As an adult, you’ve had the pleasure of moving at least once in your life. If you’ve gone away to college as a young adult, you’ve moved around more than once. No matter if you’re young or old, chances are there have been a few occasions when it was necessary to pack up and move. Maybe you’ve just gotten married and are moving into a new apartment or home. Perhaps your job has you relocating to another city for a long term assignment. There are many occasions that represent the necessity to move. Some of these moving scenarios are not permanent and require temporary self storage solutions for moving.

Temporary self storage solutions for moving differ from other needs for self storage solutions because you know up front that the self storage you need is only for a temporary period. The manner in which you store your items in these storage units can be quite different. If you are searching for temporary self storage solutions for moving, the first thing you need to do is make sure that you package your items in a manner that will make them easy to get to when you need them.

If your temporary self storage solution for moving is the result of needing to store things while you wait for your new home to be finished because it is off schedule and you’ve sold your current home and have to downsize to a temporary apartment, you need to take special care in how you pack your things. Items that you will not need can go in the back of your storage unit. Other items that may have to go to the storage unit but need to be exchange regularly should be placed near the front of the unit. All boxes, furniture and other items should be situated in the unit so that there are aisles for you to walk between items without having to move them. Likewise, fabric furniture should be covered and mattresses should be stood up and supported so that they don’t get a permanent sag mark in them.

Temporary self storage solutions for moving a small business office can involve a similar storage scenario where items that will be needed right away should be stored near the front of the unit and large items such as desks, computers, chairs, tables should be stored to the rear of the facility since they won’t be needed and can be heavy and cumbersome to move.

Temporary self storage solutions for moving should be respective of the amount of time you need to rent. Many self storage facilities allow rentals from week to week, which is the best way to rent on a temporary basis. If you are not sure that you will need the storage for more than a week, you may do well to try to leave the items where they are rather than move them for just a few days.

No matter where you choose to temporarily store your items for moving, it is important to make sure that you follow the rules. Not all self storage facilities are the same so be sure to read the rental contract before you sign and pay. Make sure that you can store all of the items that you need to store in the unit. Remember that although you are paying a rental fee to rent private space, you do not own the space and the owner does have the right to inspect your items to insure that you are complying with the terms of the agreement.

Further, there are state laws that govern what you can and cannot store in public storage, even temporarily. Undoubtedly these rules will be incorporated into the rental contract. If they are not, you will want to inquire about these rules and ensure that you are compliant. Failure to comply can result in having your items removed from the storage unit and cause your rental contract to be severed, forcing you to also have to remove the rest of your items from the unit as well.

Many temporary self storage solutions for moving are like a one stop shopping source. They offer not only storage units but packaging items and even moving trucks to help you get your items relocated to the storage unit where they can stay temporarily either on a week to week or month to month basis and are protected with video surveillance and gated access by key only.

Storage condominiums are one of the latest trends in self storage facilities. With a self storage condo, the customer purchases their entire storage unit outright and then is free to do with it what they wish, including renting or reselling it. Similar to residential condominiums, the new owner is obligated to pay association dues to the storage facility. These dues are usually allocated to cover common expenses or kept in a fund to cover future capital improvements.

Storage condominiums have benefits for both the facility manager and the customer. The manager no longer has to worry about collecting monthly rent or providing liability insurance. Their ongoing maintenance duties are usually reduced as most association fees do not include any work inside of the storage unit. The new owner is responsible for his or her own pest control, water damage repair, and fire prevention to protect their own belongings. The customer is free to add their own security systems to their storage condo, but security at the overall location remains the responsibility of the facility owner or management company.

Most storage condos are 14 feet wide and 40 feet deep, with other sizes also available as desired by the customer. Many of them include a residental garage door, complete with opener, for easy access to the space. There is generally 15-amp electrical power already installed in the storage unit, with fluorescent lighting and several electrical outlets. Larger condominiums may be wired for 60-amp power, with the utility bill being sent directly to the space owner instead of the facility manager. Some storage condominium facilities include shared services for use on RVs, motorcycles, and boats. These include repair stations, vehicle washing equipment, and dumping areas for RV waste products.

