If you plan to take an extended vacation away from home with your entire family, you must take care of a few things. It involves ensuring your home, car, and household items are safe while you are gone. For example, you might want to get rid of the food in your fridge since it will go bad if left unattended. Similarly, it would help if you switched off all your appliances and shut everything down before leaving.
Alternatively, if you are worried about the safety of your valuables, storing these items in a safe storage unit could be the perfect solution for you. Multiple facilities offer a range of storage services throughout the US, giving you peace of mind and knowing that all your belongings are safe.
SpareFoot Storage Beat reports that self-storage is a $39.5 billion industry annually (within the US), with over 49,000+ storage facilities available in all the States. Around 10.6 percent of US households rent a storage space annually, with approximately 5.9 square feet of rentable space per person. The average monthly cost of renting a storage space is around $89.12, with a total rentable area of 1.9 billion square feet. It shows the demand for renting a self-storage unit in the US since it is safer and more reliable than leaving your stuff unattended.
Let us look at some prominent uses of storage units and some precautions that can help you take a vacation easily.
Uses of Storage Units
A Safe Place for Vehicles
Storage units are the ideal place to keep your vehicles safe. You can specifically look into car storage Rockwall TX and select a storage unit according to your car’s size. Though it’s worth mentioning that you should consider asking a trustee to visit the storage unit to switch your car engine to charge your batteries.
You can also book a storage unit based on your vehicle, as some facilities have space for storing RV, motorcycles, and boat parking.
Risk Reduction
The chance of theft of your stuff from a storage unit is minimal, while it also keeps your valuables safe from damage since these storage units provide a clean and regulated storage area for every item. Though it’s worth mentioning that most storage facilities have terms and conditions regarding usage policy. So, it’s important to read those and cover your grounds legally to avoid complications during a crisis.
Downsizing
It is also advisable to downsize and eliminate things you do not need. It will make it easier for you to manage the relevant and essential items. A popular opinion among movers is, ‘If you have not used something for more than six months, you’ll likely not use it again.’ For example, if your children grew up and stopped playing with certain toys, you can give some of them away to reduce clutter while keeping one with the most sentimental value.
Similarly, declutter your closet and throw out empty bottles, expired products, worn-out clothes, old shoes, and accessories to make room for new things. A lot of people use storage units as a place to hold garage sales, clearing out their clutter. This gives you room to shop during your vacation as you could bring back souvenirs and home appliances on discounted deals.
Minimize Your Storage Cost
Priority-wise, renting the storage units and booking a separate space for items you don’t immediately need until next year or season can save you a great cost. Consider renting modular units for different categories of items and sort them out before you store them.
Remember that renting a storage unit for particular items saves storage costs by spreading it out evenly and not spending on amenities you do not need.
Storage for your Home Business
If you have a home office or work from home, you can shift your office supplies to the storage unit before leaving for your vacation. Some people have valuable business items and sensitive client information that they need to keep safe. Storage units are perfect for the safety and security of your equipment and documents.
You can even shift your entire workstation to the storage unit, making it easier to move. Alternatively, you can use the storage area to work if you lack workspace at home. Many storage units offer the service of staying late and working out of your storage station. These units come with additional amenities like water supply, access to the bathroom, a covered area, and other workstation if required. This way, you can resume working from your storage unit after vacation until you are ready to move everything back to your house.
Emergency Storage
Do not leave your household items and furniture unattended if you live in an area common to natural disasters like floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, and storms. Consider shifting your valuables to a storage unit to keep these items protected until you return from your holiday. Additionally, include emergency supplies and non-perishable food items in your store inventory. When you return from your holiday, you can take time to get your house back in order before moving all your stuff around.
Freedom from Anxiety
Storing all your household items and furniture in a storage unit can give you the latitude of keeping your house locked and protected while you are away. You can also enjoy your vacation more as you don’t have to keep checking in with housekeepers regarding maintenance, keeping doors locked, and any updates. It’s worth noting that this freedom from anxiety is there in case you don’t have a pet at home or anything that needs supervision.
Storage units are accessible 24/7. Therefore, whenever you plan a last-minute getaway, you can always access your items whenever you need to.
Helps You Pack Light
One of the major advantages of booking a storage unit near your lodging when you go for a vacation is that it helps your mobility. Once you’ve reached your destination, you could immediately shift your valuables to a storage unit and carry the necessary items.
Suppose you are staying for an extended period. You can use a storage unit to store items such as your hiking gear and take that out when you go on that hiking adventure.
Conclusion
Self-storage units make it easier for you to travel without worrying about the safety of your valuables at home. Additionally, this facility can save on your house’s maintenance charges while away. Keeping all your stuff in storage units ensures that your things are safe and secure.
Storage units come with multiple amenities and sizes. You can select whatever area and services you require. For example, some units offer a sizeable space to store your home office equipment and documents. Others provide covered, climate-control car storage facilities. Therefore, spend only on the amenities and services you require.
