» Self Storage

Here are some things to look for security wise in self storage:  As long as the facility has a few of these features, they will be more or less secured. Of course not every facility is going to have all of the things we will discus below but they will have some of them. Then you have to choose which security measures are important to you.

 
Many facilities have video cameras in which they can see things that the manager can not see. Some facilities have the cameras going all the time where other facilities have the cameras on whenever the facility is open. Always know the difference between the two options. If someone breaks into the facility or a current tenant that tries to take something that is not theirs, the camera will capture it.

 
A fenced property is a great security feature for those who are renting. When facility is fenced then we know that not just anyone can walk right up to our unit. Now you will find that some fences are locked with a chain and lock where other facilities have a gate code that you enter to open the fence. Usually you have longer access to your belongings when the facility has a gate that has a gate code.

 
Having a facility that well lit is always a plus. This is good because no matter what time of night you come to the facility, you will always feel safe that you can see all around you. You will be able to access your unit safely and then go about your night. You do not have to feel that someone is lurking in the shadows. The facility will be so well lit that there will not be many places that are dark.

 
Door alarms are a good feature because when someone tries to lift the door to your unit, an alarm will sound. Typically you will find that the gate code is associated with your door alarm. So this way the only person that can enter the unit without an alarm sounding is the renter of that space. That should make a fair amount of people happy.

 
Some facilities will have a resident manager that lives on site and will ensure all is running smoothly. It would make sense for them to know what is going on since the facility is literally their backyard in some cases. Other cases the manager will live close so they can get to the facility if there are any issues or emergencies.

 
When the facility is in a good part of town, everyone take s a sigh of relief. They know that as a customer they will not be bothered as they are entering or departing their unit. Now of course it is not completely unreasonable to think that just because your storage facility is in a good area that it cannot be in danger of being robbed. Understand what your facility has to offer and also what you feel is important to you when storing.

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People often call in looking for specials when shopping for storage.  While it is always a good thing to save money, you should never let a special drive you to a decision to rent a storage space.  Many times a facility will dazzle you with their special rate, but they try to get you to pay their outrageous monthly cost. Not all people can see past the great special.

 
A young woman who needed a space for her dorm room things called because a particular self storage location was offering the first month rent free.  She was so excited about the special that she did not even ask what the normal rate was.  She then called another facility, to which the facility manager stated no special was available.  She instantly wanted to end the call.  She said the competition was offering a way better deal.  The customer informed that although this particular self storage facility did not offer a special, the rates were way lower than the other facility.  After calling the other store back, she realized the facility manager was, in fact, true.

 
Be careful not to make the same mistake. Make sure that you are shopping for value and not just for the special. If you are staying with your self storage facility for only a month and the month special is great, then take it. The unfortunate thing is that you never know if you will be staying longer. No one wants to move their belongings from facility to facility in order to get the best special. Look at the special and the monthly rate. See which one best suits your needs.

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When looking for storage, people often forget that many facilities carry moving and storage supplies.  This can be a huge time saver if you are setting things up at the last minute.  Many people think storage is just that, storage.  This is the common misconception about self storage. It is sure that in the early days of self storage, maybe the facilities did not have everything you needed in the office. The companies were most likely solely looking for storage and that is it.

 
However, most companies now offer a wide variety of boxes, packing supplies, and furniture covers.  Usually, the prices of these items cost less than at a retail store.  This gives self storage an extra layer of convenience.  Not only can you store your things, but everything you might need is right on site whenever you have to have it.  How could it get any better than that?

 
The answer to that question is you cannot. For the average self storage customer who is in a rush to get every thing done on their moving day, they can get everything they need from one place. They do not want to move into a storage unit and then have to leave to go get a lock, box, or any other storage supply they need. They can turn around in the office and grab the lock they need off the wall. Most self storage facilities now are considered to be your one stop shop for storage.

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Guest blogger: Abby Bramski

It is a common fact that as long as there are possessions in this world, there will be a desire to store them. The concept of self storage may seem like a modern concept, but it goes over 6,000 years to ancient Xian China. The ancient Chinese used clay pots of various sizes to store their belongings, and stored them in public underground storage pits which all had access to. The tradition continued throughout history. The first storage business was created in the 1850s, when moving and storage pioneers devised the first warehouse specifically designed for household goods and treasured personal items. This was the beginning of an industry waiting to boom.

