Whether you rent it for a short or longer period, a self-storage unit can save you many problems.
For instance, you don’t have to dispose of all of those outdated pieces of furniture and further contaminate the environment if you don’t know where to store them.
On the other side, if you have small kids and valuable artwork pieces or some other fragile (and why not even dangerous) belongings, you can store them in a module, too.
Once the kids grow up enough, you can have your paintings back. Yet, storing delicate and expensive objects might be problematic if you don’t approach the task correctly.
Today, we will tell you what you can and cannot do when putting them in a storage facility.
Self-Storage Size Guide
The right self-storage module size selection is the thing to start with. By the way, even if your items aren’t so valuable or delicate, you should still do the measures correctly and end up with the proper size.
The self-storage module size is the main price-determining factor. Why pay extra bucks for free space you won’t need? Hence, if going back to the topic of valuable items, know that selecting a too-small size unit might cause serious problems.
While wondering how to stuff all the delicate items, arranging them the wrong way is possible. As a result, don’t expect your belongings to remain the same at the end of the service.
The Dos of Self Storage
Selecting the most suitable for your self-storage unit size isn’t the only thing that should be mandatory. There are many other recommendations to reconcile with to get the best offer and to provide the proper security for your valuable items. Let’s name them all.
Choose a Reliable Storage Facility
It’s very significant to look for a climate-controlled storage unit when you want to keep fragile items there.
If they are made of delicate materials, then low temperatures, direct sunlight, and humidity might ruin them all.
It’s also a must to research your storage company. The negative testimonials in the online forum websites will show that these facilities are inappropriate for your expensive items.
Take Inventory of Your Belongings
Although all self-storage units are comparatively safe, it is never unnecessary to take extra personal safety measures, especially if the company has insurance to cover omissions or accidents!
When you find your artwork damaged or missing, you will have to prove that it was in a concrete condition. So besides the list of your items, add to the inventory plan some photos, too. Have a copy inside the self-storage unit and one at home.
Label Your Boxes
We tend not to touch fragile and expensive items a lot to avoid any damage.
However, there is always a chance for you to need to get one of them after a 4-month self-storage period. Rather than opening all boxes and containers and putting the belongings inside them at risk, know your inventory.
Make sure to label each container or box with the things inside it. Have easy access to your belongings and avoid wasting time or damaging anything while searching in a rush.
Pack Strategically
Packing is an essential chore in the self-storage process. The better you pack your things, the smaller your unit will be. However, when you store valuable and delicate items, packing becomes a significant safety measure.
There are golden rules to follow:
- Put the heaviest items at the bottom of the box;
- The delicate items shouldn’t be mixed but packed in individual boxes or containers;
- Consider what to choose – a cardboard box or a plastic bin, because the second option won’t save your expensive fur clothes from mould;
- Have the essentials or the most often used and needed items easily found and at hand.
Purchase Self-Storage Insurance
Before signing the contract for the self-storage service, see if insurance is included. If it’s not, you have to request one.
Sometimes, the companies provide the insurance as an extra. Conversely, some firms offer double insurance with more risk factors covered for delicate and vulnerable items.
Purchase Strong Lock
The current self-storage units have modern and reliable locking systems. But if your company doesn’t offer such, get your own.
You can ask the technicians if you have the right to replace the default locks with some more reliable security systems. It’s an investment to make you will not regret in the future.
The Don’t’s of Self-Storage
We’ve listed the things you should do, so let’s move to the actions you must forget not to do when storing valuable and delicate items.
Read them below.
Don’t Store Anything Too Valuable
No matter how big the guarantee for the safety inside the storage unit is, sometimes you just cannot count on it.
Conversely, some items are too expensive and sensitive to be kept there. Please, avoid storing money, jewellery, investment gold, and other similar items in such places. Instead, choose a private safe.
Don’t Leave Items Unprotected
Protection means careful packing – with bubble wrapping – and an individual locking system. Both of these security measures should be taken under consideration. If you don’t want to regret it later, don’t forget to do all that.
Don’t Share Keys or Access Codes
The friend you’ve got for ages might be good to you, but if you don’t trust him enough, he shouldn’t receive your access code or storage unit keys.
If someone asks to share your storage space with you while you keep valuable items, you better decline the offer. Share with them the mechanism of the storage service, and thus you will be helpful enough.
Conclusion
Now you can confidently rent the most suitable storage space for your delicate and valuable items.
Make sure to check them out once in a while. If there’s a sign of a problem with any of them, on mandatory consult with the company’s employees immediately.
