Renting a storage unit is a smart move for a lot of people. You might be moving to a smaller home and you need somewhere to store your extra possessions. You could be looking for storage space for your business, or perhaps you need somewhere to store things while you declutter your home. Whatever your reasons for renting a storage unit, there are some things you should know and some tips you can use before you decide to rent one.
You Can Choose Between Managed or Self-storage
There are two main types of storage that you can access. Self-storage units give you access to your storage unit, allowing you to manage your items as you like. You can move them in and out or come and check on them when you want to. click+store involves pick up of your items, which will be delivered back to you when you need them. Both types of storage have their advantages depending on your needs.
Flexibility Is a Great Benefit of Self-storage
If you’re looking for a flexible storage option, self-storage is the best choice for you. With a choice of unit sizes and the ability to come and go, it makes it easy for you to manage the contents of your unit. If you’re looking for a more hands-off approach, a managed storage option could be better for you. You can forget about the things that you store until you want to remove them from storage.
Storage Units Are Great for Businesses
Storage units aren’t just for personal use. They can also be fantastic for businesses, allowing you to store your inventory and other items. You can use it for equipment, paperwork, promotional material and anything else that you might not have space for in your office. However, it’s important to remember that you can’t usually work out of a storage unit, especially because they don’t typically have power outlets that you can use.
Self-storage Units Offer Plenty of Security
Don’t worry about keeping your things safe when you rent a storage unit. Secure facilities help to ensure your possessions stay safe. Security measures such as CCTV, security staff, lighting, padlocks and more help to maintain a secure facility. Safety is also important, and any good storage facility will make safety a priority. They must take safety measures such as having fire alarms and other precautions to keep customers and staff safe.
Check Insurance Coverage Before Renting
Insuring the contents of your storage unit is important if you want to protect everything. Some facilities will offer insurance policies, while others will require you to take out your own. At Henfield Storage, you can choose to use our insurance or you can take out your own insurance policy if you prefer. It’s up to you to choose the insurance cover that works for you and gives you the right protection.
Costs Can Vary – Check for Various Charges
The cost of renting a storage unit will vary depending on a range of factors. The type of storage, location and the size of the unit are just a few things that make a difference. Check to see which expenses are included in the price and what might be added as an extra cost. You don’t want to be surprised by any additional expenses, so it’s important to know what you get for the price that you pay.You Can Store Most Things, But Not Everything
Renting a storage unit is a great solution for lots of problems, but it’s not always the right one. You can store many things in a storage unit, but there are some things you probably can’t store. These include hazardous materials, anything living (animals and plants), perishable items and food and, of course, anything illegal. Make sure to check what you can and can’t store before you rent a storage unit
To give you an idea about what “you can store most things” means, here’s a short list of the strangest things ever found in storage units:
- A live hand grenade. Forget the NASA rocket, this was a live hand grenade that the bomb squad had to detonate in Michigan!
- Body parts. A former medical examiner, Dr. Berkland had the “hobby” of storing body parts such as brains, lungs, hearts and tissue samples.
- 23 cats. Yup, you read that right. The woman who had put them there was fined over £700,000 and charged with animal cruelty.
- Knight Rider. That’s right, K.I.T.T was found in a storage unit in the United Kingdom, just waiting for Michael to return.
- The Lotus submarine car from an 1977 James Bond film. The man who purchased the storage unit didn’t even know the film but eventually found out and sold it to Elon Musk (CEO of Tesla Motors) in 2013 for $966,560.
- A comic book belonging to Nicholas Cage worth 1 million dollars. It was the a 1938 first edition Action Comics book featuring Superman on the cover, which he originally bought for $150,000.
- Never-released Michael Jackson tunes. Over 250 original songs were found in a storage unit by his father, Joe Jackson. No recording companies had a legal claim on any of the songs, which were reportedly worth millions of dollars.
- Aretha Franklin’s clothes. The Queen of Soul reportedly kept her clothing and hats safe in a Michigan storage unit after a fire in her home, until she stopped paying for the unit.
- A burglar. Mr Ronald Dennis is the only burglar to have ever been found locked inside a storage unit.
- A cannabis farm. One storage company in the United Kingdom found an entire cannabis farm growing in one of its units. Needless to say it quickly got shut down!
Note: All storage companies in the UK prohibit staff from accessing the units of all active customers, so you can rest assured that nobody will rummage through your belongings in storage. The privacy of the owners of the items mentioned above was not violated in any way. These items have been found in storage units sold after years of debt or inactivity.
Staff Members Can Help You
You might picture a storage facility as an empty building, but you will find that there are helpful staff members there to assist you. If you choose a self-storage unit, the staff members can help you during opening hours. Whether you want to ask a question or have someone who can make sure that you don’t get lost, friendly staff members will look after you.
Pickup and Delivery Are Often Free Perks
If you’re unsure about getting your things to and from your storage unit, you don’t need to worry about it. Pickup and delivery of your items are often included in the price that you pay, making it easy to store your things. With the pickup service from Henfield Storage, you can benefit from it once you have been with us as a self-storage customer for three months or more.
We have storage facilities in London and Brighton, and if you are located within 30 miles of any of our branches, the collection service will be automatically free of charge.
Check Who Is Allowed on Site
Storage facilities are wonderful places, but they’re not for everyone. While a storage facility should be safe to use, it’s still not the best place for children or animals. Before renting a storage unit, be aware that you might not be able to go there with the whole family. And you will probably have to leave Fido at home too.
Different Types of Storage Are Suitable for Different People
Before you choose to rent a storage unit, think about your needs. There are different types of storage available, and having your things stored for you might be better than having a self-storage unit. You should think about what size unit you need too. Many people assume they need the largest unit available, but you might need anything that big. Measure the things that you want to store so that you can get a better idea of how much space you need.
When you’re ready to rent a storage unit, get in touch with Henfield Storage to find out more about how to get started. With two types of storage available, you can find the perfect solution. Self-storage makes it easy to be in control and take charge of your storage unit.
