The main reason for rushing into a decision about storage units is probably space. You have boxes, you may be stepping over things just to get across the living room and now any unit will do. And that's where the devil is in the details. Click our recommended reading about this page!
The first question is how often will you need the unit? More than once a month, location is MUCH more important than price. Cheaper unit across town is fine, but what if it's a weekday?
Then there's access. Some "24-hour" access is better than others. Some are simple: in, out, done. Others have several hoops to jump through, dimly lit corridors or other esoteric rules that pop up after you've enrolled. You can't get this from the internet. You know it when you are there.
Price is another consideration. This is not the price. Well, the discount ends, the fees begin and the monthly cost is just a little bit higher. It's not much, it's just a pain in the arse that you would have liked to know about up front.
What are you storing? People underestimate humidity. Humidity matters if you store clothes, papers or electronics. Some units do it well.Others. you know in a month or two when it doesn't feel right.Others. you'll find in a month or so when it feels wrong. Others… you’ll notice after a few weeks when things feel off.
Security is a product, but it's also about not being inconsistent. You see cameras and locks and access control. it's about feel of being observed You can feel when you walk through it? It's usually right.
And one that's not talked about much: leaving? Leases are not all free. How much time, how much money, the minimum holding of a lease you don't notice until you want to move out. I prefer to know that up front.
These questions aren't complicated. The thing is, they are not complicated. But they don't come quickly to mind.
A storage unit is not just a storage unit, it is an extension of your home. You want it, you use it, you don't notice it, you use it again. If it's right, you don't notice. If it isn't, you notice it.
If you take a little more time up front, you will save a little time in the back.