Choosing a self storage unit can be a daunting task and needs to be looked into minutely as your household goods and precious items need a proper storage space. There are many reasons why people need a self storage facility but moving, relocation, death in the family and inheritance can lead to a requirement of a safe, secure unit where you can just stack the extra items while you also have the freedom to access it anytime you want to.
There are a variety of self storage units available and most people tend to over estimate and get bigger units that they actually need. There are a few points that should be kept in mind, before signing the lease of a storage unit such as:
- Do you actually require a climate controlled unit for the things that you are planning to store?
- What is the actual size of a storage unit that you need?
- Is the place secure?
- Have you looked up the conditions and agreement before you lease?
You need to be sure of the size the size of the self storage facility that should be rented. As there are a variety of self storage units in different sizes available to suit each personal and commercial requirement, knowing about each one is essential for you to plan in advance. We recommend that you go room to room or in any case write up an inventory of the items you want to store. For large items you want to put into a self storage unit, measure the height and width for accuracy. If you are storing a large amount of items such as furniture, drawing up a floor plan with measurements will help you to decide on exactly the right size of self storage unit for your needs.
The following is a guide to the sizes of self storage units and how much each type of unit can usually store:
1. The smallest is the 5x5 unit which is about the size of small bathroom and can hold about 30 file size boxes on shelves. It can also accommodate a few chairs and miscellaneous items.
2. The next is the 5x10 which is about the size of a large closet. The size is perfect to contain 1 room’s furniture or 84 file boxes without shelves.
3. The 5x15 self storage units is about the size of a walk in closet and is able to hold about three rooms of furniture but if you intend using only boxes then it will have about 130 file size storage boxes without shelves.
4. The 10x10 storage units are the size of a middle sized bedroom and are able to hold furniture of nearly 4 rooms along with miscellaneous items. You can either store 108 files on shelves or 168 boxes without shelves.
5. The 10x15 is a small garage sized storage unit has the capacity to hold 5 room’s of furniture or 295 file size boxes without shelves.
6. One of the bigger units is the 10x20 which is about the size of a car garage. It can hold the furniture of a 2 bedroom house without the small appliances or other items. You can also store about 379 file boxes without shelves.
7. The 10 x25 storage unit is perfect for storing the goods of a 2-3 bedroom home or 504 file size boxes without aisles.
8. The 10 x 30 units is a huge space about the size of a 1.5 garage which can easily accommodate the contents of a 3 bedroom home along with all the miscellaneous items.
If after reading the above guide, you are still unsure of what your self storage unit size should be – take your inventory with you and ask for the assistance of the personnel at your chosen storage company.
Houston Self Storage
Phoenix Self Storage
Las Vegas Self Storage
Chicago Self Storage
Orlando Self Storage
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
The Benefits of a Climate-Controlled Self-Storage Unit
Do I need a climate-controlled self storage unit? One of the biggest concerns regarding putting household items into a self storage unit is what kind of shape your things will be in when the time comes to pull them out. Since the 90’s, more and more self-storage units are coming equipped with a new concept, namely climate-controlled storage units. Granted, a lot of household items don’t require climate controlled self storage care, but there are many items that do.
Climate will vary from one part of the country to another, from excessive dryness to excessive humidity. These climate conditions can wreak havoc on certain items. The primary concern of storing goods, is what is referred to as “biological contaminants”. The following are the five main ones that can find their way into a storage unit and ruin personal possessions:
1. bacteria
2. dust mites
3. mildew
4. mold
5. viruses
Storing your items in a climate-controlled self storage unit will deter these from resulting, as well as other damaging aspects such as future health problems, musty odors, paper rot, and wood degradation. The extra expense of renting one of these units is always worth it down the road. Here’s a list of household items that are usually climate-sensitive and prone to damage.
Artwork, Books, Paintings, and Paper Items – Anything that is made with paper can succumb to paper rot if subjected to ongoing humidity. Pages will curl up and even stick together, as well as the print possibly “bleeding” on the page. And if the pages or a painting get covered in mildew and mold, they will all be ruined.
Clothing and Fabric – Fabric does not fare well when exposed to mildew and mold, and if exposed to dampness it can become covered in mildew and mold. Keep them in a dry, warm climate and they will love you for it and last a lot longer. On a further note, make sure whatever clothing you pack in boxes is completely dry.
