A guest post today –
I was moving to Chicago last winter, and neither my girlfriend nor I had a car. I did have a motorcycle, but it presented a problem. You see, we were coming from sunny Southern California, and were not yet prepared for weather prone Chicago.
Upon arrival, we realized our storage situation wasn’t going to work. Our apartment had street parking only, and the space we rented was smaller when we had our stuff in it than it was when we measured the first time. Self-storage became a viable option for a few reasons:
· It kept my bike out of the cold
· It gave us some extra space to work with
· It eased our transition, giving us less to unload
Here are some more reasons self-storage is something you should look into.
Downsizing a Home
If you’re moving to try and reduce the space you consume, storage can provide some solutions that are cost effective. Remember that you can purchase onsite storage units to give you a small garage space that you can use in your back yard.
If you’re downsizing to bring another child into the family, you can clear an entire bedroom into a storage container, retrieving or selling those items as needed. Hopefully, your downsizing is temporary, in which case storage will hold the things your new home cannot until you can afford a bigger space to store your possessions.
Creating More Space
Extra storage creates space in busy cities, where square footage is a commodity. Storage can pay for itself if you sell the items you are storing in a garage sale. Try holding items you no longer use in storage while you wait to sell them on Craigslist or eBay. Baseball cards, comics, and collectibles all accumulate value as they age. Storage long-term may be worth the investment if you can sell the items at a profit while clearing closet space for the things you use daily.
Storing Old Furniture
There is no reason to keep two desks in a one bedroom apartment. Furniture like that can find a new home in your storage unit while you update your décor bit by bit. Remember that you can store similarly sized items layered near each other to conserve space. You can also store antiques, and prep them for sale too.
Relocating
Storage units are good places to keep your items if you are considering a move. You can pack delicate dinnerware like fine china or wine glasses, and store them until you find the new place. This helps you keep minimal supplies on hand, useful if you need to show your current home for sale, and it makes the initial move easier. Take advantage of first month rent deals and time your move accordingly.
Moving the Kids
Moving the kids to college is another great reason to grab a storage unit. Your kids won’t want to haul their bed, their dresser and all of their other things with them to school. Moving their things to a storage unit also lets you rent the space out to someone else in need.
Storing Bulky Items
Storage units are useful for things you can’t practically store in your home for everyday use. Musicians can keep their instruments and sound mixing equipment in a storage unit, taking them out as necessary, or just using the space to rehearse. They also make for good places to keep records that build up over time, like tax forms, receipts and other paperwork. If you want to save money, carefully measure the size of the items you plan to store, staging them in a garage if possible, to rent only the space you need.
Security
A storage unit can be one of many inexpensive ways to store your valuables. Storage units utilize coded locks for entry, and the public is not freely allowed. Also ask if your unit has cameras recording entries and exits.
Start a Business
Outdoor storage units may have a policy that permits you to start a small furniture refinishing shop out of your unit. You’ll need to take precautions to protect the unit, like draping plastic around the walls and on the floor, but you can turn a profit with your unit if the terms allow.
Perks to Storage
Membership may come with perks, like discounts for a moving truck or boxes. These small costs help cut down on the price tag for your next move.
Storage is a small addition to your budget that can bring some big benefits to you, depending on how you choose to use the space.