» Self Storage

In the world today, not many people are looking to go from one place to another in order to get everything they are looking for. In fact they would love to go to one place where they can get all of their shopping out of the way. For this reason you are seeing places beginning to sell things that they would not normally sell. Sometimes when you are walking through the aisles of your favorite store, you could come across something that you have never seen there before. The company thought that they would go ahead and sell that product because there is a demand for it. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. Customers do see the effort and will realize that store has the items in which they need.

When it comes to self storage, you could pretty much get everything in one store. What do you do if you are looking for a lock or moving supplies? The best thing to do if you are looking to store or move is to visit your local storage facility to get some items that you need. They should have everything that you need so that you do not have to run all over town just to get what you need. They should sell a variety of boxes that will come in handy in pretty much every situation. Also, you choose from a nice selection of locks for your storage unit. They should have bubble wrap and tape, as well. They are pretty much your one stop shot for self storage and moving supplies.

If your facility does not have these things, that does not necessarily mean that you shouldn’t rent from them, that just means that you if you need something, you have to go elsewhere. For some people that is not something they want to do and it is time consuming. Self storage managers will without a doubt, speak up about having that kind of facility that is basically a full service self storage facility. If managers have that kind of facility and they do not speak up, they will undoubtedly lose business.

Tweet This Post 

When you are looking for a storage space, it is not helpful to call up and just ask for price and get mad when the person on the phone does not just start shouting out prices. There are going to be other factors that you will want to consider. The price will only tell you how much your unit cost. Where as what you are getting for the price is far more important. You can look up prices online with some companies but people still call and talk to the manager. Subconsciously they are thinking in their heads that they want to hear what else they are getting for the price.

The size is the first thing that the manager will need to know in order to quote you a proper size. They will and should ask you what you are thinking about storing. If they do not ask you this question, you should bring it up. You can ask for the price all you want to, but you if you have narrowed down a size it does not matter. Let’s make it this simple. A price is associated with a size. No manager just wants to go down their price list and tell you everything they have. They want to narrow something down for the customer so they can find the right solution for them.

A small space may be around 50 dollars while a big space could be 300 dollars. You do not want to spend any more money than you need to. There are people that will call a property manager and say to them that they want the average space or the middle space. Some manager will just go right into them needing the 100 square foot space that is most common. Again they have to ask the customer questions to ensure that that is the right size for them. As a manager it is important for you to find the right solution for the customer, not just go whatever the customer says. The customer sometimes does not know what is right for them.

Tweet This Post 

What are the different types of locks you use?  Many people ask me this on a regular basis.  First of all let’s stop here and understand why you need a lock. You would think that this is a common sense kind of question, but not everyone knows that you need a lock for self storage. Self storage just gives you the space that you need, you are the one that needs to put a lock on it. If you want your belongings safe, then you should consider putting a lock on your unit.

There are many different types of locks, of course, the ones most commonly used for storage are of a larger variety than that of you diary lock.  The most common is a pad lock, which everyone has seen at least once.  This is a standard square lock with a key.  This type of lock is of course would be the least expensive to purchase so many people end up buying this lock. Conversely this lock is the most susceptible to being cut and your storage unit being broken into. That Is not something that you want to hear of course. Spend a little more and go with another lock that is listed below.

Disk locks are similar, except they are round, and the key hole is on the front instead of the bottom.  There is not a lot of room for someone to get a lock cutter in there so it is harder for someone to break into. There are also cylinder locks, which slide onto a steel teeth piece, and combination locks, which are not recommended for storage units.

There are many different kind of locks that you could use for your self storage unit. I guess it really depends on what you want to use for your unit and what you feel the most comfortable with. Your belongings are special to you for a reason, so why not put a lock on there that could keep them safe and in your possession.

Tweet This Post 

What is the quickest way to move?  Most people think moving has to be a slow, tedious project.  However, there are other ways to make moving simpler.  Moving can be fun if you build the right team to help and also the right atmosphere. You can save your team a lot of harm and stress but making sure all is packed up and ready to go. In addition to that, there are a couple of other tips to follow.