The first official self storage facility as we know it was in Odessa, Texas and was called “ A1 U-Store-It, U-Lock-It, U-Carry the Key” . Although this was almost 100 years ago, the basic concept has stayed the same. Then other states caught on; two moving companies, Minneapolis Van Lines and Weimer Storage in Elizabeth, New Jersey, began offering personal storage during the 1920s. Storage facilities became interconnected when Arthur Trachte, of Trachte Building Systems, built interconnected metal garages for what he called “ cars without homes” in 1928. Commercial storage facilities became extremely common in the 1960s.

Demand for storage units increased dramatically in the 1990s, and companies began to pick up the pace. During 2000-2005, over 3,000 new facilities were built each year. Now, there is more than 2.35 billion square feet of self storage in the U.S. alone. This is equivalent to three times Manhattan Island under a roof! Storage facilities are about 32% urban, 52% suburban and 16% rural, so everyone can find units near them. There are many varieties of modern storage units—climate controlled, secure storage, and any size from a small locker to an entire garage. In the United States, 1 in every 10 households rents a storage unit, and that number is on an upward trend. Although modern storage units are not exactly underground clay pots, the concept is the same: I need someplace to put my stuff!

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Self storage does not have to be a difficult or stressful situation. In fact self storage can be an easy solution if you allow it to be. Every now and then a manager at a self storage location will encourage a current tenant who does not fully agree with what the manager told him or what is on their lease. This is one of the reasons that self storage facilities will tell you to sign a lease in order to go back and reference it if need be. In most cases, the manager will be able to diffuse the situation.

 
People can often get worked up over small things.  Tenants sometimes call into their self storage facility in order to get a second storage unit, only to find that the rate of said unit was twice the price they are currently paying. They will immediately began ranting and raving and threaten to go to a different facility or even file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. Most good managers will allow the customer to let out their steam and then let them calm down. Then the manager will politely explain to them that the price quoted was the current rate for new tenants.  As a current tenant, sometimes the manger can sometimes offer a multiple unit discount, which cuts the cost for multiple spaces owned by the same tenant.

 
The attitude of the customer would then change as they realize, they may have over acted. This happens very often in these kinds of situations. Without really knowing the whole story a customer can get extremely upset and sometimes it will be too late in order to reconcile. Always make sure you understand the full situation before going off the handle, even when in need of self storage.

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Most people do not think about their pets often when moving.  However, just like with everyone else, pets have to make changes too.  Most pets can accommodate very well if given a little time to adjust.  It has been found that if you think about what to do with your pet first, the move goes easier.  Many people typically think about what they have to move and how they will get it to their storage space. If they love their pet as much as they say, then they have to figure out how to make them comfortable in their new space.

When people add a pet to their family, some would say they are adding another member of the family while others would say they are just adding a good friend. Pets comfort their owners and others protect. It would depend on the home and the person on how their pet will affect their household. Moving can be a difficult time for your pet. They are used to their surroundings and the smell of where they live.

When moving, not everything will go into their new home. Some things will go into storage. Many people store their pets until they can get everything moved into their new home. When everything is moved, they will then bring their pets into their new home and let them get acquainted. If everything goes according to plan, their pet will act like nothing has changed and all will be well.

Don’t move with your pet running around. Get everything moved and then bring them to your home. No matter how good your pets are, they can get in the way. When moving day is here, it is not a place for pets. See if a friend or your local shelter can hold them for a while until moved. Even though they can not tell you, they will appreciate you thinking about them during your move.

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The moving truck is one of the necessities of moving. Without it, it would be a lot less convenient to move. You would need to make more trips or get rid of some things that you now hold dear. When you are looking to store, you should really consider getting a moving truck.

 
The fee would be pretty low if you are looking to do just a local move. There are many that believe that a moving truck is very expensive, but there are many companies out there that don’t hold true to that stereotype. Companies that just offer moving trucks could rent it out to you as low as free if you find the right deal and company. Now the actual truck might be free or low cost to rent, but most of the time you will have to pay for gas and insurance. Even with those cost, renting a truck is still more convenient and could cost less than driving your car multiple trips.

 
When you are looking to get a self storage unit as well, you might luck out to find a facility that will rent you the moving truck for free. You can not beat that deal. You need a self storage unit so it makes sense to need a moving truck as well. It is good for a facility to be able to offer both. When shopping around for moving trucks, do not forget to call around to local self storage facilities, they could be of assistance as well.

