With many different storage units to choose from, it’s important to understand your needs and your options. Although most storage units are comparable by price, there are many other variables to consider.

For instance, thinking about what you will be storing is important. Storing cars and RVs is much different than storing a bicycle or office furniture. For some, proximity could be the most important factor if transportation is limited (students, young people, etc.).

Read more to learn about the top 5 things we urge people to consider before selecting a storage unit.

Location

Location, location, location! When picking the right storage unit for you, you will want to consider your location and the prospective storage unit’s location. How far is your home to the storage unit? And how often do you expect you’ll want to go to the unit? Figuring out these two things will create a sort of calculus for a good storage unit experience!

Using the storage unit to hold things you’ll need to pop by and get every week? You need to find something closer to save you time and money (gas isn’t free as we all know). If you’re looking for a long term storage solution that you’ll only ever need to check out once or twice a year, you can probably feel secure in opening up your search radius a bit.

Cost

Similarly to location, cost is a huge consideration! And it can fluctuate based on a number of different factors (such as location!) What’s your budget? What can you afford to pay every month? Missed storage unit rent is nothing you want to mess with, after all a few missed payments and there’s no guarantee you’ll still own the stuff you’re storing! So really think about what you can afford. 

If you have a few storage units in your price range, but they’re smaller than you’d like, it’s better to be really decisive about what you’re storing. You don’t want to over extend your budget to hold more stuff. This might be time to declutter and sell some things in fact, if you can’t afford to store them. Alternatively, if you need to make things fit you can go full Tetris master and squeeze everything in – just don’t expect to be able to find anything fast!

Duration of Rental

The duration of rental, how long you need your storage unit is another huge question of course. Most storage unit facilities have contracted options for long term storage that might net you a nice discount as opposed to month to month, but if you’re not sure how long you’ll be in a pot or how long you’ll need the unit, going month to month for a little extra coin isn’t a bad option at all.

Have an idea of how long you’re going to need this unit, shop around with that information, and you won’t get stuck with something you’re unhappy with.

Hours of Operation

Earlier we talked about how often you’d want to stop by your storage unit? To that end how often would you be allowed to? Some storage facilities keep specific hours that they allow renters to access the unit. This can be a cost saving measure, a security measure, or just the way they do business. 

Be aware of the facility’s hours of operation and compare them to your own daily schedule. Would this be a facility that you could easily access? Will you have to take a day off from work to visit your storage unit? That’s certainly not ideal! Find a facility that keeps hours close to those of you, or find one that’s open 24/7. You never know when you’re going to need Great Aunt Pearl’s sewing machine!

Security 

Security means stuff like cameras, locks, gates, event security guards. Security considerations tie into so many of these other points in fact, the location of the storage unit might determine just how much security you want in a facility. If your storage facility is in an area that is prone to thefts, you might want to consider whether it has enough security for your tastes.

And there’s two angles to consider here — safety for your belongings, and safety and security for yourself. If you can only get to the storage unit at odd hours, you might want to make sure the facility has some security features present.

Conversely, if you’re storing stuff you’re not too concerned about, in an area without much foot traffic, maybe you don’t need the security.

All of these are just things to consider, let them influence your thoughts and decision making but you are in control of what means more to you, location or cost, hours of operation or security. A blend of all five? No worries! With these in mind you’ll be well on your way to making the right decision for you and your storage unit needs!