Thursday, October 1, 2009

Self Storage for Renters and Home Owners

By Kurt Novak

Self storage has helped thousands of Americans find extra space, when they are running out of room at their homes or apartments and needed addition storage space.

Self-storage is so popular now that a competitive industry has developed all over the country in order to provide top-notch storage services and facilities.

So what is self-storage? Very simply, it's renting one or more specific sized rooms that allow you to store items you want to hold on to but can't (or don't want to) keep at home. These storage rooms resemble garages. They are clean, dry and secure. Some are even temperature and humidity controlled.

Self storage units are available in a wide range of sizes. The largest space is usually 20' x 20' and can hold five rooms worth of furniture. The smallest space is typically 50 square feet (5' x 10') and is large enough to hold one room of furniture and boxes.

The basic term for self storage rental is one month, and most rental contracts stipulate that the term will renew automatically each month unless the management receives notice otherwise. Most facilities offer discount rates if you want to rent two or more units, or if you agree to pay your rent up front for at least six months.

Credit card is the most common form of payment for self storage, although most facilities will also accept cash or check. Many places even prefer to makes arrangements with you for automatic monthly transactions. Payments are made for the coming month.

Self storage facilities only charge a one time monthly fee, which means that you can get into your unit as many times as you wish with no additional charges. You may supply your own lock to the unit, so not even the management has access to it. This puts you in control of how to use your space. It's very similar to having a storage room at home, but you're not the one who has to maintain it.

Most Columbus storage facilities have tall steel wire fencing encircling their perimeters. Access to the compound is obtained by entering a main gate that opens only once you've punched in a private security code. The gate closes after you. Most facilities also have flood lights at night and security cameras 24/7.

Columbus storage facilities provide clean and easy access as you drive right up to your private unit. Most buildings have paved drives leading up to the doors, so you won't get muddy when it rains. Since you are the one renting the space, you don't share it with anyone else. Even management doesn't have access to your storage room.

So why would you want to rent a self storage room? Maybe you have children off to college, but they aren't ready to take all their possessions with them yet. Or perhaps you are moving to a smaller home and need a secure place to keep items you know you'll need sometime in the future. Maybe your garage is overflowing, and you want some extra room during the winter to store lawn furniture and garden equipment. There are hundreds of reasons why renting self-storage units is a smart move.

Self storage facilities are located throughout Columbus, so it's likely that one or more of them are located near your home or apartment. Renting a storage unit nearby is safe and convenient, and it's the next best thing to owning a second garage.

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