Rent a Storage Unit: A First-Timer’s Guide to Storing Excess Junk
Is your house practically bursting at the seams because of all the stuff you have crammed inside of it?
If so, you should rent a storage unit and clear up some space in your home. Studies have shown that approximately 10 percent of Americans are using storage units as of right now, and that number is expected to climb as the $38 billion storage industry blossoms.
Before you rent a storage unit, though, there are things you should consider. The last thing you want to do is rent a unit that’s too small or obtain one that won’t keep the items inside of it safe.
Here is a first-timer’s guide to storing excess junk that will help you get your hands on the right unit for your storage needs.
Go Through Your Stuff and Take Inventory of It
When you decide to rent a storage unit, your first instinct might be to run out to the nearest storage facility and sign a lease on one. Don’t do this!
Instead, your first step should be to go through your stuff and take inventory of it. You should figure out how much of your stuff you want to put into storage before you begin thinking about which storage unit to rent.
This will prevent you from renting a unit that’s either too small or too large for your belongings. It’ll also give you a better sense of what kinds of things you’re going to be putting into storage.
Purge Anything You Don’t Want Anymore
While you’re going through the process of taking inventory of your stuff, do yourself a favor and purge things that you know you’re never going to need again.
That old couch that is gathering dust in the corner? Stick it out on the curb!
That sewing machine that you haven’t touched since 1997? See how much you could potentially get for it on Craigslist.
That box of baseball cards that you retrieved from your parents’ attic last year? OK, keep that! But you get the point here: You can probably purge a bunch of things and cut down on the amount of crap that you have that way.
By doing this, you’ll be able to save yourself some money on storage costs. You’ll also be able to get rid of some stuff that you’ve been hanging onto for no reason.
Figure Out How Large Your Storage Unit Needs to Be
After you’re finished going through your things and finding out what you’re going to keep, you can start thinking about how big you actually need your storage unit to be.
You’ll find some storage units that are as small as 5’x5′. You’ll find others that are as big as 10’x20′. There are even some storage units that can fit things like cars, boats, and RVs.
You don’t want a storage unit that’s jampacked since it won’t give you any room to grow into it. But you also don’t want one that is entirely too large for your things. Look for one that can fit your stuff comfortably.
Consider If You Need a Climate Controlled Storage Unit
Are you going to put things into your storage unit that could potentially be affected by extremely high or low temperatures? Or are you going to place items into it that could warp due to high humidity levels?
If you answered yes to either of these questions, you most likely need to rent a climate-controlled storage unit. These units are great for things like:
- Wooden furniture
- Artwork
- Certain types of clothing
- Computers and other electronics
- And more!
A climate-controlled storage unit will be perfect for those who are planning to store any of these items at any time.
Search for Storage Facilities in Your Area
Once you have a good grasp of how much stuff you’re going to store and what that stuff will consist of, you can begin to search for storage facilities in your area. You can use this website to see which storage facilities are located in your city or town.
A good storage facility should have:
- Plenty of easily accessible storage units for rent
- Fair and affordable storage prices
- Locked front gates, video monitoring, and other security measures
- Short and long-term storage leasing options
- Positive reviews online from past and current customers
There are reportedly more storage units in the U.S. than there are McDonald’s. So, you shouldn’t have any trouble tracking down good options.
But it could take you some time to decide which storage facility will work best for you.
Determine Which Storage Facility You Should Use
At the end of all this, you should have a good idea of which storage facility you want to use to store your things. They should be able to provide you with the storage unit you need at an excellent price.
Once you find the right facility, you can start moving your things into it right away. Just make sure you keep your storage unit organized from the very beginning.
This will make it easy for you to find things later when you need them. It’ll also leave some extra space in your storage unit for anything that you might want to move into it later.
A clean storage unit will also deter rodents and other pests from visiting. As long as you have everything in your unit packaged up, you shouldn’t have to worry about any unwanted guests making their way into your unit.
Rent a Storage Unit Today and Take Your House Back
Are your garage, attic, and basement all filled to the brim with things that you’ve accumulated over the years?
Rent a storage unit today to regain control over them. You’ll be able to use your entire home again once you purge items and place anything you’re keeping into storage.
There are many businesses that can benefit from renting storage units as well. Check out our blog to see why you might want to consider renting a self-storage unit for your company’s things.
