Tips for Renting a Storage Facility
The primary purpose of renting a storage facility is to provide a safe haven for your possessions when you need to move them from your home. Maybe you're moving. Maybe you need to de-clutter. Whatever your motivation for storing your belongings, it's important to protect your items from the weather, potential theft and any other form of damage. The bottom line? You want to collect your items in the same state as you left them, so it's essential to choose the right storage facility.
Review these tips from Woodside Self Storage and pick the right storage unit for you.
- Security is essential when selecting a storage facility. One of the first questions you should ask is what security measures are in place. At Woodside, we have a state of the art keyless entry system and a alarm protecting your goods, 24 hours a day. 7 days a week.
- It's also important to check when you have access to your unit. Many storage facilities, like Woodside, allow 24/7 access, but some are more restrictive. It can be frustrating if you can't get to an item when you need it, or if you want to start moving into a new home but have to wait until the storage facility opens again.
- The amount of space provided in a storage unit varies greatly. At Woodside, our units are generally 10x12 - a size that will fit most of your storage needs. You should make an estimate of the amount you want to store, and then choose space that's slightly bigger than you need. you'll find that our units are affordable, so even if you need more than one unit for your personal storage needs, we can help.
- Remember that you can never fill a space completely. You need extra room to walk around the items - especially if you need regular access.
- The price is an obvious consideration when choosing a storage space. There are a number of factors that affect the final price of storage space, including the space you need, whether climate control is provided and the location of the storage warehouse. Before you start looking for a storage facility you should make a list of your personal requirements and stick to a budget.
- Check the storage unit for signs of rodents or insects before you rent. Not pleasant to think about, we know. Woodside offers a brand new storage facility, minimizing the likelihood of running into unwanted visitors in your unit!
- How much are you planning on storing? If it's a large amount, you should ensure that the storage building provides access for a van or truck. It might sound surprising, but many self storage units don't have access for trucks. Woodside's easy loading/unloading facilities solve this problem.
- Do you need climate control in the storage unit? This increases the cost of a storage facility, but is essential for certain items such as documents or business products.
- Once you've rented a personal storage unit, the next step is to load your items safely and securely into the facility. It's important to keep your items off the floor using pallets if the unit is at ground level. If there's heavy rain or melting snow, you don't want water to seep into the unit and damage your items.
- You should also wrap as many items as possible in plastic wrap. This prevents the items from collecting dust, keeps out insects and stops needless damage.
- It might sound obvious, but make sure you label everything when you put it in a storage unit. It's easy to remember what's in each box when you first pack, but after a few months it's almost impossible to recall where you put that essential but elusive item. The more detailed your labels are the better!