Congratulations! After being cramped in your home for so long you finally decided it was time to rent a storage unit. You made a wise decision. A storage unit will not only give you more space in your home but it will improve your overall lifestyle. But what exactly does the perfect storage facility consist of?

Well, we’re going to have to break that answer down. There’s a lot that should go into choosing the perfect storage facility. From cleanliness to dependable staff we’re going to talk about what the perfect storage unit should look like and how you can decide what is right for your long-term or short-term storage needs.

Management

This is something that can make or break a self storage facility. A facility must have dedicated and friendly staff in order to keep their customers happy. Having their management reside on-site doesn’t hurt either. On-site management adds another layer of comfort and shows that a facility is dedicated to providing the best service for their customers. If you’re not comfortable talking with the management team then they aren’t doing their job.

Security

Security is a huge concern for people looking for self storage units. A quality storage facility should treat security as more than just an amenity. You’ll want to compare the safety and security features of the facility with others in the area to ensure you’re getting the best care. It’s important that measures are taken to ensure what is stored in your unit is safe and secure 24/7, 7 days a week. Unfortunately, not all self storages approach security equally. Make sure to do your research.

Without secure measures being taken a facility will lose its core customer base. You don’t want to feel obligated to check on your things every few hours so be sure the facility you choose knows how important your personal belongings are and are dedicated to doing their best keep them secure.

Quality of the Facility

Quality and cleanliness are extremely important when deciding on a storage facility. Do you really want find insects making a home in your belongings? Didn’t think so. It’s important to be sure you get to view a large portion of the storage facility during a tour. That way you can see if how well kept the facility really is. Make sure you don’t see stray leaves, take note of any weird smells, and keep an eye out for any broken furniture lying around or small bugs crawling about.

Cleanliness also matters when it comes to how well your personal belongings hold up while being stored. Whether you’re storing electronics, furniture, or old documents if the facility isn’t offering quality units than your belongings could face damage. You should even inquire about climate-controlled units. Climate-controlled units prevent a unit from becoming too hot or too cold which can damage property depending on the materials stored.

The outside of the facility is just as important as the inside. You don’t want to rent a unit at a facility that doesn’t care enough to keep its grounds clean. If you see trash thrown throughout the facility grounds, an un-mowed lawn, and lazy maintenance then you should look elsewhere to store your things. If a facility cares enough to manage the upkeep of the property then it cares enough to ensure a great customer experience.

Unit Sizes

Unit sizes matter. You never want to feel like your personal items are cramped in a storage unit. You want to give them as much room to breathe as possible to so be sure that the facility you’re looking at has a variety of units to fit your needs. If you’re not sure what a variety of storage units looks like here’s a quick reference guide.

• Small unit - 5 X 5, 5 X 10
• Medium unit - 10 X 10, 10 X 15
• Large unit - 20 X 10, 10 X 30, 10 X 40

Consider what it is you need to store in order to determine what size unit is right for you. Are you storing large furniture, or boxes of seasonal items and clothes? How big are the boxes you are storing and how many in total do you have? It might help to view various size units to help your decision process. After that measure the contents you plan to store and see what the length and width of your items equal to in order to find your perfect fit.  At Smart Self Storage, our experienced managers can help find the right-size, perfect unit for you.

Location

Another thing to consider when choosing the perfect self storage facility is the location. How easy it to access the facility from where you live or work? If you are using the unit for your small business is it close to where your office location is so you can easily access the unit whenever you need to? These are questions you’ll want to ask yourself when choosing facilities to tour.

Location is a big deal especially when you plan on storing your personal belongings. Not only should you consider how close a facility is to your home or work you’ll want to make sure it’s in a favorable neighborhood.

Price

A facility that offers a variety of unit sizes and prices is ideal. It gives you more options to fit your budget and meet your storage needs. But keep in mind that cheap doesn’t mean quality. If you find a 10 X 40 unit that is way underpriced compared to other units you may consider this a red flag. Do your homework and see what the typical rate for a unit of your size preference is and choose the best deal from there.

There are so many things to consider when choosing the perfect self storage facility. So take your time, don’t rush the decision, and find the facility that meets ALL of your needs.

About the Author: Lark Begin is the president of Profit Parrot Marketing; an SEO marketing, content and social media company in the Ottawa area. Lark is well established in the realm of digital marketing and is dedicated to helping multiple professional local and international websites and brands grow an online presence and succeed.