Rental Storage Units: 8 Key Things You Should Know
Storage units have been around since the 1960s, offering homeowners, renters and business owners a safe place to store their surplus belongings.
Initially, traditional self-storage units were primarily used for business storage. In the state of Texas, self storage rose to popularity as a convenient place to store oil barrels. Today, self storage units are more commonly used to store extra belongings or as a middle point between moving house.
However, as the storage market has swelled in recent years, it has become more challenging to pinpoint the best storage unit for you. With a plethora of different sizes, types of units and various rules around access, choosing the right storage unit (and storage company) can be a bit of a minefield.
For this reason, Caledonia Removals has put together a helpful guide on rental storage units, covering 8 of the top things everyone should know when choosing a storage unit.
1. What can a storage unit be used for?
Storage units can come in handy in many different situations. Of course, we think of using storage when moving house, but self storage can be used for much more than this.
A storage unit can be used for:
- De-cluttering your house or home
- Providing extra furniture storage
- A middle point when moving house
- Student storage over the summer break
- Keeping valuable belongings safe and secure
- As temporary storage for seasonal clothes, garden furniture etc
- Storing tools or machinery
- As business storage for keeping files, stock, equipment etc
- As a quiet place to work, relax or exercise in
2. What should not be stored in a storage unit?
Just as there are many things that you should use a storage unit for, there are also items that should not be kept in self storage.
The things you should NOT use your self storage unit for are:
- Keeping large amounts of cash or precious jewellery
- Keeping live animals
- Storing perishable items
- Operating a business out of
- Living in
- Storing any dangerous or hazardous chemical
- Storing anything flammable or combustible
- Any illegal items such as drugs, weapons or firearms
3. How to determine the size of storage unit you need
Once you've determined what you need your self storage unit for, the next step is to work out the size of storage unit you need.
Storage unit sizes can vary drastically. From a small locker of only 10 sq ft to huge 200 sq ft units and everything in-between, there's no shortage of options when choosing the best storage unit size for you
As moving house tends to be one of the most popular reasons for renting self storage, we've broken down the size of storage you will most likely need for the different kinds of house moves:
- 35 Sq Ft = moving out of a studio or one-bedroom flat. Also suitable for business storage
- 50 Sq Ft = Minimum space required for a house move or for storing large pieces of furniture
- 75 Sq Ft = Good size for a one-two bedroom house move
- 100 Sq Ft = size of a standard garage. Great for a two-bedroom house move or even a three-bedroom house move without too many large pieces of furniture.
- 125 Sq Ft = the ideal sized storage space for a three-bedroom house move with a good amount of items and furniture
However, the best and most accurate way to determine the size of storage you need is to speak with storage professionals.
Make a list of all the items you plan to store and then pass that information on to Caledonia Removals. Our team will be able to quickly work out the total cubic feet or meters required for your items, as it is not just about floor space but about the height of each container too.
Professional movers will make better use of the space available and ensure that all your possessions fit into one unit, rather than potentially taking two containers for items that haven’t been assessed, measured and packed properly.
To take advantage of this fantastic service and work out the exact amount of storage space you will need, contact our friendly team today on 01738 562983. We're always happy to help!
4. How to properly store items in a rental storage unit
The way your items are stored will impact the amount of space they take up. It's incredible how much space poorly arranged items can take up!
Luckily, this is a service that the Caledonia Removals team will be more than happy to do on your behalf. We are adept at packing, moving, and arranging furniture safely, securely, and effectively.
You can even request for us to handle every part of your self storage move, from packing the items, transporting them, unpacking, and then safely storing them in the storage unit of your choice. We'll even be on hand to pack them up again and deliver them directly to your new property when required!
Although not every customer may need this full removal service, it is one that many of our clients have enjoyed in the past. Check out our glowing removal testimonials to see what other customers made of our comprehensive storage service.
5. How to keep your items safe in a storage unit
When placing your belongings in a self storage unit, you effectively give responsibility over to the storage company to get your items safe and secure.
For this reason, it's important to take note of the security that is offered by the storage company you are considering.
Some of the most effective methods storage companies use to keep items safe are:
- CCTV surveillance
- Pad-locked container units
- On-site security
- Warehouse storage
- Access control systems on site
Caledonia Removals stores our customer's items in secure storage units housed within a warehouse, meaning that your items have double the protection against thieves and the weather. All our storage units are securely monitored by 24hr camera surveillance and on-site security. We also have proper guidelines for accessing your unit to ensure no unauthorised person can enter.
To inquire further about the secure storage facilities we can provide, contact our friendly team today.
6. How long does it take to move items into storage?
Moving items into a storage unit can seem like a daunting task. Not only do you need to work out what things are going to be stored, but you also need to use the proper packing materials to pack, sort and arrange your items.
Even after this step, you need to transport the items, which may require renting a van or lorry, depending on the number of things you plan to store.
Caledonia Removals offers an all-in-one storage solution to remove the stress and time it takes to prepare your storage facility.
Our team will gladly pack, transport and unpack your storage items in a morning's work. We use all the correct packing materials to wrap each item of furniture so it remains protected throughout its stay in storage.
We also conduct full inventories for all items going into storage so that we have a detailed list of what is held in each container. This makes life a whole lot easier for our clients as if they are looking to retrieve a specific item from storage, we will be able to quickly locate it quickly and arrange to have it out ready and waiting to collect.
To save yourself time and hassle, choose our very reasonably priced storage unit moving service.
7. Choosing the correct length of storage contract
Everyone's requirements for how long they need their self storage unit will differ. For some, it might be just a few weeks before you move into your new home, whereas for others, it could be months or even years, depending on your personal circumstance.
The frustrating part about self storage, however, is that you often have to commit to several months upon signing up. This means customers can quite easily pay over (or under) if their situation changes, as it often does when moving house.
After all, the last thing you want when moving house is to pay for an extra month of storage when you no longer require it!
For this reason, Caledonia Removals offers a rolling monthly storage contract for our self storage facilities to give our customers as much flexibility as possible. We can also offer a weekly payment schedule instead of monthly to give even more leeway, saving customers money, stress and frustration.
8. How much does it cost to rent a storage unit?
A few factors will impact the cost of renting storage units. These include:
- The length of time you store your items for
- The size of storage unit you require
- The location of the storage unit
- Any extra removal services (packing, transport etc.).
Caledonia Removals prides itself on offering affordable storage solutions in Perth and across the UK. However, as each person’s storage need is different, we provide tailored quotes to all our customers to ensure the best storage deal possible.
Please read our FAQs for a storage unit price breakdown, or contact us directly for a free, no-obligation price quote.
Booking a secure storage unit in Perth
If you are interested in booking a secure storage unit in Perth or anywhere else across Scotland, please don't hesitate to get in touch with the Caledonia Removals team.
We can confidently handle every aspect of your removal needs and ensure that your items are stored safely and securely in a storage unit that fits your requirements.
Contact us today for a free, no-obligation quote and have all your storage requirements taken care of.
