HOW TO CHOOSE SELF-STORAGE

 

Extra Space for Extra Stuff

Holiday decorations, family heirlooms, kid’s toys that aren't played with anymore, but you just can't bring yourself to part with; these are the things that many people find themselves needing extra storage space for, and if you're like many people, finding that extra space around your home or apartment is impossible. That's where self-storage comes in.

You may have had rented storage lockers or units in the past, but if you've never even thought about it until now, until you are in desperate need of that spare bedroom in your house to be cleared out or that space in the garage to finally park your car, look no further than your local self-storage company. But where do you begin?

1. Storage Size

Knowing the size of the storage space you will need will be the biggest determining factor for the price you'll pay monthly for storing your extra belongings. Determining the size, you need can be a challenging, but here are some guides of the most popular sizes to help you with your decision:

• Locker: Think school or gym locker or slightly larger. This is a great space to store a few boxes, like papers and smaller totes, but not big enough for items like a washer or dryer. Not all storage facilities will have small sizes like this, but if you're looking to store a smaller number of things, this is the perfect size for you.

• Small, 5x5: About the size of a typical hall closet, this smaller size is perfect for holiday decorations or storing the contents of a bedroom. A twin and full-size mattress will fit a storage unit this size.

• Small, 5x10: This is large enough for a studio apartment, or a small 1-bedroom apartment if you don't have bulky furniture. A queen and king size mattress and bed frame will fit in this unit with no problem. Outdoor items like a kayak will be a bit too long, but a bicycle will fit with no issues.

• Small, 10x10: Perfect for a 1- or 2-bedroom home. Household appliances will fit with no issues and larger furniture like entertainment centers or small vehicles like motorcycles and ATV's will fit with no issue. If you have a trailer for your small vehicles, however, it will usually be too long from hitch to bumper to fit inside this size unit. If your belongings fit in a 15' moving truck, this size would work well for you.

• Medium 10x15: Almost the size of a single stall garage, this size will accommodate the contents of a 3-bedroom home. If you're planning to store a vehicle, this size will most likely be too small, unless it's something the size of a Mini Cooper. Small trailers for items like motorcycles and ATV's will fit in this unit, but make sure to measure the entire length from the very tip of the tongue to the taillights to ensure it won't be too long. This unit works well for the contents of a 20' moving truck.

• Large 10x20: This unit is the size of a single stall garage. This is the best size for storing a vehicle or the contents of a 4-bedroom home. Most trailers will fit inside this unit, but make sure to measure the full width to be sure it will fit inside the door opening, as it will usually measure 9' in width and 7' in height. This unit will work for the contents of a 26' moving truck.

• Large 10x25: If you have a home larger than 4 bedrooms or need to store a vehicle along with some boxes and totes, this might be the size for you. This is typically the size unit you will need if you're using a 26' moving truck with the addition to a truck load or 5x8 trailer of additional items.

• Large 10x30: This is typically the largest size you'll find, or the slightly larger 11x30. This is the size of an oversize singe stall garage. This will easily store a vehicle and the contents of a 1-bedroom home. This is good for storing the contents of a 26' moving truck in addition to a 6x12 trailer.

Drive-Up

2. Storage Type

Now that you know the size of storage you'll need, now you need to determine the type of storage you'll need: drive-up or climate control.

• Drive-up: This type of storage unit is just like its name, you drive right up to it and are able to access the unit without going into a building or hallway. This type of unit is just like a garage and typically is not insulated.

• Climate Control: This unit is air conditioned and heated and is located inside a building. If you have items that you're worried about being damaged by the heat or cold; photos, candles, etc., this is the type of unit you'll want to choose. Most climate-controlled units, because they are inside a building, will not be accessible for storing any type of vehicle.

• Outdoor Hallway/Breezeway: This style of unit may not be available at all locations but is typically cheaper than a standard drive-up unit. This is an open-air hallway, typically along a driveway, that offers a bit of protection against direct sunlight and some added protection from rain and wind but is not air conditioned or heated. Keep in mind that access to this type of unit will be in a hallway, so even though the unit size may be large, guiding larger furniture may be a bit tricky depending on the height and width of the hallway itself.

Climate Control

3. Storage Unit Door Size

One of the most forgotten details when renting a storage unit is how wide or tall the actual doorway to the unit is. Some storage facilities have doors to smaller units, like the 5x5, that open just like a door in your home, measuring approximately 32" in width, while others may have roll-up garage-style doors that measure closer to 48".

Although you'll typically find one door for your unit, you may run into a case where the unit you're about to rent actually has 2 or more doors. This can happen when the facility has remodeled and removed the divider between 2 smaller 5x5 units to create one 5x10. Rather than spending the extra money to replace the 2 existing doors from the previous smaller units, they leave the doors as they were, requiring you to buy 2 locks, one for each door. 

 

Build your own storage!

Ready To Rent

Now that you've determined what size and type of storage unit you'll need, you can do some price matching for facilities in your area to determine the best match for you. 

 

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