Self storage companies rent out storage lockers on a short term basis (usually monthly) to individuals and businesses for whatever needs to be stored. This is big business, with over 58,000 faculties offering this service worldwide – 46,000 of these are in the US alone (reportedly a $6.6 billion business). Access Self Storage is just one of many companies based in New Jersey that’s been designed for this exact purpose.
There are said to be four main reasons why people need these facilities, commonly referred to as the 4D’s, namely divorce, death, downsizing and dislocation. Put simply, it’s when people need to store furniture and household belongings for a period of time while their life is changing. These places help you make that transition much easier for you, taking away just one of the stresses that comes with a massive life upheaval.
But of course businesses also use these facilities. It’s quite common for companies to need somewhere to keep items such as:
- Archives and files – to free up office space
- Seasonal and excess stock
- Trade supplies and equipment
- Exhibition and event equipment
- Unused office furniture
Some of the stuff you may need to store will be of high value, so how do you know that these things will be safe in a storage locker?
Well, most storage units have their own security system, which you should investigate beforehand, and sometimes you will be able to ensure that for an extra cost, you have extra protection. Just be sure to seal anything valuable, take inventory so you know exactly what’s in your unit, and ensure that you have the proper insurance. Most insurers, such as Insurastore, will cover self storage facilities, but it’s best to check beforehand. With higher value items, you may need to pay an added premium.
Here are some great general tips for using a self storage locker that you should take on board before booking your own unit:
- Use pallets – keep your belongings off the ground.
- Wrap what you can to protect it from dust, damp and bugs.
- Buy an extra lock – security facilities will have security, but sometimes it makes you feel better to have your own peace of mind.
- Label – marking your items makes it much easier to locate them when you need to unpack. Especially if you need to find something before moving the boxes out. Some people even draw a map of their unit, marking out exactly where they’ve put everything.
- Consider the temperature changes – depending on your items and location, you may need to think about how the weather will affect your items. Leave an inch or so by the walls to allow for proper ventilation in all seasons.
- Pack well –even the smallest unit can hold a lot of things if you pack it to the best of your ability. Be sure to keep a path down the middle of you unit, so you can get to things easily.
Article Submitted By Community Writer
