The Pros and Cons of Self Storage Rental
When you are moving home you can find yourself with a few days, weeks or even moths where you aren’t able to move your belongings from your old house into your new one. Perhaps you have bought new furniture that will be delivered before your move and don’t have anywhere to keep it. Or, possibly, you may be left with large items that you don’t want in your new house but want to keep hold of in order to sell. There are also sometimes problems faced on moving day when you, unfortunately, realize that huge three seater sofa just won’t fit through your new front door and you have to find a quick solution to store it until you decide what to do with it!
Whatever your reasons, you may well be considering hiring a self-storage unit to safely protect your belongings. But is this really the best way to keep your belongings safe? Is it really necessary?
Here are the benefits and disadvantages of hiring a self-storage facility to look after your things.
Contents
The Pros
Space
Essentially what a storage unit does is give you more space. By hiring a storage unit you’ve just given yourself whole additional area where you can store things that you don’t need immediate access to but still want to keep hold of.
Self-storage units come in varied sizes, but if you carefully pack your belongings and think about the shape and size of the unit you can utilize all the space and easily fit many items, both large and small into it.
Using a self-storage unit to keep items you want but don’t need all the time, such as ski and snowboard gear, for example, are a great way to free up space in your home and keep it looking neat and orderly.
Reliability
Storage units are safe and reliable. Not only do you get your own padlock to safely secure and lock up your belongings in the unit itself, but most have their own security and a sign in and sign out system to make you feel assured that your belongings are being looked after and are safe and secure.
Insurance
Many storage facilities will offer insurance for your belongings so if in the unlikely event they were to get damaged while in the facility, you will be protected.
If you are planning to store belongings that are expensive and precious it is a good idea to explore this option.
Access
Most storage units allow unlimited access to your belongings so you can come and go as you please and take out items or add more items to your self-storage unit as and when you like.
It is important to check this before deciding on a self-storage facility, however, as not all are 24 hours and you don’t want to end up feeling frustrated if you can’t access your belongings when you need to.
Protection
If you are choosing between a garage and a storage unit in which to store your belongings you know that a storage unit will protect your belongings against severe weather, damp and mildew. In a garage, you cannot guarantee the same level of protection.
Time
Hiring a self -storage unit means you have relieved yourself of the worry or hassle of having to move your belongings from place to place.
You can hire your unit for as long as you need it, and some self-storage companies will actually give you a discount if you intend to keep your items there for longer periods of time.
Cost
Prices of renting a storage unit are generally lower than having to find a bigger house to live in to be able to store all your things! You only pay for the space you need and can end your rental anytime it suits you.
The Cons
Transporting your things
Getting your belongings to the self-storage unit could be a hassle, and if you don’t have your own suitable transport you will have to hire someone to do this, for each trip you make.
Access
Not having your belongings around you means that you can’t get to them whenever you like. Depending on the location of the storage unit being able to get to your belongings could involve a car trip wasting you the time and money. As previously mentioned not all self-storage facilities have 24-hour access so you need to make sure that you are happy with their opening hours, and that they don’t clash with your other commitments before you book.
Cost
Hiring a storage unit is not cheap, and if you are looking for a long-term solution to store your belongings this option could end up becoming very costly. Often people end up storing many items that they rarely use, as a way to quickly declutter their homes, or simply forget about the items they have in storage after placing them in there.
Before using a storage unit perhaps it is best to seriously decide whether you still need to keep these items, perhaps disposing of them either by selling them, giving them to someone who will appreciate them, or throwing them away is a better option that will save you time, hassle and money in the long run?
Insurance
Don’t assume you have insurance for your belongings if you put them in storage. If they end up damaged and you have no cover this could be very distressing and frustrating, so it is always good to check and be clear on what happens if such a situation was to occur.
If you currently use a storage facility to house your belongings why not:
Calculate the cost of keeping your items in storage
Work out how frequently you have visited the self-storage facility since you first rented it.
If you have been to the facility only a handful of times over an extended period, perhaps ask yourself, why are you using these facilities? Do you really need the belongings in there?
Weighing up the pros and cons of using self-storage companies before you make your decision will help you understand whether renting one is right for you. With these handy tips, you’ll know whether you are better off decluttering your home, and utilizing your current space, or if a storage unit is the right way to go!
Blog Source: Lix Removals |The Benefits and Disadvantages of Self-Storage