Electronics – Because of the fact that electronics are very sensitive to moisture, they need a climate-controlled self storage environment. The easiest way to kill a piece of electronics equipment is to let moisture get to the inside of it. People that live in coastal areas, the deep South, and the Midwest are especially subject to very humid climates. With electronics, they need to be protected against moisture and extreme cold, so being able to keep them stored in a facility that is both dry and warm is a good idea.
Upholstered Items and Wood Furniture – Extreme deviations in climate does more damage to fabric covered items and wood furniture than you can imagine. Antiques are especially susceptible to damage from excessive dryness or moisture. They get covered with mildew, or get moldy, or the wood starts to rot. Mildew and mold have a staining effect and can ruin upholstered or wooden furniture, as well as cause serious health problems as well. If the storage is too dry, wood can crack or warp, ruining your wooden furnishings. Allergic reactions and asthma attacks are easily triggered by mildew and mold as those that target the human respiratory system.
The bottom line is that if you want any of these types of items surviving self storage, you might want to consider the long-term savings by spending extra money on a climate-controlled self storage unit.
Denver Self Storage
Los Angeles Self Storage
San Francisco Self Storage
Seattle Self Storage
Atlanta Self Storage
Climate will vary from one part of the country to another, from excessive dryness to excessive humidity. These climate conditions can wreak havoc on certain items. The primary concern of storing goods, is what is referred to as “biological contaminants”. The following are the five main ones that can find their way into a storage unit and ruin personal possessions:
1. bacteria
2. dust mites
3. mildew
4. mold
5. viruses
Storing your items in a climate-controlled self storage unit will deter these from resulting, as well as other damaging aspects such as future health problems, musty odors, paper rot, and wood degradation. The extra expense of renting one of these units is always worth it down the road. Here’s a list of household items that are usually climate-sensitive and prone to damage.
Artwork, Books, Paintings, and Paper Items – Anything that is made with paper can succumb to paper rot if subjected to ongoing humidity. Pages will curl up and even stick together, as well as the print possibly “bleeding” on the page. And if the pages or a painting get covered in mildew and mold, they will all be ruined.
Clothing and Fabric – Fabric does not fare well when exposed to mildew and mold, and if exposed to dampness it can become covered in mildew and mold. Keep them in a dry, warm climate and they will love you for it and last a lot longer. On a further note, make sure whatever clothing you pack in boxes is completely dry.
Electronics – Because of the fact that electronics are very sensitive to moisture, they need a climate-controlled self storage environment. The easiest way to kill a piece of electronics equipment is to let moisture get to the inside of it. People that live in coastal areas, the deep South, and the Midwest are especially subject to very humid climates. With electronics, they need to be protected against moisture and extreme cold, so being able to keep them stored in a facility that is both dry and warm is a good idea.
Upholstered Items and Wood Furniture – Extreme deviations in climate does more damage to fabric covered items and wood furniture than you can imagine. Antiques are especially susceptible to damage from excessive dryness or moisture. They get covered with mildew, or get moldy, or the wood starts to rot. Mildew and mold have a staining effect and can ruin upholstered or wooden furniture, as well as cause serious health problems as well. If the storage is too dry, wood can crack or warp, ruining your wooden furnishings. Allergic reactions and asthma attacks are easily triggered by mildew and mold as those that target the human respiratory system.
The bottom line is that if you want any of these types of items surviving self storage, you might want to consider the long-term savings by spending extra money on a climate-controlled self storage unit.
Denver Self Storage
Los Angeles Self Storage
San Francisco Self Storage
Seattle Self Storage
Atlanta Self Storage
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Moving Options
Moving is usually stressful, and even under the best of circumstances and planning, there is always a glitch. The more notice there is, the easier the planning will be and it is more likely that any potential issues can be addressed before they become emergencies.
The first step is to decide what parts of the move you will handle and if you will enlist friends, professionals, and/or other family. There are plenty of options to make certain that the move runs smoothly, with no casualties.
Packing the items you plan to take offers an excellent opportunity to repurpose items, have a garage sale, give to charity, or plain throw things out. If you haven’t used it in the past three months, then you probably don’t need it. Spend time to sort through the items and decide what to do with them, and once you complete that task you will have a better idea of what needs to be packed and moved. It is important to be accurate about what you will be taking because it will determine either what size moving truck you will need or what the movers will charge.
