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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Referrals—Before you look for a storage unit, ask your family, friends, and leasing office for referrals.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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.