» Self Storage

A death in the family is a hard time for everyone involved. Finding a self storage unit is not high on your priority list. Due to that death in the family, there will have to be people to go through the belongings of that person which no one really wants to do. In order to get everything taken care of for the passed loved one, it must happen. Of course you have to deal with the funeral itself and then between some people, then come the hard part, going through someone else’s belongings.  Especially the belongings of someone that you cared about and loved.

Some family members will tell you that you they do not have time to go through all the belongings. Some will tell you that they just do not want to. At least they are honest. That still does not solve the problem. Someone will need to step up and decide to do it for the loved one who just passed away. It would seem as though the person or people that cared for the passed away family member the most will do what is necessary to help out. On the other hand, there will be people who are obligated to help out. Hopefully they will keep their negativity to their selves.

One big help that people find is to clear out all the things that will be thrown away and store the rest. Usually the family will have to get everything moved out by a certain time so that the landlord, bank or whoever owns the property can find another person to move in. For the most part you will not be done sorting everything out before it is time to move out.  Until then move everything into a big enough self storage unit so you can sort everything out there. Then you can decide who gets what and the rest can be given away to charity. Do not feel as if you do not have options when you do not know where to put such things until you are able to look through them. Most storage facilities have a month to month lease so you can stay as long as you need in order to everything figured out.

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Not everyone has all of their stuff together. People as a whole attempt to be organized but they are really not. To help their selves out with being organized, people have payments automatically come out of their checking account so if they forget, they will still make the payment they were scheduled to make without a late fee. Of course they have to ensure that they have the money in their account for the payment to be made. If a customer forgets their payment arrangements often, they can set up with the self storage facility to where they can take the payments out automatically. This way you can stay up to date on your self storage facility.

There are so many different methods in order for a self storage facility to take payments for the customer. It is a good idea for the self storage manager to inform the customer on the different ways they are able to pay their monthly rent. The manager will tell the customer that they are able to pay their rent online, they can come by the store or they will be able to call the payment in. Now the customer will have to understand the different ways they are able to make a payment. The truth is not all facilities will allow all the methods of making a payment detailed above.

For some self storage facilities they will tell you they do not want to take payments over the phone because they want to reserve the phone for new customers. If the customers that are only wanting to make a payment call in then that could tie up the lines for new customers to call in. Again, the facility manager would need to ensure they are informing the customers of this procedure. It is good to verbally tell the potential renter and also to put that fact in the renal agreement. This way if the customer has a disagreement, the manager can point out the agreement on the lease.

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Of course not all self storage facilities are created equal. If this were the case, no one would spend as much time and money to make their facility look different than the others. If all facilities were created the same, then it wouldn’t really matter which facility you rented at, because they would all be the same. So then you can just choose which facility is closest to you and rent from there. Unfortunately not all self storage facility have everything in common. Your mission, if you choose to accept it is to find out which facility is unique enough to earn your business.

 
When people are calling around looking for storage they are trying to figure out what makes the self storage facility different. If they cannot find something that makes them different they then turn to price. For many customers, the specials really make the deal when shopping for storage units. One site may be cheaper monthly, but a free first month would mean the other may be cheaper. In this instance, what really would make the difference is how long you were planning on renting. In some cases you will be able to use the special in order to make your total payments for how long you are storing, cheaper.

 
All facilities will tell you that you need a lock. Locks come in many shapes and sizes. You can get a padlock style lock to meet the requirements or you can get a disc lock for added security. You do not want to get a lock that is easy to cut off because you want your belongings to be safe within your storage unit. Make sure that you do not try to be too cheap here and get the lock that is going to keep your belongings safe.

 
If you are looking to sell a lot of items that need to be shipped, you may want to check out the packing supplies available at your local storage facility. If your local facility is a one stop shop when it comes to self storage, then you definitely lucked out. This way if you need anything such as boxes moving supplies or anything of the sort, you do not have to leave the office. When you are calling around looking for the differences between local self storage facilities then you will want to ask about moving and packing supplies.

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Depending on where you look or search, you will get advice from different sources on what to when it comes to looking for self storage. If self storage is what you need, it will be easy to find. There is assured to be a self storage location in your area. Your job is to find out if that facility will fit your needs. So here are a couple of good tips to think about when you are looking for the right storage facility for you.

 
You should start your storage search sooner rather than later. This is a great time of the year to look for storage because it will busier in just a short time and units will be hard to come by. It would seem as though people think that they can call up the day they need storage and the facility will have the space they are looking for. Unfortunately the most needed storage spaces will be rented first and that could be the space that you are looking for to rent. If you do not get the space that you are looking for then you will end up paying more for a space that you do not need. That typically does not make the person looking for storage happy.

