What Makes a Good Self Storage Experience?

When circumstances in life require the use of a mini storage unit, what features should you look for to be sure you are getting the best possible experience for your circumstances?

Before you begin looking for specific features, examine your needs. Will you need the self storage for a long period of time, or is it simply a temporary need for a few months?

Are you storing expensive or weather-sensitive items, or is it excess clothing that your store won’t sell during the summer or boxes of toys you need to clear out of your home during the sale process?

How much do you need to store? Is there a storage unit in that size?

Will you need frequent access to your materials, or will you move the materials in and leave them for a long period of time?

Do you need vehicle storage for an RV, car, boat, snowmobile or classic car? Can you store it in an open parking lot, or does it need enclosed storage?

After answering these questions, then look for a storage rental company that meets your needs.

Access
You’ll want a business that gives you access to your items 24/7 if you are in and out of your unit frequently. You don’t want to sacrifice security for this convenience, so look for a gated, fenced unit that allows access through a key code, or that has 24-hour surveillance so you can be let in at any time.

If you need climate control in a mini storage, you may find this feature inside a building – often a place of employment that may be locked and inaccessible during night hours. Before renting this kind of storage unit, be sure that you won’t be inconvenienced by the limited hours.

Security
Security can be a major issue, particularly if you need to store items of some value. Look for self storage businesses with electronic gates and lots of good lighting. A patrolled lot is an additional safety feature.

You may want to consider only those businesses that offer 24-hour, on-site monitoring.

Unit Sizes
It’s important to carefully consider your needs and see if the self storage company offers the size of storage unit that you need.

Here are some guidelines as you consider the amount of space you’ll need. Remember the units are cubic feet, so you can stack up to the ceiling, if the items you are storing allow it. If you can’t stack your items, you may need a larger space:

5′ x 5′ unit holds approximately one large pickup load full, or about 50 file boxes. If you are dealing with large numbers of boxes, you can multiply this figure to calculate the storage capacity of large units (for example, a 5′ x 10′ unit will hold about 100 file boxes) 5′ x 10′ unit will hold a mattress set, sofa, chest of drawers and a dining room set – the contents of a tiny, efficiency apartment. (2 pickup loads) 5′ x 15′ unit is large enough for approximately 3 pickup loads, or a slightly larger apartment for one person. 10′ x 10′ unit should hold the contents of a standard, one-bedroom apartment. It is large enough for some appliances and personal belongings as well as the standard furniture, or about 4 pickup loads. 10′ x 20′ unit should hold the contents of a three or four bedroom home, with major appliances and furniture, as well as personal belongings in boxes.

Climate Control
If you live in an area with extreme temperature fluctuations, very high humidity, very high heat or extreme cold, you may consider a climate controlled storage unit.

These units are in a self-contained building that has a heating and cooling system to moderate the temperature to between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit and keep the humidity controlled.

If you have sensitive documents, electronic equipment, furs or other valuables, you may want to consider climate control storage units.

Moving Assistance
Some locations for self storage offer the use of a truck, dollies or hand trucks during the move. This can save you rental on such equipment, and might be worth choosing the company that provides these services over another that does not.

Vehicle Storage
People often have a need for vehicle storage, and many self-storage locations attempt to accommodate that need. RV storage and boat storage are two common needs, but vehicle storage for classic cars, snowmobiles, and vehicles in the process of being moved is also necessary.

See if the self storage facility simply offers an open parking lot for vehicle storage or it is covered, and find out if there is extra security for the vehicle storage lot.

Want to Live an Extra 10,000 Years?

Self-Insure Your Deductible And Save Yourself Some Money

In fact one of the best ways to save money on your car insurance without changing your level of coverage is to raise your deductible.  If you can afford to double your $250 deductible to $500, you may be able to save hundreds of dollars a year.  If you can raise the deductible to $1000, you may be able to save even more.

Of course raising your deductible is one thing, while having the money you need available when you need to pay that deductible can be quite another.  In order to make this strategy work you will need to self-insure your deductible by diligently funneling your premium savings into a special fund that is earmarked strictly to cover your higher deductible.  You will need some foresight and some fiscal discipline to make this strategy work, but it can be a big cost saver in the long run.

Just consider the following scenario if you doubt the savings potential of raising your deductible.  If your current monthly premium is $100, raising your $500 deductible to $1000 could possibly save you $30 a month. Over the course of a single year you will save $360 a month simply by raising your deductible, nearly enough to cover the additional $500 of risk.

If you divert this extra $30 a month into a savings account instead of putting it in your pocket, you will have a $360 fund by the end of the year.  That fund will go a long way toward paying the extra cost of your higher deductible.  Continuing to divert your premium savings every month even after the first year will allow you to build up even more of a cushion, with more than enough to cover the cost of your deductible.

This type of exercise can have benefits that go far beyond mere car insurance.  The fiscal discipline this type of strategy instills can be very useful in other pars of your lie as well.  There are a number of areas where increasing your deductible can save you money – not only car insurance but homeowners insurance and health insurance as well.  If you are able to self-insure a higher deductible you can save yourself a great deal of money without sacrificing the coverage you need.

The fiscal discipline you learn while saving money on your car insurance can also help you build an emergency fund you can use to protect yourself from life’s inevitable ups and downs.  Learning to put money aside on a regular basis is an important skill, whether you are doing it to save money on your car insurance premiums or save for a comfortable retirement.

The first step to make all of this work is to contact your car insurance company or your insurance agent and experiment with several different deductible levels. Get a premium quote for each deductible level you are considering, and compare those premiums to what you are paying now.  Then sit down with a pen and a piece of paper to determine how much money you can save over the course of a year.  This will help you determine which deductible level is best for you.  After you accept the higher deductible and the associated premium savings you will be able to put your self-insurance plan in place.

Want to Live an Extra 10,000 Years?