Are you wondering why some people choose to rent self-storage units? There are many reasons people need extra storage, and if you find yourself in a similar situation, give Vacationland Self Storage in Sanford Maine a call today!

Why some people choose to store valuables:

There are many reasons why you may want to store some of your valuables away from your own property. Some of those reasons include:

• You are moving to a new home

• You have too much stuff

• You are a collector

• You are storing stuff for a friend or family member

• You just inherited a lot of stuff

• You were given furniture or large items that you can’t store

• You want more space in your own home

• You are moving home for the summer

• To store items and materials for a business

• You have a lot of holiday decorations

• And more!

One of the biggest reasons people rent storage units temporarily is because they are moving. Moving houses is a very stressful time, as anyone who has moved before can certainly tell you. Finding a place for all your new stuff, especially if you are downsizing, have a few weeks to months between homes, or are moving far away, can be extremely difficult. Putting some of your stuff in storage can help make this time less stressful and give you more room wherever you’re staying. 

Another reason so many people rent storage units is that they simply have too much stuff. We all know how it is. As you live your life you gradually accumulate a lot of stuff, some of it useful, and some of it not so useful. While ideally, we would be able to throw stuff away or get rid of everything extra, that’s just not how most people are. Instead, we tend to hold on to things. One way to hold on to things while not living with them all is by putting stuff in storage. This way you can still access everything if you need to, but it isn’t sitting at home making you feel guilty for hanging onto it for a rainy day. 

Along these same lines, maybe you have too many holiday decorations. Most homes have a finite amount of storage, and if you love decorating for the holidays, this space can run out very quickly. Instead, you can rent a storage unit! Now you have somewhere to put all your Christmas, Halloween, and Easter decorations without having to see them every time you go into your own storage room. 

A popular customer for storage units includes college students. If you’re a college student and need a place to store all your stuff while you move home for the summer, then renting a small storage unit is a great alternative to hauling it all home only to haul it all back three months later. A lot of students choose to rent a small storage unit for a few months so that they don’t have to deal with this hassle or get rid of their stuff. 

If you own a business, then you know that a business can accumulate a lot of stuff. Whether this is printers, documents, data, or whatever, you need a place to store it. Keep in mind that sensitive stuff like papers and electronics should always be placed in a climate-controlled storage unit rather than a regular one. 

Another reason you may need a storage unit is that you were given several large pieces of furniture. Maybe your friend was moving away and gave you their bedroom set, or maybe you just had to have that antique dresser from the yard sale. Either way, now you need to find a place to store it. If you don’t have room in your own home, another great option is to rent a storage unit. While you probably won’t want to rent a whole unit for only one or two pieces of furniture, you can probably find more stuff around your home to store once you have a unit to put it in. 

If you recognize yourself in any of these scenarios, then it’s time for you to find a storage unit to rent. If you live around Sanford, Maine, then Vacationland Self Storage is the place to rent. We offer 24-hour access, onsite security, and great customer service. We have both regular drive-up storage units and climate-controlled units, so no matter what you need, we’ve got your back. 

Types Of Self Storage Units & What You Should Rent

If you’re looking for a place to store some of your valuables, whether it’s furniture, antiques, artwork, clothes, boxes, or anything else, then you’ve probably realized that there are a couple of different options. 

Self-Storage Unit vs Indoor Storage:

The first option you might find yourself having to make is whether you want to rent an easily accessible self-storage unit or an indoor unit where you may have less access to your belongings.  

The differences here are mainly in how your unit will be accessed and who is able to access your unit. Self-storage units are typically storage units that are accessible by car or truck and typically have a garage-type door that makes loading and unloading your vehicle fast and easy. This kind of storage is ideal if you will need to access it often, are storing large furniture, or don’t want to depend on anyone letting you into the unit. 

On the other hand, you can rent an indoor storage unit. This kind of storage is more difficult to access because instead of driving your vehicle right up to the garage door and unloading your items, you’ll have to park your vehicle, unload your stuff and carry everything to your storage unit. This makes storing heavy furniture more difficult because you’ll have to carry it further and may run into narrow hallways and tight corners. Renting this kind of unit also typically means that you’ll have less access to your unit because you’ll most likely have to notify someone to let you into the building. This may make showing up after hours or in the early morning for whatever reason more difficult. If you would rather not rely on others to provide you access to your unit, then this may not be the way to go. 

Normal storage unit vs climate-controlled unit:

The next option you might be faced with is whether you should rent a normal storage unit or a climate-controlled storage unit. 

What is a normal storage unit?

A normal storage unit is simply a unit that isn’t climate controlled and doesn’t have extra steps taken to ensure the preservation of your valuables. Normal storage units are typically the drive-up self-storage units that are mentioned above. You’ll bring your vehicle and unload your items quickly and easily, no hassle required. 

What is climate-controlled storage?

Climate-controlled storage units are just how they sound: climate-controlled. This means that extra steps are taken to ensure that the temperature of your unit stays in an acceptable range, usually between 55 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. When the temperature of a storage unit fluctuates below or above this range, your items may be damaged, depending on what they are and the materials they are made from. 

But what kind of storage unit should you rent? There has been a hot debate on this topic for years. On the one hand, normal self-storage is cheaper than climate-controlled units, but on the other hand, you run the risk of damaging your items and making storing them no longer even worth it. 

Normal self-storage is cheaper than climate-controlled because no extra precautions need to be taken to keep your unit at an acceptable temperature and climate. This means that the storage facility can spend less money while still keeping your valuables safe and secure from burglars and damage not related to temperature. It isn’t exactly cheap to control the temperature of dozens of storage units at a time, so storage facilities need to charge clients more money for this service. Depending on what you’re storing and how valuable it is, this extra level of protection may very well be worth it. 

Something to consider when deciding what kind of unit to rent is what kind of valuables you plan to store. Some materials handle higher or lower temperatures than others, so if your items will handle temperature fluctuation, then you probably don’t need to worry about renting a climate-controlled storage unit. However, if your valuables are made of leather, wood, lace, etc., then it’s best to rent a climate-controlled storage unit and avoid damaging these items.

Here’s a list of popular items that should always be kept in a climate-controlled storage unit:

• Furniture

• Artwork

• Electronics

• Photographs 

• Some clothing

• Musical instruments

• Wine 

• Antiques 

• Anything containing leather, wood, upholstery materials, lace, or metal)

If you’re worried about storing your valuable items and how they will fare in a storage unit, then it’s a good idea to rent a climate-controlled unit. If you aren’t sure exactly what your items are made of but don’t want to risk any damage to them, then you should rent a climate-controlled unit, even if it means spending a little extra money. 

No matter what kind of storage unit you’re looking for, Vacationland Self Storage can help. Give us a call today to rent a storage unit or talk about storage rentals in Sanford Maine.