Protecting your household furniture and other valuable items from corrosion and mold can be problematic, especially if you live in a city like Madison, where the wetter season lasts for more than six months, and snowmelt flooding is all too common. Rainwater and melting ice can pile up around your home’s foundation, even with proper runoff and drainage. Thus, storing them in the basement is not a good idea either. If you can’t think of anywhere else in the house to keep your belongings safe, nor can you move to a bigger place due to financial constraints, don’t worry. We have just the right solution for you!
When you hear the phrase “storage units,” you might immediately picture big businesses downsizing or people moving homes. Yes, self-storage is indeed a fantastic option for all these people and purposes, but you may not have considered its advantages for yourself. Here are the five most common benefits of renting storage units for personal use.
1. Convenience And Ease of Use
One of the greatest benefits of renting out a storage unit is that you can access your belongings whenever possible. However, while most storage units can be accessed only during standard business hours, others provide 24-hour access upon request. Check with your local Madison WI storage facility if they can grant you additional hours of entry with a nominal fee. This will allow you to access your belongings whenever is most convenient for you, whether it’s in the wee hours of the morning or in the middle of the night.
Usually, you can rent a storage unit over the internet or by phone by paying a deposit. But some self-storage operations even have self-service kiosks at their facilities for the clients to browse units, compare prices, choose features, make a payment, and reserve a unit. Most kiosks also allow tenants to sign leases, apply for self-storage insurance, and access gate codes without making a call or waiting for assistance. Facilities also sell locks, boxes, dollies, and other moving supplies, so you don’t have to worry about buying them elsewhere and bringing them to the facility on every visit.
2. Flexibility
Flexibility is another major hidden advantage of storage units. You have complete freedom to increase or decrease the size of your unit based on how much space you now require to store your belongings. For example, you can rent a big unit to put away all your heavy winter clothing, Christmas decor, and holiday bakeware during summertime.
Similarly, there are no long-term contracts, and you can vacate the unit anytime. Most facilities rent out their units on a monthly basis. So, if you no longer require the storage space, you can terminate your rental agreement with as little as a few days’ or weeks’ notice. This can come in handy if you’re always on the move or live in temporary housing, or your home is undergoing renovations.
3. Protection From Environmental Hazards
When there’s no more room in our house, we tend to stuff all the extra belongings in our attics and backyard sheds. Still, these are dangerous places to keep our valuables because of low light, low temperature, and high humidity. Wood rots, metal corrodes, and mold grows quickly in a dark, cold, damp space.
If your stuff mainly consists of items that are corrosion-resistant or don’t rot, you can always choose to rent a unit without climate control. But if your belongings are sensitive to drastic changes in temperature and humidity, it’s always a good idea to keep them in climate-controlled units. Sure, they cost a few extra dollars than the standard ones, but they will protect your valuables from excessive heat, cold, and humidity.
4. Security From Theft
Your house may feel like a fortress, but when you own things with a high monetary value, it’s not wise to keep them all in one location. With multiple layers of security, such as 24-hour CCTV, and keyless electronic door locks with personalized codes, self-storage units often provide greater protection than most homes.
Most facilities are located in gated communities or high-security complexes, with guarded entryways, high fences, and outdoor lights to deter and detect potential thieves. All these factors make it nearly impossible to break into self-storage units.
5. Extra Space In Your Home At A Comparatively Low Price
As bad as it sounds, you may have outgrown your home if you’ve begun to feel cramped in your space or run out of storage space for all your belongings. Maybe your home was just the right size when you first moved in with your significant other. But since then, you’ve expanded your family with dogs or children, and now it’s too small. At this point, you may be tempted to consider upgrading to a more spacious home.
But if the price of a new house is too steep for your budget, consider renting a storage unit. It’s a quick and easy way to reclaim valuable floor space at your home. Bulky, oddly-shaped sports equipment in the hallway is not a pretty sight. Neither are the holiday decorations crammed into the cupboard under the stairs nor the barbecue and patio furniture that take up space in the backyard for only a few months of the year. From small lockers and closets to big garages that can fit a car or other vehicles, self-storage spaces come in a wide range of sizes to accommodate any collection. When you declutter your home and put away everything you don’t use frequently, you’ll be able to enjoy your space fully.
Moreover, as we mentioned earlier, self-storage contracts run on a month-to-month lease and can be canceled on relatively short notice, unlike housing agreements which typically run for a year or more. Thus, a storage unit may be more cost-effective and practical than renting a second apartment or moving to a bigger home, especially if you only need to store a few items temporarily.
Conclusion
There are several situations in which renting a storage unit can be beneficial. These include moving into a new home, remodeling your current one, or simply creating extra space for a more clutter-free look. If you’re on the fence about whether or not to rent a storage container for your belongings, consider the five benefits listed above.