If you plan pack your things and move them yourself then it is best to find or purchase boxes that have not housed food or been around food, since the scent may attract bugs, insects, or rodents. If you are not in a position to purchase boxes for everything that needs to move then go to the local liquor, book, or automotive store and speak to the manager. Usually, these stores dispose of their boxes and they are happy to save the time of cutting them up by having someone else take them away. The reason for choosing these types of stores is because their merchandise is generally heavy so it will easily accommodate your household items.
It is important to spend the money on boxes for certain items. Computers, electronics, and televisions, need to be securely packaged to ensure that no damage occurs. Most local mail stores or truck rental facilities sell boxes and bubble wrap specifically made for the size and specs of most models of electronics. Another convenience is wardrobe boxes. These are also available at the local storage or truck rental facility. Wardrobe boxes are large boxes with a metal bar across the top to hang clothes on. If you have a large amount of clothing you may want to purchase an extension rod to hang in the truck or even a car hanging device that is made for the back seat of a regular car.
If this all seems overwhelming, don’t despair, there are packing services that will come in and pack each and every item in your home. Full service movers will also offer packing as a service. If you choose a packing service make sure you allow for at least one day in between either loading up the truck or the actual movers coming. The bonus with a packing service is that they will, for a fee, provide the boxes, the packing material, and the labor. The bad news is that often the packing services need to be booked well in advance and they can be pricey. It is imperative to get references, investigate if the company is insured and with whom, and look on the web to see if there are any reviews, complaints or negative press about the service. You can also inquire with the local police to make sure they have no claims of theft.
If you can handle the packing part on your own then you may be in the market for movers. There are two different types of movers. There is the full service mover which will offer everything from packing to loading your items and delivering them to your new home. Moving companies should be vested, insured, and bonded. It is important that you ask about their driving record, if they do criminal background checks before hiring, what is the contingency policy if they are late, and what they offer with the move itself. It is also important to know if they bill by the hour or by the job.
Most movers bill by the hour. The moving company should send a representative to your home to survey what you have and how long they expect the job to take. While the representative is there, it is wise to ask what happens if their estimate is severely off. Since you are paying by the hour you may want to know how they monitor their breaks and if you are charged hours plus mileage during drive time. As long as you have all the details and the facts up front, the move should prove to be virtually pain free. Of course, as with the packing services, you must check references, driving records, and with the local police department in their town of origin, the town you are in and where you are going. You have spent time and money collecting, making, earning, and buying your possessions over the years and you want to make sure the people responsible for their transport take special care with them.
The second type of moving company is mostly a driving company. There are companies that will allow you to load the truck and they will simply drive it from point A to point B. These services work well, but in order to be affordable they often combine more than one household of goods, so it is important to take a complete inventory and have the driver sign off and agree that he has loaded x number of boxes, beds, and so on.
Once you have secured transportation for your personal items you may want to think about pets and personal vehicles. If you are moving locally, you can bring the animals over after all of the items have been unloaded. If your pets have been in need of grooming or checkups you may want to drop them off on moving day to keep them secure and out of he way. In the case of a local move you can certainly drive you own car.
If you are moving a long distance or cross country you may want to keep the animals with you to ensure safe transport it my also bring a sense of security to drive your car. If you are planning to fly, there are transport services that will pick up your car and drive it to your destination. Transportation services will generally charge a flat rate and that will save you on gas and your car on mileage. It is important to write down the beginning and ending miles just to avoid any discrepancy.
There are a plethora of ideas, information, and options. Whatever route you decide to take the key to a successful move is not to procrastinate and be sure to get multiple prices before making a decision. Remember there is no place like home.
Find a truck rental.
Find certified moving companies.
Denver Self Storage
Los Angeles Self Storage
San Francisco Self Storage
Seattle Self Storage
Houston Self Storage
Phoenix Self Storage
Las Vegas Self Storage
Chicago Self Storage
New York Self Storage
The first step is to decide what parts of the move you will handle and if you will enlist friends, professionals, and/or other family. There are plenty of options to make certain that the move runs smoothly, with no casualties.