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Some self storage sites will hold units kind of like a hotel reservation. It is free to hold so there is no reason not to hold the space. You will still have time to visit the site so that you are able to make sure that everything meets your standards when storing. You should be able to hold a couple of different sizes if you are unsure of what size you will need. Even if you need a different size, you can still switch when you get to the site. If it was this easy why don’t more people do it?

There is a simple answer to that. When it comes to reserving a space, many people like the idea of it not costing them any money, but many hotels hold the funds in your account until you come in. Well not a lot of people think that is a good practice. For that reason they shy away from reserving the space. Also people do not want to use their credit card in order to hold the space. They want to pay in cash and not use any form of credit to hold the space.

If the space really is free to hold, then make sure that the customer knows that. Saying that holding a self storage unit is just like renting a hotel space is not really the truth. Make sure as a facility manager, you are explaining that correctly or people might shy away from reserving a space. So with that said, why not reserve a self storage space today? It’s free.

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No matter what time to the year it is, the seasons can be very hard on your belongings that are in storage. Depending on where you are you can go through some serious temperature changes. It would be in your best interest to look into a storage facility that has climate controlled units. No matter what the weather is doing outside, your belongings will be safe inside.

 
When you are storing in the winter it is important to get a space that is climate controlled so that your belongings are kept nice. Also, it is nice that it is not freezing when you go to get things from your storage unit. If you are unsure of whether or not you should get the space, you should see if the manager can make a recommendation of what you should do.

 
The summer can get hot and a climate controlled space will be cooled. When the weather is to hot for words outside, you will know your belongings will be hanging out in the cool temperatures. Even if you are not able to escape the heat rays of the sun, know that your belongings will as long as they are in a climate controlled unit.

 
The temperature inside a climate controlled space is typically set at a constant temperature set by the property. This will prevent anyone who believes their belongings need to be at colder temperature than any other space. If you feel you can leave your belongings in your garage and feel comfortable, then you do not need a climate controlled space. If you do not feel good about putting your things in a space that fluctuates in temperature, you should invest in a climate controlled space.

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AUSTIN, Texas – Jun. 21, 2011 – SpareFoot, the online self-storage marketplace, launched a unique project and blog series called Adventures In Storage, designed to familiarize employees with their product in the most entertaining way possible. The new mixed-media “reality series” documents the start-up’s 18 employees as they experience the process of renting and moving into and out of self-storage units.

CEO Chuck Gordon coordinated the nine-week project, in which duos of employees moved a growing pile of possessions from one storage facility to the next around Austin, adding their own creative items for the next teams to discover and move. Each duo was responsible for finding storage near one teammate’s home, with or without the help of the company’s own self-storage finder site.

All employees – from developers to salespeople to marketers – booked units, signed leases, obtained locks and optionally rented trucks to cart the pile around town. Moving forward, every new employee to join the SpareFoot team will pick up where things left off and complete the task themselves.

The idea sprang from Gordon’s realization that most SpareFoot team members had never personally used self-storage, but he wanted them to understand the challenges storage customers face. He hopes Adventures In Storage inspires improvements to SpareFoot’s website that will make finding, reserving and executing self-storage easier than ever for everyone.

“To speak intelligently about anything related to the consumer experience, everyone at SpareFoot should have personal experience renting a storage unit,” Gordon said. “Everyone will learn what it really means to rent storage, and see how much of a pain it is. This should help guide everything we do to make the process easier for consumers.”

The project was documented through filmed interviews with each duo at SpareFoot’s office, and some scrappy video footage taken at the storage facilities. Weekly blog posts will unfold the story in a narrative style similar to that of a typical TV reality series. A short video, featuring interviews and photos, will accompany each written post. New blog “episodes” are released every Monday for nine weeks at 6 p.m. CST, starting June 20.

In tandem with the June 1 release of a teaser trailer for Adventures In Storage, SpareFoot is running a social media contest whereby the first three people to correctly guess one item in the final storage unit win $100. All in all, the series should reveal a lot about how a fun high-tech start-up staffed by a team of smart, nerdy personalities operates. It will also be an experiment in pushing the social media reach of a niche industry. Follow along on Twitter @SpareFoot with hash tag #adventuresinstorage.

About SpareFoot:
SpareFoot is the leading online marketplace for self-storage. With more than 5,000 self-storage facilities listed nationwide, SpareFoot offers consumers the most complete comparison shopping experience in the storage industry. Across multiple properties including SpareFoot.com, SelfStorage.com, Apartments.com and many others, SpareFoot helps storage facility operators 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

Sparefoot Adventures In Storage Teaser.

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