The unique set up of a storage condominium arrangement can give it some flexibility with regard to city land use regulations and zoning laws. Because they are not rental units, a storage condo facility can often be placed in areas zoned for light industrial use, not just commercial zoning areas. This land is usually much cheaper for the facility owner than it would be to purchase commercially-zoned land. In cities where parking spaces and vehicle storage are hard to come by, purchasing a storage condominium may be more economical than paying parking fees by the day or month.

Despite their high prices, customers are purchasing these storage condominiums because of the flexibility and convenience they give. Since the customer now owns the storage unit outright, they are free to make any improvements they wish to the interior of the space. Exterior improvements must usually be approved by the facility manager since they affect the look of the entire area. Some common interior improvements include epoxy floors, new walls to separate the space, and adding windows or doors. Condo owners with a higher construction budget may even install climate-control equipment for the storage unit. This usually entails adding insulation in the walls and roof, along with either an air conditioner or swamp cooler to keep the temperature down inside the condominium.

Businesses are also taking note of these new storage condominiums, purchasing them for use as off-site file rooms or vehicle and equipment storage. Due to city zoning laws, most storage facilities have provisions in the sale contract prohibiting the operation of a business from inside the condominium itself. They are quite useful in shifting some of the storage space burden out of a company’s primary office, which is probably being rented at a premium rate.

Being able to actually own the storage space gives a business more financing options. It is far easier to obtain a loan to cover the purchase of real property than it is to persuade a lender to pay for the company’s storage rental for the year. The cost can generally be classified as a capital investment instead of a recurring monthly expense on the company’s balance sheet and income statements. Storage condominiums are a natural fit for businesses that use a lot of large equipment or vehicles, such as construction or delivery companies.

Financing the purchase of a storage condominium may be more difficult for a private individual. Many banks have no experience with the concept of buying a permanent storage unit as a real estate investment. As a result, these loans are usually treated as 10-year personal loans rather than traditional 30-year real estate mortgages. There is also generally a large down payment of 20 percent required upon the signing of the loan.

There are many reasons today why you may find yourself in need of a good storage facility. Maybe you are downsizing or between homes, have possessions that you can’t bear to part with but that are cluttering up your new, tiny apartment, have boxes of business documents that are taking over your office, are relocating or traveling overseas for an extended period of time or maybe you just bought a new car and actually need to reclaim the garage. Whatever your needs might be, there are storage solutions available for you.

Short Term Self Storage

This option is being utilized all over the country. Convenient, flexible and easy to use, self-storage is perfect for short-term transitions.

Self-storage is provided in clean, secure, sometimes climate controlled environments in specialist facilities. You choose the size of your storage locker, which can range from a small closet style to the size of an apartment, and determine what length of time you need the locker for. Self-storage is rented month-to-month and you can upgrade or downgrade your locker as your requirements change.

For self-storage you apply your own lock to the storage unit and are the only one with access to your belongings. You are free to come and go as you please and remove and replace items at will. There is no charge for accessing the facility and you can do so at times that are convenient to you (subject to storage opening hours).

With self-storage you are responsible for packing your belongings and delivering them to the facility. You choose how best to fill your locker or storage space, which allows you the freedom to put items you might need frequently at the front, and seldom used belongings at the back.

When you decide you no longer need the storage locker you simply pack up your possessions and move them out. Many self-storage agreements can be terminated on short notice allowing you a lot of flexibility with your storage needs.

Long Term Public Storage

What if you are in need of a more permanent storage solution?

Perhaps you are relocating overseas for a number of years or traveling and don’t want to sell all your worldly possessions. Maybe you inherited some antique furniture that won’t fit in your current home but you are planning on upsizing in a year or two. Maybe you have a classic car, boat or other item that you will not be using for a while. This is where long-term public storage comes to your aid.

With this kind of facility the management has more control over the care of your possessions (when you are away overseas this is a comforting notion.) They organize the storage of your goods and ensure that everything is packed away properly for long-term storage.

Usually with long-term storage you will be provided with a lease that will normally save you money over the month-to-month rentals. Access is by authorization only and this keeps your belongings secure while you are away. Some companies use giant containers in climate controlled warehouses for long-term storage while others use regular looking storage facilities.

In the end, which storage facility you choose, is determined by your particular storage needs. Both long-term public storage and short-term self-storage offer great solutions for people and their possessions. The peace of mind in knowing your belongings are being kept in a secure environment is paramount (especially if you are out of the country). Rather than relying on friends or relatives to store your precious belongings it is much better to rely on the professionals.