Packing the items you plan to take offers an excellent opportunity to repurpose items, have a garage sale, give to charity, or plain throw things out. If you haven’t used it in the past three months, then you probably don’t need it. Spend time to sort through the items and decide what to do with them, and once you complete that task you will have a better idea of what needs to be packed and moved. It is important to be accurate about what you will be taking because it will determine either what size moving truck you will need or what the movers will charge.
If you plan pack your things and move them yourself then it is best to find or purchase boxes that have not housed food or been around food, since the scent may attract bugs, insects, or rodents. If you are not in a position to purchase boxes for everything that needs to move then go to the local liquor, book, or automotive store and speak to the manager. Usually, these stores dispose of their boxes and they are happy to save the time of cutting them up by having someone else take them away. The reason for choosing these types of stores is because their merchandise is generally heavy so it will easily accommodate your household items.
It is important to spend the money on boxes for certain items. Computers, electronics, and televisions, need to be securely packaged to ensure that no damage occurs. Most local mail stores or truck rental facilities sell boxes and bubble wrap specifically made for the size and specs of most models of electronics. Another convenience is wardrobe boxes. These are also available at the local storage or truck rental facility. Wardrobe boxes are large boxes with a metal bar across the top to hang clothes on. If you have a large amount of clothing you may want to purchase an extension rod to hang in the truck or even a car hanging device that is made for the back seat of a regular car.
If this all seems overwhelming, don’t despair, there are packing services that will come in and pack each and every item in your home. Full service movers will also offer packing as a service. If you choose a packing service make sure you allow for at least one day in between either loading up the truck or the actual movers coming. The bonus with a packing service is that they will, for a fee, provide the boxes, the packing material, and the labor. The bad news is that often the packing services need to be booked well in advance and they can be pricey. It is imperative to get references, investigate if the company is insured and with whom, and look on the web to see if there are any reviews, complaints or negative press about the service. You can also inquire with the local police to make sure they have no claims of theft.
If you can handle the packing part on your own then you may be in the market for movers. There are two different types of movers. There is the full service mover which will offer everything from packing to loading your items and delivering them to your new home. Moving companies should be vested, insured, and bonded. It is important that you ask about their driving record, if they do criminal background checks before hiring, what is the contingency policy if they are late, and what they offer with the move itself. It is also important to know if they bill by the hour or by the job.
Most movers bill by the hour. The moving company should send a representative to your home to survey what you have and how long they expect the job to take. While the representative is there, it is wise to ask what happens if their estimate is severely off. Since you are paying by the hour you may want to know how they monitor their breaks and if you are charged hours plus mileage during drive time. As long as you have all the details and the facts up front, the move should prove to be virtually pain free. Of course, as with the packing services, you must check references, driving records, and with the local police department in their town of origin, the town you are in and where you are going. You have spent time and money collecting, making, earning, and buying your possessions over the years and you want to make sure the people responsible for their transport take special care with them.
The second type of moving company is mostly a driving company. There are companies that will allow you to load the truck and they will simply drive it from point A to point B. These services work well, but in order to be affordable they often combine more than one household of goods, so it is important to take a complete inventory and have the driver sign off and agree that he has loaded x number of boxes, beds, and so on.
Once you have secured transportation for your personal items you may want to think about pets and personal vehicles. If you are moving locally, you can bring the animals over after all of the items have been unloaded. If your pets have been in need of grooming or checkups you may want to drop them off on moving day to keep them secure and out of he way. In the case of a local move you can certainly drive you own car.
If you are moving a long distance or cross country you may want to keep the animals with you to ensure safe transport it my also bring a sense of security to drive your car. If you are planning to fly, there are transport services that will pick up your car and drive it to your destination. Transportation services will generally charge a flat rate and that will save you on gas and your car on mileage. It is important to write down the beginning and ending miles just to avoid any discrepancy.
There are a plethora of ideas, information, and options. Whatever route you decide to take the key to a successful move is not to procrastinate and be sure to get multiple prices before making a decision. Remember there is no place like home.
Find a truck rental.
Find certified moving companies.
Denver Self Storage
Los Angeles Self Storage
San Francisco Self Storage
Seattle Self Storage
Houston Self Storage
Phoenix Self Storage
Las Vegas Self Storage
Chicago Self Storage
New York Self Storage
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