Pros and cons of renting long-term storage

There comes a time in everyone’s life when you just have too much stuff in your home. If you can’t walk through your garage, basement or attic without tripping on something, it is time to get rid of some of that stuff. There are many ways to get rid of extra stuff. However, if these things are dear to you, or just want to keep them for future use, the best option is renting long-term storage. And, as with everything in life, there are advantages and disadvantages to this. In this article we will talk about the pros and cons of renting long-term storage, and also how can you get rid of stuff you do not need. Let’s dive in!

Getting rid of stuff you do not need

The first thing you need to do when you thinking of getting rid of stuff you do not need is to make an inventory. Making an inventory will help you with organizing what you want to get rid of, and what you want to put in your Baltimore storage unit. And the organization is vital to everything in life, and that applies to store your stuff as well. If you are preparing for your move, you need to shed as much weight as possible. This is because moving companies usually determine the cost of your move based on the weight of your items. Let’s see how you can efficiently get rid of your extra items.

Garage sale

A garage sale is an ultimate way of shedding weight for your upcoming move. Getting rid of extra stuff and earning some money while you are doing it. It is a win-win situation! So, what do you need to consider when planning a garage sale. The most important thing is to advertise your sale properly. You do not want to hold a sale and not sell anything, right? You should print out flyers and hand them to people around your neighborhood. Give out more than one and tell people to hand them out to their friends! Another way is to put up posters on notice boards around your neighborhood. If you want a more modern style of advertisement, consider employing social media for your cause. Create an event on Facebook and invite all your online friends. You will be astonished by the number of people coming to your sale!

Selling online

If you do not manage to sell everything you wanted during your garage sale, consider selling the stuff online. Websites such as eBay will bring your item to a much larger audience and there is a big chance it will get sold.

Donating

If all else fails, you can always donate. You will not get anything for it, other than the personal satisfaction of knowing that you helped someone. You can even offer the stuff to your friends or family!

Pros and cons of renting long-term storage

Now, let’s get down to explaining the pros and cons of renting long-term storage. This is a great idea if you are moving and want to store some of the stuff away.

– Pros

Affordability

The price of storage units are very affordable for almost any household in the United States of America. Even long-term renting will not come out as expensive as you may have thought. There are some factors that determine the cost of storage. The location of the storage unit, the length of time you are renting it for, and any special services that storage Virginia offers all affect the price. There are climate controlled storage units which obviously cost more. However, they will keep your perishable items safe from humidity and extreme temperatures. See what types of items you want to store and determine if you need a climate controlled storage unit. You can probably fetch a discount if you inform the facility owned that you plan on renting long-term. Also, if you are military personnel, many storage facilities offer discounts for both active members and veterans.

Safety

If you put your belongings in a storage unit, they will be secure from any harm. We have already mentioned climate controlled storage units that protect your items from condensation. However, there is also the risk of burglary, and storage facilities are a great counter to that. Some storage facilities also offer storage insurance. If something happens to your items that was not of your making, you will be compensated for the damage.

More room in your house

If you rent a storage unit long-term or short-term, you will surely not trip on any of that stuff lying about in your home. All that clutter in your home, left “just in case”. Well, that specific situation in which you will use those things will probably not come to fruition. And if it does, storage units offer accessibility so you can get anything you need at a moment’s notice.

– Cons

Transporting your items

This may turn out to be a hassle. This is because transporting your items to and from your storage unit is not included in the price. This means that you will need to rent a truck or a moving company to take all of your belongings that you want to store from your house to your storage unit. This may increase the price of storage, so you should consider this when renting long-term storage.

Easy to forget

Many people forget to make an inventory of the items in their storage unit. This leads to them forgetting about something and the thing decaying over time. This why making an inventory is a very important step in storage. What is the purpose of storing something if you forget about its existence?

Additional services cost more

As we have already mentioned, getting extra services such as climate control, or storage insurance, just like moving insurance, will probably cost more. Determine the size of your budget before making the decision to rent a climate controlled storage unit or get any of the extra amenities storage facilities offer.