Choosing a Storage Facility or Storage Unit 

When moving, decide if you will be packing and storing your items yourself or will you be hiring someone to do it for you?

Hiring a professional mover to come and pack up your belongings may save you some time and make things easier however, make sure that you do your research before hiring a mover. You’ll want to hire only competent and reputable moving companies before you trust them with packing and loading your belongings. 

Will the items that you are storing be sensitive to cold, heat, moisture or dust?

If you are storing items such as documents, electronics, computer equipment, stereos or television sets you may want to opt for indoor air conditioned or evaporative cooled units. Many storage facilities also offer dust-resistant storage for your sensitive electronics.

Will you want to retrieve seasonal items located in your storage space?

You want to store your winter wardrobe or seasonal household items such as holiday decorations or patio furniture. Knowing what you will be storing and how often you will need to access those belongings will help to determine what size space you need and how to arrange the unit.

What kind of access will you need to your stored belongings?

Not all storage facilities will allow you access to your unit 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Rules vary from one storage facility to the next. While some storage facilities may offer access 24 hours a day, other facilities have limited hours of operation which will limit access to your belongings. Determine this prior to committing to a lease.

Will you be storing items such as cars, campers, boats or other motorized vehicles?

Some self storage facilities offer outside parking, some offer outside covered parking.  Others have garage sized units that can accomodate motorized vehicles.  Be sure to determine this in advance before settling on a location. 

How safe is the storage facility where I will be renting my storage space?

Check out facility features before renting. Ask if there are cameras in use on the premises. How is the lighing around the property?  Are motion sensor lights in use?  How is the fencing around the property?   Are there individually alarmed units on the site?  Do the property managers live on the premises?