Anyone wanting to make use of self-storage units should ask themselves a few questions beforehand (see “Critical questions” below). As much as we try to educate our clients, many people don’t understand the pitfalls associated with storage rental. We witnessed a storage facility burn down in our area not so long ago, which is why we have such strict terms and conditions, but this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to storage blunders.
Emotional storage:
We find that so many of our clients utilize storage because they aren’t ready to part with ‘things’, even if they can’t use them. Whether inherited or gifted, or just of sentimental value, these goods are often of low worth. Anyone wanting to place furniture or boxes in storage should ask the following questions first:
- If this wasn’t given to me, would I buy it for myself?
- Will I have a use for this in the future? (e.g., crib, if planning a family)
- Would I keep this if it weren’t given to me by…?
If the answers to these questions is “no”, you should consider keeping these items in your home, or selling them, because the cost of emotional attachment is high.
Lazy storage:
We find that most storage clients fit into this category. They simply run out of time when packing and moving, or realise that they don’t have enough space in their new home for all of their accumulated goods, and just store the overflow.
Unfortunately, in many instances, these items become forgotten, some are replaced over time and others no longer ‘fit in’ with their new lifestyles. From paintings and linens that no longer match new colour schemes, to electronic items that have become obsolete, and ‘baby goods’ that aren’t needed anymore; the ‘out of sight, out of mind’ rule applies across the board.
Hoarding:
We have a hoarder in our family, and the cost of storage for items of almost no value is astounding. She thought that transporting and storing a couple of bags of glitter, to use on crafts with grandchildren was a good idea, into their teens. When I say ‘bags’, I mean factory-issue bags, at least 1 cubic meter per colour. These were never used and cost a bit to discard too. This is just one example, but it demonstrates just how quickly we can collect worthless items and throw money at storing them for no good reason.
Emergency storage:
Clients who have lost their jobs, their homes or both, often seek storage solutions ‘until they get back onto their feet’. This is a dangerous practice, because clients may lose everything. Some storage facilities will auction off the contents of the storage unit strictly after 90 days of receiving no payment. Personal items such as documents, photographs and items of sentimental value may be destroyed or (in the case of a ‘unit auction’), become the belongings of the purchaser.
In a country where identity theft is rife, we encourage clients not to store sensitive documents. Unfortunately, non-payment of storage fees is a huge problem in this category. The very loss prevention hoped for might directly lead to the loss of everything stored.
Always let your storage provider know if you are finding it difficult to meet payments, so that items can be sold before this situation is enforced, and items of personal value aren’t lost.
Prepper storage:
Yes, there are clients who want to store for prepper purposes, not that we believe this is suitable for all of the goods they want to store, of course. Fuels, flammables, chemicals, etc. aren’t allowed, and as sealed as food stores might be, pests are persistent. I even once got advice from a self-styled ‘doomsday prepper’who suggested this as the perfect anonymous solution to hoard contraband. Now I don’t know anyone who would like to store guns and ammunition, prescription medication or any other high-value, high risk goods in an anonymous storage unit personally, the conversation I alluded to having taken place a long time ago and in a pub. The movies have taught us that this happens, ‘though, and more. Thankfully, our units are inside our warehouse, so there’s no way a client could ‘sleep over’ or come and go without everyone knowing his or her movements.
Naturally, if we do experience an event requiring prep stores, the next challenge would be to empty the storage unit safely and in time. We think bunkers are more suitable for this type of storage, and we don’t allow any form of contraband.
Short-term storage:
In a situation where a client is moving into a smaller home on a temporary basis, whilst waiting for their new property purchase to be finalized, or new home to be built, it is recommended to store over the short term rather than budget for replacement value of your furniture.
One thing to bear in mind is that if you don’t have a specific area or space for each item of furniture, or if what you’re storing is old, this may be a wasted cost. (E.g., if you’re storing your old curtains, but plan to re-decorate your new home)
Storing to save:
This makes a lot of sense, such as a young family planning to move to a larger property, and not wanting to buy furniture that was inherited/gifted and has value. In this situation, it’s important to weigh up the relative cost of storage against replacement value of goods.
- Determine the value of replacing these goods by buying them new
- Reduce by the amount expected on sale of the goods second hand
- Calculate the duration of storage and total cost
- Compare the costs of storage vs. replacement
If the numbers add up, and your storage duration is short, you know you are on the right track. We sometimes see these situations and wonder if the client has made these calculations.
Critical questions:
When storing anything, you should be asking:
- Have I used this in the last year?
- Will I have a real use for this in the next 6 months to a year?
- Does the value of what I’m storing far exceed the storage cost?
- Are all my goods covered by existing household insurance?
- Have I formally notified my insurer of storage; do they accept the facility?
- Can I afford storage over the medium term?
If you’ve answered all the questions above “yes”, then store with confidence.