Tips for Storing Valuables in Self Storage

If the plan is to store collectibles, heirlooms and other valuables for their safe-keeping, it is absolutely imperative that you ensure the protection of these items so that they do not get damaged while they are kept away out of your sight. This article will provide you with helpful tips that can help you store your valuables safely in self-storage units.

• The facility you choose should have good security – The very first step of the process involves carefully choosing your self-storage facility. You should remember to not rent the storage sight unseen and ensure that the facility is visited by you in person and check that it has surveillance cameras, good lighting, is properly gated and has taken various other safety measures that crucially admits the entry of authorized people only.
• You should choose a Climate Controlled Unit – When storing valuables that can be sensitive to cold, humidity or heat, climate controlled units become important and necessary. To maintain a temperature within safe range, this kind of unit makes use of air conditioning and/or heating, keeping the temperature somewhere between fifty and eighty degrees. In order to prevent the items from corrosion, mildew and rot, the unit also has to control the humidity. Though a storage which is climate controlled will be more expensive than basic units, it is absolutely worth it when you are trying to store things which have high sentimental or monetary value.
• The belongings should be protected from different elements – Even when the storage you got for yourself has climate controlled features, it is natural for some changes in temperature and humidity to occur. Therefore, you should keep it in mind to lay out the items on a pallet which will allow air circulation. Valuable books should be protected with book covers, while furniture polish should be used to clean wooden furniture. The fragile items such as glassware should be safely wrapped using wrapping papers and kept in a box with bubble wrap or packing peanuts for protection.
• Do not forget the insurance bit – If you are assuming that it is the homeowner’s insurance which will protect the valuables while they are being stored somewhere else and not on your property, you are wrong. Some valuables such as jewelry might need a specialty endorsement to increase the coverage or a separate insurance policy for self storage may be required to cover everything. Insurance is usually provided by most of the self storage facilities but in the end it is for you to do an inventory of whatever you are storing and adequately choose an appropriate coverage.
• The unit that you are getting should have easy accessibility – Lastly, it is absolutely crucial to ensure the easy accessibility of the storage unit you are choosing. This is primarily because you would want to visit the items regularly in order to inspect them for any probable damage. The units which are easiest to access are those at the ground level that conveniently open to the outside but unfortunately they will not have climate controlling features. Along with the location of the unit in the facility, you should also consider the distance of the storage facility from your home as you would probably want to avoid a long drive back and forth every time you decide to check on the valuables.