly with your belongings. If you’re low on space, you don’t have to remodel your interior and add more closets. The simple solution is self-storage. With a self-storage unit, you can keep your stuff in a dedicated place away from home and have it nearby when you need it.

What is Self-Storage?

Self-storage comes in handy for anyone who needs to make space in their home or business. Storage facilities provide a convenient service for keeping and protecting your belongings in individual units. These units come in different sizes to accommodate everything from a few boxes to a complete interior’s worth of furniture and other items.

Though you have to pay for a unit per month, it’s a very reasonable price. Most facilities also give you a way to pay online or to upgrade or downgrade when you need more or less space. You can select indoor units with climate control to protect against heat and humidity or outdoor units with easy drive-up access. When you’re looking for self-storage units, you can select from many different types.

STORAGE LOCKERS

Storage lockers are much smaller than storage units. They usually have low ceilings and measure as small as 3 feet by 3 feet. They’re perfect for storing items such as luggage, school and office supplies, automotive tools and other small items. Lockers are also located inside the facility and may or may not include climate control to regulate both the temperature and the humidity. If you’re storing photo albums and other sensitive items, climate control is the way to go.

STORAGE UNITS

Storage units are larger than storage lockers but serve the same purpose: to keep your stuff safe and secured. The units are available both inside and outside of the facility and vary in size from a standard closet to a three-bedroom house. Many people use storage units when they’re moving or if they have too many items and not enough space for everything. If you can’t part with your belongings but need them out of the way, storage units are your best option.

STORAGE SHEDS

People who have a lot of backyard space sometimes invest in storage sheds to keep their things organized out of the house. Sheds vary in price, but they all have one thing in common: They fill up quickly and take up space in your yard. Some storage facilities also have storage sheds on-site away from the connected units. You can still use these sheds for storing your belongings, but they don’t normally have climate control.

6 Reasons to Use Self-Storage

1. Moving to a new location – Whether you’re moving across town or to a new city, storage units can make your life easier. They give you a spot to store your stuff and to keep it organized while you move into your new place. Take out what you need, and leave the other stuff inside the unit until you get things situated back at home. If you can’t take certain things with you but want to keep them for later, you can rent a storage unit and keep your stuff stored away until you come back for it.

2. Renovating your home – If you’re renovating or remodeling your home, you’ll need to get things out of your way while you work. Sometimes remodeling means getting rid of things that don’t fit the new interior style. However, what if you don’t want to get rid of anything just yet? Renting a storage unit helps to keep your belongings out of the way and protected until you figure out what to do with everything later.

3. Downsizing – The minimalist lifestyle is taking over these days as more people get rid of unnecessary items and opt for an emptier, more streamlined interior. If the downsizing bug has bitten you, storage units are your best friend. They keep your stuff tucked away and protected until you decide to sell it all, to donate it or to find a way to incorporate everything back in your home.

4. Getting rid of the clutter – It’s easy to fill your home over the years with things that you never use. These things get in the way and clutter your interior. Some people store their clutter in the attic, the basement or even a few closets. However, these areas run out of space quickly. A storage unit can act as your closet away from home, giving you a space in which to store things for a future yard sale or when you’re ready to pass down those items to your children.

5. Headed to college – A majority of college students live in dorms with hardly any space for their belongings. If they want to bring their full wardrobe, they’ll need a separate place for everything. When they leave college during spring and summer break, they usually have to take their belongings home with them. If you’re a college student, use storage units to your advantage. You can keep your belongings in a storage unit during break, reducing your packing time and freeing up space for the car ride home.

6. Running a business – Homeowners and renters aren’t the only ones who run out of space. Businesses need space for their documents, equipment and supplies. A clutter-free office is a more efficient and productive office. If you have copiers that you’re not currently using or loads of filing cabinets that take up space, it’s time to move them to a storage unit. If you’re running a retail store, a storage unit makes the perfect off-site stock room for extra inventory, sales signs and holiday advertisements.

What to Consider When Choosing Self-Storage

The storage facility near your home isn’t the same as the one on the other side of town. They’re all different in terms of cleanliness, customer service, climate control and security. Some facilities offer a free moving truck; others provide packing materials for sale. If you’re ready to rent a storage unit, keep these few things in mind before picking the first one on your list:

• Check for facilities with climate-controlled units. These units protect your leather furniture, photos, documents and other sensitive items. Climate control is good if you’re going to leave your items in the unit for the long term.
• Ask the facility about its security measures. A good facility has 24-hour video surveillance, perimeter fencing and secure access. If the facility allows you to use cylinder locks, it’s another sign that security is the facility’s top priority.
• Plan ahead. You don’t need to rent a larger storage unit than you need. After all, larger units cost more money per month. Though you can always downsize, you’ll save money if you rent the right-sized unit in the beginning.

Renting a storage unit isn’t rocket science. It’s about picking the right facility with the right amount of features at the right price. Because every storage facility is different, you should do your own research by visiting each one and talking to the staff. Good customer service goes a long way in selecting a storage facility for your belongings. Checking online reviews and visiting the facility will give you a good idea whether or not it’s the right place for you.