 
Every discount that you can find will put money back in your pocket. If you get a first month free promotion, you should still ask about other promotions. Sometimes a facility manager will tell all about the short term promotion they are running, but say nothing about the long term deal. The more questions that you ask the better, especially when it comes to pricing. If you can save money on a monthly basis, then you can feel assured that you have made the right choice when it comes to storage. Now in the same respect, if a facility has a great monthly cost, but is not giving away free rent, still consider them. If you are storing long term, you will have to do the math to see what the best deal is for you.

 
Every manager will tell you that they have good security. You should schedule a site visit to see for yourself how safe the site feels. Most people will talk a great talk over the phone, but when it comes to what is actually going on at the facility, that leaves something to be desired. When you walk into a facility really look hard and see how everything works. Watch the self storage manager put in the pin code, make sure the door alarms work and any other security feature is in tact before you sign the lease. You do not want any surprises when you move in.

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Moving into a new home is a great thing. People tend to get the Christmas feeling because of the simple fact that no matter what, you have something new to buy. Not matter how many things you bring with you from the old home, the new homes requires some new purchases whether needed or simply wanted in order to christening  the new home. It is a very happy time especially for those people who love to go shopping.

 
A caller of mine yesterday called in to inquire about a self storage space in her local area. Naturally she called the right place and we chatted about their new home. It was a great time because the customer was still on high about getting their new home so they were completely ok with everything that we were discussing. We got them set up with a self storage unit only for a small amount of time since they will be fully moved within a month.

 
Many people come in to self storage with the idea that they want to store short term. Unfortunately other circumstances do not allow them to move their things out of their storage unit. The good thing is that the facility typically does allow you to store your belongings month to month. So in the case of this customer, they were able to store only for one month until they got everything else done and placed where they wanted. They did not need to deal with all their belongings being in the way.

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Yesterday I spoke with a young lady who needed to rent a very small unit just to store some boxes. Naturally I would recommend a 5×5 that would have been perfect. The smallest unit that we had left at the time was a 5×10 storage space, twice the size and obviously it would cost more per month than the 5×5.  Immediately she said it wouldn’t work, it was too big and the monthly cost was a bit much.

 
She was getting ready to hang up when I stopped her by explaining that there was a one dollar to move in special. Whether she rented a 5×5 or 5×10, it would cost the same for one month of rent. The customer was very excited and wanted to rent the space. Of course she was a little skeptical trying to figure out what the loop hole was to this special deal.

 
It is very common for a customer to feel as if the wool is being pulled over their eyes. They do not want to be taken for a fool so they ask a lot of questions until they feel comfortable renting the space. The manager onsite tries to do all they can to assure the customer about the special deal that is being offered. Now of course the customer most likely will still need a lock, pay some sort of administration fee and maybe insurance. Regardless of the possible additional fees, it is still a good value.

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It would seem that around March and August is when the self storage world is overwhelmed by student self storage. We have found that parents will call in for their child sometimes three or four months before hand to reserve or rent a space. They know that the facilities will fill up quickly and their student will not be able to have a self storage facility. The worst thing that the parents think is that they will have to bring everything their child is storing back home. For many that is not an option due to the sheer distance from their home to the university. So finding student self storage is crucial to the parent.

 
When college students call in looking for storage, as a self storage manager, I always get excited.  After working in storage for over two years, I am well aware that once the school year ends, college students and parents start flocking towards storage.  The primary reason for this increase in rentals is due to the number of students who leave the area to return home for the summer.  Most people do not realize how quickly smaller storage units go during the summer months.  I always advise my callers to make sure there unit is reserved in advance, so they do not have to be the ones calling any place they can for any sized unit they can find.

 
There is nothing like trying to find something last minute, but some of these student storage shoppers that is what happens.  This is especially true for those customers who are shopping for the first time because their student is a freshman. It is assured that in the second year of college for their child, they will be more active to find a self storage unit. Most of the time you will find that self storage facilities are looking to get students into a 5 x 5 space or a 5 x 10. Typically a student can fit everything they are storing from college dorm room in a 5 x 5 space. Of course the 5 x 5 spaces are the first to run out so a self storage manager will typically get them into the next size, a 5 x 10. Hopefully the manager does not have to go any higher than this one because it will be too big for what the student needs and also they do not want the customer paying more.

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AUSTIN, Texas – Aug. 23, 2011 – To celebrate the growing numbers of self-storage professionals active on Twitter, two social media mavens are joining forces to host the first ever industry Twitter chat, known as #StorChat. Twitter chats are online conversations in which relevant users gather at a specified time to discuss certain topics related to an industry or hobby. Chats are held weekly, with a new topic of discussion set each week. #StorChat will be held Wednesdays from 3-3:30 CST, starting Sept. 7.