For starters, consider what things you need in your new home immediately.  If you do not need those things in your new home, then you need to think of another option. One option could be to put the things you do not need into storage. That way you can go through it before bringing it into the house.  This makes less clutter in your new place, making furniture moving a breeze.

The best piece of advice that can be given is to always be prepared and get started a little early. Depending on the time of year, the sun rises early and it sets early. You could run out of daylight if you start too late. Moving can be simple and easy if you plan ahead, move things that you need into your home and use self storage for the rest.

Tweet This Post 

There is a different holiday every time of the year. There are people that like to go all out for every different holiday where others do not celebrate holidays at all. For those that do celebrate holidays they wil put up different decorations up all over their homes, offices and anywhere else they are able to put them up. If you purchase your holiday decorations every year that could be get pretty expensive. That is why it is a good idea to save on to them year in and year out and maybe add a little more each year. You will find that many people try to put their decorations in a box or something of the sort to store them in their garage. What many do not think about is using self storage in this situation. They think they have room in their home which is not always the case.

If people do not have room for their decorations they go ahead and throw them away. They possibly feel that they can get more the next time around at a good price. Now of course there will be stores that give discounts on holiday decorations, but that still is an unnecessary waste of money if you can just save it. Of course you can call your self storage facility and they will give you their cheapest and smallest space for you to use. Keep in mind you don’t have to only store your holiday decorations. You can store anything else that you need in order to store. Take advantage of your off site storage space.

Tweet This Post 

There has been much controversy on whether or not you need a standard space or a climate control space.  If you’re comfortable storing your items in a garage for instance, then you can rent a standard unit. If not, go with climate controlled. Most people like the idea of storing their belongings in a space that is something like their home. Well the thing is, in your home you can control the temperature. With a climate controlled space that is not the case. There is a common misconception on what a standard space does and what a climate control space is like. Let’s take a moment to discuss that.

When you are looking at a climate controlled unit, you have to first realize that most of them will be located inside of the storage space. Not many facilities will invest in a drive up climate controlled unit. It is easier for them to keep the temperature regulated on storage spaces that are located inside the storage building. When you open the door of your unit inside, there is not any temperature loss. When you store outside, facilities know that it takes a while for you to load your items into that unit. So that means that the air system is blowing out cooler air the length of time the door is open. Not a lot of facilities want to spend money on that. At the same time depending on the area the facility will want to make sure that they are keeping the unit at a constant temperature. That is what climate controlled spaces are. They are a space that is kept at a constant temperature. The space will not freeze and it will not over heat. You do not have control over the temperature of the space. Every facility will set the temperature to their specification.

A standard space is just that, a standard space. Depending on where you live the temperature in the area might fluctuate. If it does fluctuate, then you might have some issues with the temperature inside the storage space. If you have anything that is temperature sensitive like electronics, pictures or some furniture, you should definitely think about going climate controlled. As said before, you do not mind storing your things in  your garage which is not always climate controlled, then you will be fine storing your belongings in a standard space. The good thing about a standard space is that it will also cost less than a climate controlled space. Take a moment to think about whether or not you need a standard space. Now of course the manager on site will try to tell you that climate controlled is a better solution. Make sure that you are informed.

Tweet This Post 

Loading items into your self storage unit can be no problem at all. There are many different self storage units that you could be interested in, but only a couple that are very convenient for you use. Not everyone needs a space they feel are convenient just because they are sometimes looking for the best deal. Typically the convenient spaces will cost you more in the long run, but while you are putting your things into storage, you are not always thinking about price. You are thinking about the ease of use. Don’t forget that you have dollies at the storage facility that can help you out. If convenience is the most important thing to you, then you should look for a drive up self storage unit.

If you want a drive up unit so you have the easiest loading and unloading offered at a facility then be sure you specifically ask for it. At the same time the self storage property manager should ask the right questions in order to help you figure out the right size and type for your needs. Between the two of you, the right storage unit for your needs should be discovered. Of course when it comes down to it, if the facility manager does not offer you the drive up space that you are looking for, then you should ask for it.

Now for some reason that facility that you are looking for does not have drive up units, then you have to make a decision on whether or not you want to store there. Even though a facility manager will tell you all kinds of things and make you feel like other units will work. The final decision is up to you in terms of whether or not you feel you have to have a convenient drive up space.

