Something just changed in your life. It's the last minute. And, you need a self storage unit immediately. This article is all about finding a self storage unit on the fly.
Life happens. And sometimes it happens a little too fast. Sometimes it feels like you're being thrown at warp speed into hyperspace, and you don't even have breaks to even think about slowing it down. We can all recall a time I'm sure, where we felt that the current of life was moving much faster than we were comfortable with, swept up into the wave of progression and time, that unforgiving temptress.
I know I can. A few months back, my then boyfriend, now fiancée, and I were planning on taking a three-month long road trip followed by a month long trip to Alaska. We had it all planned out: we were going to sublease our room and earn a modest income from our remote internet jobs. A mere couple of weeks before we set out on our adventure, we found out we were going to be losing our house! Our other roommates who were sharing the rent with us informed us of their immediate move across the country. The news came as a total surprise. We had no time to find more people to sublet the house, much less time to find an apartment of our own only to abandon it for four months. And, we definitely didn't budget out enough money to pay rent on a room in Southern California and travel.
I just remember that sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach, it was as if my old roommates' words had forcefully pummeled me in the gut rather than traveling through sound waves. I felt their words, I didn't hear them. I sat there, feeling instantly helpless on the couch.
What were we to do? In a matter of weeks, we would have no home, have to move (again), and re plan our life we had spent so much time working out. We were in no way prepared for this news. Luckily for us, self storage was not only an option, but a life saver.
I know that so many other people out there have felt that same feeling of helplessness, of doubt and feeling totally lost. Fortunately, it really is a painless task to give up your nearest self storage facility a call and see what they have available. For us, we found the perfect fit (after a second round of cleaning things out and getting rid of some extra stuff) that really made the transition progress a lot smoother than we could have ever anticipated.
So, how do you go about getting a storage unit when life hands you lemons? First thing to do is take a deep breath. I'm serious. Staying calm is one of the hardest things to do, but also one of the most important.
Secondly, find your nearest self storage facility, look their number up online, and give them a call. The staff is super friendly and very helpful. They will put your worries at ease with their confidence and excellent attitudes. Customer service is very important, and they work hard to ensure customer satisfaction every step of the way.
Explain to the staff member that you are in need of a unit stat! They understand, you don't need to go into a full account of every step of the butterfly affect that lead you to this spot today, they really do understand! They deal with this kind of situation a lot!
The next step is to arrange a move-in date. This can be tricky for some working full time with a family to take care of, but luckily many self storages are open on weekends and in the evenings. If possible, for your sanity and for the sanity of those around you, try and schedule a day or an afternoon off work to devote to moving. I've tried doing it during work days, and it is not fun. You are already tired from work, you just want to relax and do your own thing for a while, but instead you have to get your you-know-what in gear and move really heavy stuff up and down stairs, into cars, up some more stairs, etc. It's a different type of exercise than going to the gym, because when you go to the gym, you're going because you want to go… most of the time. When you're moving and going to work, you don't have enough time to move everything, you have to do it multiple days out of the week, and it at the time feels like a never-ending task. So I highly recommend trying to get a day or afternoon off work, or arrange a three day weekend to do all the moving so you can get the bulk of it done in one day.
And finally, don't be afraid or ashamed to ask for help. Nobody enjoys moving, especially when it's an unexpected one. But people do enjoy helping each other out, that's just part of human nature. So call upon that one friend or close work buddy who always has your back. Treat them to a nice meal when it's all over, your leg and back muscles will greatly appreciate it.
It doesn't matter whether you plan to rent a storage unit three month from now or three days from now, the price of the unit is the same. There is not "last minute fee" or penalty for renting a unit on a moment's notice.
It's comforting to have life planned out. It's a luxury that we sometimes overlook, and realize we enjoy having a routine and a plan only when they are lost. It's impossible to plan for every little thing in life that will throw you off your intended path, but we try our best. Sometimes it feels like you're in total control, but the reality is, you're not. Whether you just need an extra bit of room for a sudden move, a sudden inheritance, or any other reason you may need some space, rest assured Smart Self Storage (and the rest of our colleagues in the self storage industry) are here to help.
Today's blog post is a guest post by Michelle. Michelle is a self-storage enthusiast and freelance writer who enjoys traveling the world. An expert at getting the most out of the self-storage experience, please check back regularly for more about Michelle's adventure and how self-storage helped her dream of travel come true.