Great Tips for Renting Self Storage and Saving Money
When you need storage, it goes without saying that you want to save some money and not sink a lot of money into a storage unit. Still, you want your belongings to stay safe, dry and clean and not have to worry about security. If you're on a tight budget and need to store belongings short- or long-term, here are some tips to stretch that budget and get cheap self storage that works for you.
Tip 1: Look farther from home
As you can probably imagine, the farther away from a big city, the cheaper self storage gets. Still, you need to weigh this against the inconvenience and think about how often you plan to go to the unit to access your belongings. If you need to drive 20 or 40 minutes out of your way once a week, it's not going to be worth it just to save a few dollars.
Tip 2: Pass on climate control
If you don't actually need climate control, pass on it to save as much as $50 a month. Of course, depending on your situation, climate controlled storage may be a good idea to protect your belongings for damage. Items that are prone to damage from changes in temperature include photos, books, documents, artwork, electronics and some type of furniture.
Tip 3: Get a unit on the highest floor
With most facilities, the higher up your storage unit from the ground floor, the more you'll save. Lots of people are willing to pay extra for an easier to access unit at ground level but this is an opportunity for you to save! If the facility doesn't have a large elevator, though, you might want to just go with a lower unit if the thought of climbing stairs makes you nervous. Either way, make sure you find a self storage facility that provides free dolleys and other equipment to use.
Tip 4: Go for the smallest unit you can
This is absolutely the best way to save yourself some money. Most people tend to overestimate how much space they'll need, wasting money for a larger storage unit, or just not maximizing the space the already have. Here's a tip: measure all of the boxes and furniture you plan to store and use vertical space, stacking light boxes on top of heavy and adding some cheap shelves to the unit for small, oddly shaped boxes. Use paper to sketch out the unit and where you'll store everything to make the most of the space, leaving a walking path and a bit of space between boxes for ventilation.
Tip 5: Do you really need a drive-up unit?
Sometimes drive-up storage will cost extra, although this isn't always true. If you have trouble lifting anything heavy, it may be worth the money. Keep an eye out for self storage facilities like Access Self Storage of Franklin Lakes that provide drive-up storage without adding more to your cost.
Tip 6: Buy your own lock
This may not sound like much but you should even watch how much the storage facility wants to charge you for a lock, particularly when you're on a tight budget. Think about locking your own unit rather than renting or purchasing a lock from the storage facility. Don't get something too cheap, though, as security matters. The good news is there are some storage facilities that give you a free door lock, like Access Self Storage.
Tip 1: Look farther from home
As you can probably imagine, the farther away from a big city, the cheaper self storage gets. Still, you need to weigh this against the inconvenience and think about how often you plan to go to the unit to access your belongings. If you need to drive 20 or 40 minutes out of your way once a week, it's not going to be worth it just to save a few dollars.
Tip 2: Pass on climate control
If you don't actually need climate control, pass on it to save as much as $50 a month. Of course, depending on your situation, climate controlled storage may be a good idea to protect your belongings for damage. Items that are prone to damage from changes in temperature include photos, books, documents, artwork, electronics and some type of furniture.
Tip 3: Get a unit on the highest floor
With most facilities, the higher up your storage unit from the ground floor, the more you'll save. Lots of people are willing to pay extra for an easier to access unit at ground level but this is an opportunity for you to save! If the facility doesn't have a large elevator, though, you might want to just go with a lower unit if the thought of climbing stairs makes you nervous. Either way, make sure you find a self storage facility that provides free dolleys and other equipment to use.
Tip 4: Go for the smallest unit you can
This is absolutely the best way to save yourself some money. Most people tend to overestimate how much space they'll need, wasting money for a larger storage unit, or just not maximizing the space the already have. Here's a tip: measure all of the boxes and furniture you plan to store and use vertical space, stacking light boxes on top of heavy and adding some cheap shelves to the unit for small, oddly shaped boxes. Use paper to sketch out the unit and where you'll store everything to make the most of the space, leaving a walking path and a bit of space between boxes for ventilation.
Tip 5: Do you really need a drive-up unit?
Sometimes drive-up storage will cost extra, although this isn't always true. If you have trouble lifting anything heavy, it may be worth the money. Keep an eye out for self storage facilities like Access Self Storage of Franklin Lakes that provide drive-up storage without adding more to your cost.
Tip 6: Buy your own lock
This may not sound like much but you should even watch how much the storage facility wants to charge you for a lock, particularly when you're on a tight budget. Think about locking your own unit rather than renting or purchasing a lock from the storage facility. Don't get something too cheap, though, as security matters. The good news is there are some storage facilities that give you a free door lock, like Access Self Storage.