Tweet This Post 

If you receive a flyer or coupon in the mail or on line for a self storage unit you might want to hold on to it if you need storage later.  Sometimes it would seem as though you get special deals on things that you don’t particularly need at this time. It is ok, just make sure that you put that coupon or special offer in a place you can remember where it is. Hopefully when you need that special deal on self storage you can remember where you put it.

A good deal or a coupon can really come in handy when you are in dyer need of a discount. There will be times in which you could use some money off and a self storage coupon could really come in handy. Many storage facilities are not shy about sending coupons to your email or your regular mail. If you do not need the special offer right now, they want to put the idea in your head that you should give them a call or stop by when you need storage. Try not to just discard or toss out the coupons that could save you money in the long run.

It is very difficult for some people to keep track of the coupons and special offers they get and to try to keep them in safe place until they need them. Maybe investing a small file cabinet or if you have an extra drawer you can put these small pieces of paper into.

Tweet This Post 

In the technology world we live in today, many people decide to grab their smartphones, laptops and other devices in order to search for storage. Many end up finding exactly what they are looking for where others end up searching for a long time. Of course many, if not all, of self storage facilities ensure they have some sort of online presence in order to attract customers to their site. Sometimes a customer will not choose to rent with a particular storage facility because they are not online. That same customer wants to get an idea of the facility before they decide to go down to the facility.

When a customer goes online they are looking for prices and pretty much any sort of discount. They are searching their local area so they know the facilities they are searching are close, so that is not a concern. They are trying to figure out which facility in their local area will be able to take care of their needs. Online they will look at the store, any features they need such as climate control and even the look and feel of the store. Now of course the facility could look completely different than the picture online, and that is one of the things that could confuse the customer.

There are a couple of different things that bother customers as they are searching online such as confusing specials, pricing that is not available, or where it says call for specials and deals. There are many customers who want your website to come out and tell them what they want to hear. Naturally many facilities plan it this way so the customer has to call them for more information vs. going from storage facility to storage facility. Most self storage companies feel that if they can get the customer on the phone or even to walk through their door they will rent there. For this reason owners will not always post their pricing.

To the self storage customer that is looking for storage, they will reluctantly call and find out more information, but since they are on to that scheme, they might not give the manager the time of day. This customer will just call, get the information they desire and hang up. They are still shopping. Hopefully your website is enticing enough to attract the customer to call, come by and have a discussion about your facility. Hopefully there is not much confusion on what they saw online and they are just calling to get more information and potentially rent.

Tweet This Post 

It is time for your move across the state and you have planned everything down to the smallest detail. There is nothing that you have missed when it comes to your move. Everything is packed up correctly, everything has been turned off at your former home in terms of utilities. You have let no stone unturned. The confidence that you feel right now makes you feel like you are ten feet tall. You get to your self storage location only to find out that there is not one at the facility. You go to the door to enter the facility and the door is locked. You know that you checked with the facility manager before you drove across state to ensure someone would be there. But there it is looking you right in the face, a sign that says, be right back.

There is nothing worse for a first time self storage user than to have come all this way to the self storage facility in which you want to store at, and there is no one there. You have packed your moving truck full to the brim, but you do not have anywhere to unload your belongings. You frantically knock on the door to no avail. There is no one there. You honk your horn hoping that someone would hear you and come out to service you, but that does not happen. Your heart falls down to your stomach but of course disappointment soon turns into anger, which then turns into panic.

What are you going to do now? You have done everything the self storage manager has instructed you to do, but then the most important thing you need from the manager does not happen. You just need the manager to be there to open the door, show you to your unit and let you move in. Depending on where you are locally and also what time off day you are trying to move in, you might not have a lot of choices. All you want to do is unload your belongings at the facility that you have chosen to store from.

As a self storage manager, it is important that you communicate with a potential renter that you will be there at a certain time, ensure that you are there. If for some reason you have to leave, then make sure you communicate with the renter that you will be back at a certain time or delay the reason you needed to leave. What ends up happening to a customer like the one discussed above is that they decide to go to another facility. You then lose business, you lose potential customer loyalty, and you lose that customer’s recommendation of you to one of their friends or family.

Tweet This Post