The most common issue faced by people who are moving long distance to a smaller home is a lack of space. When you are downsizing chances are that you don’t want to discard certain items you are emotionally attached to. There are some items that you cannot move with you to a new place nor throw them away so easily. Renting a storage unit would be a perfect solution in such difficult situations – your treasured items will be kept safe and sound and you can reach them whenever you want.
Deciding on the type of storage unit you need
At some point of the move you will have to decide which type of storage is suitable for your household items. Consulting storage professionals will be helpful, however, take a look at the following considerations before you start your research.
– How much space do you really need? Making an inventory of all items that should be stored will give you a clear idea of the size of the storage. Remember that renting too big storage facility will cause unnecessary expenses, while too small storage unit cannot accommodate all of your items, so you will have to look for an additional one.
– Decide where your storage unit should be situated. If you are going to visit the facility regularly, make sure it is located at a reasonable distance from your current home. You don’t want to travel for hours in order to get the item that you urgently need.
– Indoor or outdoor storage unit?
Outdoor storage units are very large and spacious, therefore suitable for storing vehicles, furniture, recreation equipment and other large items. The advantage of an outdoor unit is that you can drive up to the unit and load and unload the items. On the other hand, indoor units are convenient for storing valuable and sensitive items, since there are some special features like climate control, advanced security system, protection against pests,…
– Check the accessibility, since not each storage unit is available 24/7. This factor may affect your decision regarding the company you will hire.
– Long or short-term storage unit?
If you are moving to temporary housing, the best option would be to transport your belongings to a short-term storage until your permanent residence is ready for you to move in. Just make sure that storage unit meets all standards in terms of size, temperature, safety, accessibility,…
– Special features.
A storage facility that will accommodate your household items should meet some basic safety and security standards. Temperature and humidity control is needed if you are going to store some delicate and valuable items. A storage company will be able to provide you with the adequate packing material so that you can pack and secure your precious items properly.
– Get an insurance.
Check whether your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance will cover the items while in storage. Alternatively, purchase an additional insurance from the storage company.
Finding suitable storage unit for your possessions is not an easy task and researching storage professionals might take a while. Now that you have established what kind of storage you are looking for, it is time to visit a couple of units and ask some questions.
Reading online reviews will help you identify potentially fraudulent companies. Contact and visit several locations before signing any document. Take a walk around the storage unit you are going to rent. Also, bare in mind that convenient location does not mean much if your items are kept in a dirty or infested storage facility. It’s up to you to choose whether you will be driving an extra 10-20 minutes to the storage area or you will have your items stored in bad conditions.
