There are many mistakes you can make when it comes to finding the right self-storage for your needs. Storage units come in a variety of configurations from many different companies. Understanding the industry will help you pick the right unit for your current use case. You also need to understand your area to know which unit will be the best for environmental reasons. Here are some mistakes you want to avoid when it comes to finding quality self-storage units.
Passing on Insurance
Insurance is essential if you are going to store valuable items in a self-storage unit. The biggest mistake that people make is not getting insurance then having something be lost or stolen. Not every self-storage company will have top-notch security to protect your items. Making sure that they can be replaced is an important part of using self-storage. It can also be environmental issues that you didn’t account for such as heat or humidity that destroys your items. Either way, you want to make sure you are insulated from any damage that occurs to your property inside a self-storage unit. Obviously, there are limits, but it is important for you to find the right level of coverage for your items. Some homeowners and renters’ insurance policies can cover your losses in a self-storage unit. It is something you need to ask your agent about in case you decide to get storage.
Wrapping Your Stuff with Cheap Materials
Don’t be the person who puts your stuff in storage and then covers it up with newspaper. There are so many things wrong with that. If anything ever gets wet, the ink will bleed onto whatever you have wrapped the newspaper in. It is also a very flimsy way of keeping your items safe. If you are keeping things that can easily be damaged then newspaper is a horrible idea. A better alternative is to wrap it in something that does not have ink, and won’t bleed. Examples of what you can use to wrap it with are bubble wrap or something called butcher’s paper.
Keeping Food in Your Unit
This one is really obvious. Trying to store food is just a bad idea. You will attract a lot of rodents or bugs and your food will probably go bad. Even if you are storing things like rice and flour, the humidity of the storage unit will eventually cause it to go bad. You don’t want to go to your unit and then find yourself running away from all the mice and bugs that have gone in and had a taste of your food. You also don’t want to go into your unit and smell something only to realize that it’s your food that has gone bad.
Waiting Until the Last Minute
Always make time when it comes to your storage unit. That means making time to unpack and keep everything organized. One of the worst things that can happen is having to rush and throwing everything inside your unit before leaving. The next time you come back to it, it will be a mess that is almost impossible to clean. You want to make sure your unit is clean and nice by setting aside the appropriate time to organize everything inside. Alternatively, you can hire professional movers to help you get things looking great inside your unit.
Not Being Organized with Labels
While you may know exactly what you are packing into your unit, eventually, you will have to get those things again. This is why you need to label everything you put into the storage unit. That way, when it times to retrieve them, you will know exactly what is what. You can then exactly what you want from the unit without having to go through everything. It will save you time and a lot of headaches by simply adding color-coded labels on everything. Making sure you have clear information on what is inside each box so you can find everything you need quickly. You should also keep a log of what you have put into the unit and what you have taken out. That way you don’t spend time looking for something inside a unit that you are ready brought home with you.
Shopping On Price Alone
Don’t just look at the price when trying to find a good storage unit. While the price is important, there are many other factors that should help you make up your mind when looking for a self-storage unit. For example, certain items will require that you get climate-controlled storage for them and that will be more expensive. Getting the appropriate storage unit in the right area is critical for you so shopping on price alone is not recommended.
There are many things you should not do when it comes to self-storage. By focusing on making smart decisions and not making these mistakes, you can come out ahead when looking for and using self-storage. These are just a few tips and hopefully, they will help you in the future.
