Types Of Self Storage Units & What You Should Rent
If you’re looking for a place to store some of your valuables, whether it’s furniture, antiques, artwork, clothes, boxes, or anything else, then you’ve probably realized that there are a couple of different options.
Self-Storage Unit vs Indoor Storage:
The first option you might find yourself having to make is whether you want to rent an easily accessible self-storage unit or an indoor unit where you may have less access to your belongings.
The differences here are mainly in how your unit will be accessed and who is able to access your unit. Self-storage units are typically storage units that are accessible by car or truck and typically have a garage-type door that makes loading and unloading your vehicle fast and easy. This kind of storage is ideal if you will need to access it often, are storing large furniture, or don’t want to depend on anyone letting you into the unit.
On the other hand, you can rent an indoor storage unit. This kind of storage is more difficult to access because instead of driving your vehicle right up to the garage door and unloading your items, you’ll have to park your vehicle, unload your stuff and carry everything to your storage unit. This makes storing heavy furniture more difficult because you’ll have to carry it further and may run into narrow hallways and tight corners. Renting this kind of unit also typically means that you’ll have less access to your unit because you’ll most likely have to notify someone to let you into the building. This may make showing up after hours or in the early morning for whatever reason more difficult. If you would rather not rely on others to provide you access to your unit, then this may not be the way to go.
Normal storage unit vs climate-controlled unit:
The next option you might be faced with is whether you should rent a normal storage unit or a climate-controlled storage unit.
What is a normal storage unit?
A normal storage unit is simply a unit that isn’t climate controlled and doesn’t have extra steps taken to ensure the preservation of your valuables. Normal storage units are typically the drive-up self-storage units that are mentioned above. You’ll bring your vehicle and unload your items quickly and easily, no hassle required.
What is climate-controlled storage?
Climate-controlled storage units are just how they sound: climate-controlled. This means that extra steps are taken to ensure that the temperature of your unit stays in an acceptable range, usually between 55 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. When the temperature of a storage unit fluctuates below or above this range, your items may be damaged, depending on what they are and the materials they are made from.
But what kind of storage unit should you rent? There has been a hot debate on this topic for years. On the one hand, normal self-storage is cheaper than climate-controlled units, but on the other hand, you run the risk of damaging your items and making storing them no longer even worth it.
Normal self-storage is cheaper than climate-controlled because no extra precautions need to be taken to keep your unit at an acceptable temperature and climate. This means that the storage facility can spend less money while still keeping your valuables safe and secure from burglars and damage not related to temperature. It isn’t exactly cheap to control the temperature of dozens of storage units at a time, so storage facilities need to charge clients more money for this service. Depending on what you’re storing and how valuable it is, this extra level of protection may very well be worth it.
Something to consider when deciding what kind of unit to rent is what kind of valuables you plan to store. Some materials handle higher or lower temperatures than others, so if your items will handle temperature fluctuation, then you probably don’t need to worry about renting a climate-controlled storage unit. However, if your valuables are made of leather, wood, lace, etc., then it’s best to rent a climate-controlled storage unit and avoid damaging these items.
Here’s a list of popular items that should always be kept in a climate-controlled storage unit:
- Furniture
- Artwork
- Electronics
- Photographs
- Some clothing
- Musical instruments
- Wine
- Antiques
- Anything containing leather, wood, upholstery materials, lace, or metal)
If you’re worried about storing your valuable items and how they will fare in a storage unit, then it’s a good idea to rent a climate-controlled unit. If you aren’t sure exactly what your items are made of but don’t want to risk any damage to them, then you should rent a climate-controlled unit, even if it means spending a little extra money.
No matter what kind of storage unit you’re looking for, Vacationland Self Storage can help. Give us a call today to rent a storage unit or talk about storage rentals in Sanford Maine.