Renting a Storage Unit in addition to Your Gainesville, Florida
Apartment
It happens to Gainesville, Florida apartment residents all the
time. You move into your new place and excitedly unpack, only to
slowly realize you don’t have enough space for all your stuff.
There are a few solutions to this common issue, such as tossing
out, donating, or selling the items you don’t want or need.
If, after this process, you still have excess belongings needing
a home, you may consider renting a storage unit.
Renting a storage unit to supplement the space your Gainesville,
Florida apartment is not a task to be taken too lightly. There
are several important issues to mull over, including:
- Cost—Depending on how long you will rent the storage
unit, the cost can exceed the value of the belongings stored there.
If the cost of rent equals or exceeds the cost of buying the stored
items new, you may be better off getting rid of your excess things.
- Sentimental value—Contrary to the issue of cost, your
belongings may be worth saving in a storage unit if they have
great sentimental value and could never be replaced.
- Referrals—Before you look for a storage unit, ask your
family, friends, and leasing office for referrals.
- Air conditioning—Climate controlled storage units are
recommended in hot, humid climates. If your Gainesville storage
unit is not air conditioned, your items may be damaged by mildew,
mold, excessive heat, etc.
- Pest control—If mold and mildew don’t get to your
belongings, bugs and other pets might. Make sure the storage facility
treats the property regularly for pests.
- Security—You will want a storage unit that is secured
from the outside world. Not only should you keep your own unit
locked, but the facility should have limited access, security
cameras, and other security measures in place.
- Size—You will want to estimate how much space you need
before you choose the size of your storage unit. Most storage
companies will allow you to move to a bigger or smaller unit later,
if needed.
- Shelving—You can fit a lot more items into a storage
unit if you use shelving. Ask the storage company if they provide
shelving or will allow you to install shelving yourself. Free-standing
shelves work well, also.
- Insurance—Ask if your storage rent includes insurance.
Most storage renters must purchase their own renter’s insurance,
which is worth it if you are storing valuable items.
- Dangerous items—Never put flammable, hazardous, explosive,
perishable, or environmentally unfriendly items into a storage
unit.
Your final task before putting items in storage is packing. Unlike
packing for a move, packing for storage requires extra care to ensure
the items will be protected from dust, moisture, decay, and other
harmful conditions. Pack your belongings in sturdy boxes and use
plenty of strong packing tape to seal everything.
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