- Legal EditorHenry Dahut, J.D.
Henry Dahut, J.D.
Attorney - Legal Publisher - Educator
Henry Dahut is a licensed California trial attorney. Over the course of his 30-plus years practicing law, Henry has represented and counseled countless clients in legal trouble.
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When relocating, renting a storage unit provides an ideal space to store your personal and business belongings. Most storage facilities are highly secure, and whether your needs are short or long-term, most storage facilities offer a full array of unit sizes, services, and terms.
Three Types of Storage Services
You are determining the type of storage for your needs. In most states, there are three types of storage services: Full-Service Storage, Self-Storage, and Self-Service Portable Storage:
Full-service storage
Full-Service storage retrieves your belongings and delivers them to your storage unit. Most Full-service storage companies will write up an inventory of your belongings. The service comes fully insured against property damage and injury.
The prices are higher than self-storage facilities. Most offer at least five storage sizes. They are 5’x5′, 5’x10′, 10’x10′, 10’x15′, and 10’x 20′ storage units. The exact availability of sizes is also available in most self-storage facilities.
Many full-service storage facilities are temperature-controlled and offer 24-hour access to your unit. Temperature-controlled units effectively prevent mildew, mold, and other forms of bacteria.
Self-service storage
Self-Storage is the popular storage option for most people. Most storage companies offer a safe, secure, and affordable way to store your property.
With self-storage, customers deliver their belongings to the storage unit and have regular access to it to add or remove them.
Self-storage facilities will not be responsible for documents inside your storage unit. Therefore, taking inventory of your belongings for safekeeping is always a good idea.
Self-storage is much less expensive than full-service storage. However, the cost can be substantial if you plan on storing more oversized items, such as cars, recreational vehicles, and boats.
Portable storage units (PODS)
This form of personalized storage has become very popular over the past ten years. Portable Storage Units come in various sizes and are delivered to your driveway or curb for easy loading. The smallest unit starts at 5 x10 and goes to the larger 10 x 15 size. The largest size is a good fit for most two-bedroom homes.
Portable Storage Units provide a one-stop, all-inclusive moving and storage solution by bringing the storage unit to the customer and transporting your storage unit to the new location or into one of their many regional storage units. Be prepared to pay more for these premium conveniences.
For even larger space needs, you can mix and match their smaller sizes or rent their jumbo container, which is 16 feet long, 8 feet high, and 8 feet wide.
Outdoor Storage Is The Most Popular
Outdoor storage units are the most popular type of storage unit because they are also the most affordable. Outdoor units are not climate controlled but do offer 24/7 access and security. When you store items in these conditions, be forewarned that your belongings might be subject to high heat, moisture, and cold levels.
You should probably consider using an indoor temperature control unit if you have a sensitive property.
A 5 x 10 unit can cost you, on average, about $115./month, including insurance. Many of these facilities give away the first month free.
You have to buy your lock, which they will happily sell you, along with rope and boxes.
If you lose your key to the lock, the facility will charge you about $20.00 to cut through your lock.
Climate-Controlled Storage Is Costly, But You Get Better Protection From The Elements
Climate control storage units are environmentally sensitive and tend to be more costly. Climate Controlled storage units keep their spaces at a constant temperature range between 55°F and 75°F. These storage units are tightly enclosed units and, therefore, resist dust, pests, and humidity.
Some of the questions you will want to ask in determining whether you would benefit from a climate-controlled storage unit include determining the acceptable temperature range for your stored items.
If so, you should consider if those temperature ranges can damage what you are storing. Extreme heat and cold levels can damage furniture if not properly packed and protected with insulated covers.
The following two factors should be considered in making your decision:
Determine the humidity level of your storage unit.
You should consider whether you face the risk of pests, rust, and mold. Black Mold is particularly dangerous to your health when it grows on wood and then you are exposed to its air-borne spores.
Determine for how long you will be storing your items.
If you have valuable personal property and intend on storing the items for more than a year or two, obtaining extra protection would be a good idea by renting a temperature-controlled unit.
Storage Prices Depend on Your Location
Depending on where you live, a temperature-controlled 5 x 10 storage unit can cost you about $140./month, including insurance. Inner-city storage will be more expensive than rural storage facilities.
Prices fluctuate considerably from state to state for both indoor and outdoor storage units. So do your shopping and be willing to negotiate the price with the manager. They are often amenable to special discounts.
