People use self-storage units in many different ways. Some people rent a unit for a month so they have somewhere to keep items while they are in the middle of a move. Others rent a unit and use it to store their off-season items so they can cut back on clutter in their actual homes. Still others rent a storage unit and use it to stash things longer-term, even years at a time. If longer-term storage is your game plan, here are some tips that can help you with your self-storage rental.
Rent a larger unit.
When you store items for years on end, there is a good chance you will want to take things out of storage at least a few times. This will be a lot easier if your storage unit is not stuffed to the gills. So, rent a slightly larger storage unit than you think you really need. When you do not need to stack boxes to the ceiling or keep sheets inside your refrigerator, you will be glad you did.
Clean everything.
Cleaning things is a good idea before any period of storage, but you can generally get away without cleaning smaller items, like sheets and clothing, when you are only storing your belongings for a couple of months. When you are storing things long-term, there is no leeway here. Your items must be clean, and they must stay dry—otherwise, they will almost certainly be moldy, smelly, and stained when you take them out a few years later.
Make sure you are covered by insurance.
The longer your items are in storage, the greater the chances that someone could mess with them or steal them. Choosing a storage facility with good security will minimize this risk, but criminals are sneaky and may try to break in. There is also a chance of fire or water damage over the years. Make sure your items are protected by insurance so you do not take a loss if anything happens to them. Some homeowners insurance policies will cover items you are keeping in a storage unit, up to a certain value. If yours does not, you can buy a separate rider to cover these items.
When you keep items in storage long-term, you want to make sure everything is clear and dry, that you have lots of space, and that everything is covered by insurance. Contact a storage unit facility for more information.
