There are times in our lives when we need to store our personal or commercial belongings. It could be that you are between homes or workspaces, or perhaps that you are going to university and looking for somewhere to store belongings that you don’t want to get rid of.

It could be that you’re renovating your office space and need somewhere temporary to store your equipment, or it could be that you are stocking up for the Christmas rush and need somewhere to keep your additional products. Or perhaps you just want to make some extra space for the longer term… Amongst others.

Self-storage containers provide the perfect solution. They can be convenient, secure, easily accessible when you need your belongings and are available at a reasonable price. They will usually consist of a purpose-built self-storage facility that is managed by a company, giving you access to one of their storage containers, or a separate storage container that is bought or rented specifically for you.

In a managed self-storage facility, the company will also help to ensure security, but some may have rules about the hours at which you can access the storage.

If you have never used self-storage facilities before it is important to remember that there are some factors that you should think about before using them.

Self-Storage Do’s

For self-storage to be an effective solution for you personally or as a business, it must be used properly. With this in mind, here is a list of self-storage Do’s to help you to ensure that you get the most effective use of your self-storage solution:

DO get a self-storage unit close to your home, retail unit, or office

Unless you are planning on storing something and not accessing it regularly, it is a good idea to find a self-storage unit close to your home, retail unit, or office. You are much less likely to go there if it is further away, and the money that you could save on petrol could be the difference between a difference in price rates.

It is generally much more convenient to get to a storage unit that is close to where you already are, and this is an important consideration that you should not underestimate.

DO consider the storage unit’s size

Storage containers are available in a wide range of different sizes. Of course, it would be disastrous for you to have a storage unit that cannot contain all of your items, but it would also be wasteful both in terms of space and money to have one that is too big.

When you are considering the size of your storage unit, remember that items can be stored vertically as well as on the floor of the unit, giving you a lot of extra useful storage space if they are placed on their end or stacked.

DO make sure that you pack your items properly

To ensure that your items are safe and can be properly and effectively stored, it is important that you pack them properly. If they are breakable or can be damaged, make sure that you use extra packaging to keep them protected. When it comes to packing the storage unit, make sure that you put the heavier, bulkier items in first, at the bottom, and the smaller, lighter, and more delicate items later on, at the top.

If you have some items that are especially big or bulky, you could consider taking them apart so that they fit more compactly into the storage container.

If you have a lot of small items consider putting them into boxes for easier storage or inside drawers or cupboards to save space inside the storage unit.

Try to leave room for an aisle through the container so that you can easily get access to its contents if you need to and give your items a clean before they are stored to avoid damage and attracting unwanted visitors or pests!

DO make an inventory

It can be difficult sometimes to remember what items you have put into a self-storage unit. It is not uncommon to hear people talk about how they have spent an age looking for an item only to find that it has been safely stored in a storage unit – or vice versa. With a detailed inventory, you can be sure of exactly what you have in there and what you don’t!

If you are storing a lot of items, you might also wish to think about listing where you have stored them – and labelling boxes or drawers, for example.

DO check what you are allowed to store

Some self-storage units have rules about what you can store and what you cannot. Whilst these may differ from storage facility to storage facility, there are some general rules about what you should and should not store in the unit.

Some of the items that you should not store in a storage unit include:

• Animals
• Plants
• Perishable food
• Flammable materials
• Ammunition
• Items that need a specific environment to be preserved

It is important that you first check what the rules are in the self-storage facility that you are using if you are using one.

DO think about security

One of the best things about renting a self-storage unit is its security. So, make sure that you don’t jeopardise this! Try to limit the number of people who are given access to your self-storage unit and keep it just to people who need access and who you trust 100%.

Whether you are leaving the unit for just five minutes or when you have finished in there and leaving it for months, don’t forget to lock it securely.

Final Thoughts

If you have items that you need storing on a short or long-term basis, a self-storage container is an ideal solution. It can store your items at a good price, ensuring that you have access to them as and when you need them, and above all, keeping them safe and secure.

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