At some point in life, we all need some additional space. There comes a time when your closet or garage is almost bursting at the seams with stuff that you are probably not currently using but will need it at some point. You could also be moving to a new house and need some space to store your belongings for a few days. In another instance, you could be renovating your house-an exercise that cannot be conducted with your things still in the house. Perhaps you have decided to downsize to a smaller apartment meaning that the new space cannot accommodate the things you had in your previous apartment. In all these scenarios, you need to start searching for storage units near you.
Choosing Between Storage Options
Finding a storage unit near is a small part of the entire process that is getting a self-storage unit. Once you have a location, you need to establish what type of storage unit suits your needs. First, you should consider the amount of space you need. This will then be reflected in the size of the unit you end up with. The goods that you wish to store also determine the size of the storage unit. Things like furniture will require a bigger space compared to other household products. There is also the issue of amenities in the storage unit. For example, there are climate controlled units that protect your items from extreme weather conditions. Of particular danger is the possibility of goods such as furniture getting mold due to humidity. Some units offer other amenities such as electricity. This means that you can plug into the unit’s power grid.
Items You Can or Cannot Keep in Storage
There are items you can simply keep in storage, and they will be just fine. However, others require some extra sense of caution. There are also those items that you should never keep in storage depending on the policies of the storage facilities. Things like electronics can be kept in storage and so is furniture. However, such things can easily get destroyed when exposed to extreme weather conditions and especially humidity. Humidity can easily damage the internal components of electrical products while at the same time causing furniture made of leather or fabric to mold. This means that climate controlled storage units are the best to store the above products. Other products such as food should be placed in storage after carefully exercising caution. Canned food and beverages are allowed by most facilities as long as they are non-perishable. Guns too can be permitted by storage facilities, but it is always important to check with the management first before placing your gun in a unit.
After carefully selecting one of the storage units near you, read the contract carefully as it contains the rules of engagement on issues such as access and payment. Be sure to ask as many questions as possible regarding what happens when there is a violation of the agreement from either side. Even though most storage facilities have adequate security, there are still cases of theft in storage units, make sure that you keep an inventory of your items regularly throughout the period they will be in storage. Also considers matters to do with insurance. Most of your household items will probably be covered under your homeowner insurance. However, there are exceptions with regards to insurance especially when moving. The facilities’ insurance does not cover your items placed in storage. There are some facilities however that offers customers tenancy insurance for goods in storage. Another alternative is merely to seek the services of an independent insurance provider.
