Monday 29 December 2014

What I Never Knew About Self-Storage

All facts taken from Wikipedia naturally.

Apparently the first self storage existed in ancient China - I wonder what it consisted of? Self storage as we know it today has only been around 60 years if that.

Some self storage companies have free truck hire - makes me think which ones and whether they think I can be trusted with a free truck!

In the US, the total area of self storage would cover Manhatten Island three times. For some reason I expected more than this.

1 in 10 families in the US make use of self storage - good one!

There are literally thousands of self storage facilities popping up each year - not a surprise!

Self Storage for Domestic Users

Storing items is a great short or long term solution to solving all sorts of issues, where having less clutter and clobber around would be of great benefit. All sorts of items can be stored from boxes of trifling objects that need to be put to one side temporarily, to antiques, jewellery and vehicles.

You might want to store items away when going through the house move process, first of all to make space to prepare the house for viewings, and then to keep the new house relatively empty whilst decorating without falling over piles of boxes all the time. The option can also extend to more temporarily periods when needing more space at home, such as if a lot of guests are staying.

Sometimes circumstances mean that we have to be away out of town for a long time, and again this is where self storage facilities come into their own, with options for those who might be going elsewhere for a while but will need to come back to regular life and their belongings later on. Perfect for long holidays, and a better option than passing on your clutter to another family member.

These are just the most obvious ideas - many people have been far more daring and creative in their application of self storage. Just think what you could do with an extra piece of empty space.

Finding a self storage facility

Getting good advice on finding a self storage facility should not be too difficult, however there are a plethora of places around these days and the selection can be bewildering. Do you go with a big place that can upscale, or keep with a small family company that can promise a more personalised treatment? Is the cheapest necessarily the best, and do you need the storage to be local or more remote?

Once you dive in, the selection process becomes a lot easier. Speaking to the companies can give you a much better impression of what the place is really like, compared to browsing websites and advertisements fruitlessly. There may be some very good offers put on the table, but be warned that these may be temporary and that the real cost spread over the period of the contract should be your priority before jumping into any decision.

Also have a look around with a personal visit before you store or indeed sign anything. This is where your belongings are going to reside for a long time, so you must be satisfied that they will be kept in good condition and with ample on-site security. Bring a friend or colleague and see what they think.