Leaving one’s worldly possessions for someone else to look after for an extended period is a big decision. After all, what you decide to put into storage elsewhere requires a great deal of trust and confidence on your behalf. Of all the options available, the world over, self storage has proven to be the best.
If you are considering this, for whatever reason, long-term storage at a self storage unit comes with its own pros and cons. It is important to know what these are so that you are armed with the right information to base your decision on.
You may be moving or downsizing, going on a long holiday, or having a contract that takes you elsewhere in the world for a predetermined period. Your possessions need to be safe in your absence. Also, you are sure to not want to hassle someone else, a family member or a friend, with your worldly goods to look after, are you?
Storage facilities like Stop & Store Penrith are ideal for this purpose. With a choice of three different-sized storage units to choose from, each of them provides adequate space for long-term rental of a self storage unit for household or business goods.
Prior to committing to a long-term rental of a self storage unit know what you are letting yourself in for.
The Pros or the Plus side of Long Term Storage.
Long-term is any period of time more than two months, but most commonly six months or longer. Often a self storage facility makes it more attractive to store for long periods, offering a long-term incentive. It’s good to enquire about it when making the first contact.
Financial Considerations
If you know how long you want the rental for, it is good to commit upfront. There may be some benefit in doing so and there is a possibility of negotiating a discount for doing so. It pays to ask, you never know.
Safety
Self storage facilities are renowned for their safety. Security is the top priority of a reputable self storage company as it is their mandate to look after other people’s goods for a particular period. This normally means that items of value like artworks, antiques, and fragile items are safe there. The temperature may be regulated through the insulation of the unit. However, it is the responsibility of the owner of the goods to pack them well, while the storage facility will keep the unit free of moisture and pests.
Access and Proximity
Mostly self storage units are to be found within reach of most cities and towns. The location of a good self storage company like Stop & Store Penrith is chosen carefully, making the facility easy to access from many directions. Ours, situated on the A66 just outside Penrith, makes it convenient for all in need of storage in central Cumbria.
This is one of the true benefits, which allows easy access for storage renters to come and go when they like. Opening hours are normally designed to accommodate accessibility when the unit is needed.
The Cons or Downside of Long-Term Storage
We would be remiss if we didn’t point out some of the drawbacks associated with signing up for a long-term rental. Most of these are avoidable, which is why you should check out the reputation and check reviews of the storage facility that you have in mind.
Contents getting damaged.
The reasons to check from the perspective of ensuring that the goods don’t get damaged or are in an inferior environment are obvious. Choose a self storage unit that is insulated and is not exposed to temperature swings from outside weather conditions.
Contents getting lost.
Ask about the way the self storage facility is secured. Does it have a monitoring system and how is it monitored? This will tell you about the safety procedures available. Theft and articles disappearing from self storage are uncommon, but it is wise to be sure.
Dirty Storage areas.
Cleanliness is easy to spot when visiting a self storage facility and should tell you more about how your goods will fare during their stay in long term storage. Messy self storage facilities are known to be dusty, and this extends to the storage units, where the contents can get spoiled by lack of cleanliness.
What to consider before signing of Long Term Storage
Of all the issues to consider before storing in self storage, one of them is to be satisfied with your storage provider. This could be achieved through dialogue or a visit to the storage facility. The reason is that you must feel absolutely happy that you have made the right choice. Often this can be achieved through talking to the staff and assessing their professionalism and experience.
Having done this, you can start to prepare for your term of long term storage. Take advice from them by ensuring that what you are storing in the unit is suited to being there for an extended period. Most items are well suited, but if in doubt specify what you are concerned about.
Take care of packing!
Successful storage is about the way the goods are prepared for storage and the place where they are stored. Having already discussed the ideal storage environment conditions, it is now your turn to prepare the items for storage.
Ensure everything is clean and free of pests. All items must be totally dry. Fragile items require wrapping and furniture and objects with protuberances like legs and wheels require them to be removed. Lawnmowers and other fuel-consuming equipment should be drained completely.
Insurance
Taking insurance is entirely the call of the renter. It may be argued that the goods are in the most secure storage place possible, so what could go wrong? Look at it this way: for a relatively small cost, insurance covers you completely in the event that an unforeseen accident happens.
Discuss this with the self storage provider. You can’t be too careful about this.
When looking for long term storage, Stop & Store can assist. If you need advice, call us and we will be happy to help.
Try us and you will become another of our happy customers.
Make an inquiry on https://www.stopandstore.co.uk/penrith-storage/
Or call us on 01768 800291.