#StorChat is hosted by Kenny Pratt (@SellingStorage), President of Crescendo Properties and Editor-In-Chief of Selling Storage, along with Rachel Greenfield (@SpareFoot), Marketing Analyst at SpareFoot and Editor-In-Chief of the Storage Facilitator. The hosts will ask three questions relating to the topic at hand over the course of thirty minutes, and everyone participating is encouraged to answer, discuss and exchange ideas and opinions via tweets.

“The great thing about a Twitter chat is it brings users together from all over country or world to a place where they can interact in real time, rather than communicate in a delayed manner as they might through email or forums,” Pratt said.

Many self-storage operators currently use Twitter as a promotional tool to reach potential customers, but #StorChat hopes to demonstrate there’s more to the platform. It presents a progressive opportunity to meet new connections and learn from knowledgeable peers on anything and everything self-storage business. Twitter chats have been popular and successful in a variety of niche industries, from real estate to multi-family housing to blogging.

Social networks like Twitter can feel overwhelming, so #StorChat offers self-storage professionals the chance to cut their teeth with a group of supportive people they can relate to. Everyone in the industry is encouraged to join in, learn and socialize with their fellow smart and creative storage owners, investors, managers and employees.

The first #StorChat on Wednesday, Sept. 7 from 3-3:30 CST will cover the use of social media marketing in self-storage. To participate, simply sign up for a free Twitter account on Twitter.com (or log in to your current account), then follow the hash tag #StorChat by searching for it in the Twitter search box. Be sure to type the hash tag “#StorChat” at the end of every tweet you send during the chat. Get more tips, advice and details about #StorChat here: http://sellingstorage.com/self-storage-twitter-chat-unleashed-september-7th/

About SpareFoot:
SpareFoot is the largest online marketplace for self-storage, making it easy for consumers nationwide to find, compare and reserve storage units online. The company also offers a suite of leading web marketing tools for facility operators. Across multiple properties including SelfStorage.com, Apartments.com and others, the SpareFoot Ad Network helps facility owners and managers find new tenants— all through an entirely pay-for-performance model. SpareFoot is backed by Silverton Partners, FLOODGATE and Capital Factory. For more information, please visit http://www.sparefoot.com.

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It would seem as if there are many more storage calls this year over last year. So many people are calling waiting till the last minute in order to store because they still want to shop around. I guess they believe that if they wait until the last minute they will find a great rate that cannot be turned down. Some customers are not able to see a good deal even if it was right in front of their face. Sometimes they end up missing out on the great deal because they want to feel as though they shopped around good enough.

 
I told one person that we only have one left and that she should at least put it on hold just in case when she calls back it will not be gone. She said she would take her chances. That same customer called back not even a half an hour later and wants the unit. I told her sorry I just rented the unit five minutes ago. She was very upset and now she has to take a unit somewhere else that was much farther out. She told me she did not believe me that it was that busy and she would miss out if she did not reserve the space. Also stated next year she will listen and reserve ahead of time to make sure she gets what she wants.

 
Some customers would not learn their lesson from this situation and they would just keep doing the same thing. Luckily some people are still able to find a self storage unit when they need one. If you find something that is close to you, a good value and is secure, rent it now. Do not wait for it and continue to shop around. If you wait till the last minute, you can be like many customers who will have to end up going with a storage unit they do not really want, that could either be more money, not big enough or they have to travel further out to get it.

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In today’s economy, more and more people are finding it hard to keep a credit or debit cards.  For the last several years, storage facilities across the United States have used cards as a way of reserving a unit.  While some do charge the card initially, many do the holds free of charge.  However, with many people no longer using credit or debit cards, facilities are trying something new.  Some storage companies are now holding units using a courtesy hold.

 
The courtesy hold only requires some general information, and still reserves the unit for the caller. Many storage facilities found that it was not fair for the customers who did not have credit cards to not be able to reserve or put a space on hold over the phone. Not everyone was in a position to come down to the store and go ahead and rent the space. The courtesy hold seemed to be the next great idea to help those who did not have a credit card.

 
Customers could now breathe a sigh of relief knowing that they had a space reserved. Sometimes when a self storage facility told them that they could not reserve a space over the phone, they were very upset. The customer knew they needed the space but they simply did not have a credit card they could use to hold it. Now with the courtesy hold, the customer knows that they still have a space, they can move on to the next item on their to do list and get ready for the move.

 
Now one thing that is slightly different about the courtesy hold than the credit card reservation is the hold time. With a credit card, typically the storage facility would hold the space longer, if needed, than with a courtesy hold. Storage facilities still feel that customers who have put down a credit card are still more likely to come down to rent. So with that said, customers who reserve a space with a courtesy hold are asked to come down to the facility within a week or less to rent the space. There are facilities that will hold a space up to two months if the customer uses their credit card to reserve.

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