Fancy storage solutions do come with a
price, and you may not need all the fringe services offered. Understand your
storage needs before signing on the dotted line.
There are many types of storage solution available in the market today and very often, it is hard to make the right choice. Whether it is a self storage or a premium storage solution, you can keep those self storage prices down if you know exactly the kinds of service and facility you need.
Most of us need extra space at some point in
our lives to store our personal possessions. Whether you are moving to a
different state for a new job, a bigger house with your family, or simply
storing your personal belongings away for a few months while you travel to see
the world, there will be a time when we need to decide on a storage solution
that could best suit our needs.
Self storage or “Do-It-Yourself” storage
solution is fast becoming popular among people who prefer a more flexible way
of storing their stuff. Unlike traditional storage methods, which basically involved
removal companies and large storage organizations storing your possessions on
your behalf (and that means having to play by their rules such as long contracts
and little flexibility), self-storage allows you to rent storage space
according to your own requirements such as size and duration of storage, and
types of services needed. Self storage is a no-frill storage solution, and
because of that, self storage prices are often a lot cheaper than traditional
storage solutions.
However, prices do vary considerably even among
self storage solutions. So how do you choose the right one? The answer is: you
should pay only for what you need. When asking for a self storage quote, do examine
the following:
1. Space Requirement
Choosing the right self storage unit size ensures
that you only pay for what you need. Most self storage companies offer tips on
maximizing your storage space and some even have calculators on their websites to
help you with your space estimation. Be sure you make full use of them. If a
self-storage company offers you a minimum size that is more than you need, move
on to one that can match your requirement.
2. Duration of Storage
How long are you planning to store your
possessions? Three years? Three months? Or three weeks? If you are storing your
possessions for only a couple of weeks, be sure to choose a self storage
facility that offers weekly or even daily rental options (some only do monthly
contracts). If you are not sure about your schedule, always go for the ones that
are willing to refund you for the unused time. On the other hand, if you are
storing your possessions on a longer-term basis, you are in a much better
position to negotiate for a better self storage price
because your business means stability to these companies.
3. Auxiliary Services
Most self storage quotes come with free
security features such as guards, CCTV, alarms and other security measures.
These features are necessary and should already be part of the self storage price
that you are paying. However, there are other services which you may not need,
but are already built into the self storage prices. For example, some companies
offer twenty-four hour access to your storage unit. It may sound like a
wonderful free service to have, but if you think about it, it is not really
“free”. Having all hours access means that the company has to employ more workers
to operate the self storage facility around-the-clock. Guess where is the cost
transferred to? Of course, there are always people who have the need to access
their possessions in the middle of the night, but the question you want to ask
yourself is, do you? Would you drive down to the storage facility at three
o’clock in the morning? If the answer is “no”, then you might be better off
choosing a self storage quote without a twenty-four hour access service.
You can save yourself a lot of money if you
understand your storage needs before committing yourself. So choose wisely!
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