Renting Storage
From BuildingHomes.ca
Greg Scott, June 1, 2005
When you are waiting to move into your new house, usually you have to move from somewhere else. Co-ordinating all the dates with can be difficult and sometimes they don't always line up. You may end up putting all of your lifelong belongings in some sort of storage while you wait.
Storage can be all kinds of things. Your parents basement, a friends garage, or a spare cubical at work. But in the event none of these things are available, consider commercial self-storage.
Self-storage places come in all kinds of sizes. You can rent anything from the size of a closet to a 10x30 garage.
Figure out what is the biggest thing you need to store and make sure you can fit whatever it is into the space you get. It's always better to have a too much storage as opposed to too little. You will always find a few more things you will have to fit.
Other things to consider:
Contents |
Accessibility
Does the place have specific hours that you can get to your stuff? Or are they open 24 hours a day?
Security
You supply your own padlock. Do they also have card-key access to the premises? Security cameras? Does this matter to you?
Locks
You will be supplying your own lock. Make sure it fits the door of the place. Sometimes they are rather difficult to fit certain locks in the bolt. If you storage area is outside, make sure the lock is waterproof and will stand up to the weather.
Proximity
Are you going to move everything at once? Or a little bit at a time? The closer the better. Consider some place right between where you are now and where you are going to be.
Cost
The closer you want your storage to a large city, the more it will probably cost. Check on the outskirts of town where land is cheaper. Call around and get some prices from various places.
Payments
Some places only accept prepaid cheques and not credit cards. Make sure you ask.
Insurance
No place will insure your stuff for you. So make sure you have your own contents insurance and that the insurance company is aware of what you are doing.
Cleanliness
Many storage places have rodent issues. Do not commit to a place until you have seen it. Look along the walls for rodent droppings.
Termination
Typically rentals are on a month to month basis, paid at the beginning of the month. If you decide you have to leave early find out what your options are, such as how much notice you have to give and if they refund partial months.
Weather
If you have an outdoor accessible area, look for a rain gutter along the edge of the roof. Rain and melting snow can run down on you when moving in/out of your storage area. Also check to make sure the door closes completely and will prevent snow and rain from blowing underneath. A floor sloping towards the door is also helpful.
What you cannot and should not store
The rental agreement will usually detail this, but a general rule is no chemicals or propane tanks. They run the risk of leaking, fire or explosion. Storage of food will usually result in small creatures eating it and making a home in your personal belongings.
Preparation
Wrap anything you really care about in plastic, or cover it with a tarp of some sort. You want to reduce the risk of possible damage from uncontrollable sources such as water, or rodents.
Check up on it!
Don't forget to check on your stuff every once in a while to see how it's doing, especially after or during the first big rain.
This is by no means perfect advice. It is just based on my own experiences with renting a few storage places over the years to hold various amounts of junk.
