Our guide for the holiday season
The self-storage industry always sees a real spike in business just before the holiday season. And it’s no surprise when we’re dealing with Christmas presents, out-of-season sports equipment, and outgrown clothing constantly popping out of cupboards!
Self-storage units are a great way to handle the storage problem in your home or business. There are plenty of benefits. For example:
- Self-storage units offer convenient, off-site accommodation for anything you want to keep, but don’t want to trip over in your home or business!
- These units can be rented flexibly, with options for rolling monthly contracts, long-term lets, and everything in between. They tend to be very affordable too, especially compared to full-service or valeted units.
- Units are securely managed, dry, safe, and perfect for the storage that you need. You can usually hire packing materials too.
- They are located in easy-to-reach locations, with plenty of parking and secure round-the-clock access.
So if you’re thinking about hiring a self-storage unit for the holidays, here are some things to consider:
Act now to get the best prices
– As demand rises before Christmas, prices can rise too. So book your rental unit now and secure the best one for your needs. If you shop around you’ll find plenty of options – and you may have scope to negotiate on the packages being offered. Think carefully about the size of the unit that you need – providers will usually offer guidance here to help you understand how much space you require. Can’t afford a full unit? Why not go halves with a friend, family member, or neighbour?
Organise your crates
– The success of your self-storage unit depends on how well it’s organised. Organise your boxes by theme, items or purpose and you’ll find them much easier to manage. Add clear labels to the outside of each box and choose the right storage boxes or crates for easy access. Another approach is to have numbered boxes or crates with lids, and then keep a master list that describes what’s kept inside each one. That will save you a lot of time and energy you’d otherwise waste trying to remember what was what!
Consider shelving
– Shelving units are very useful for maximising your storage space, keeping things off the ground, and generally helping you to stay organised. Often, rental units will offer these for a fee within your package, but otherwise, you can use your own. Choose solid, commercial-style shelving that’s fit for purpose. These shelves are usually light but strong, made from aluminium or steel and easy to assemble. You can also buy modular kits to suit your space.
Rotate what you store
– Try to store your boxes according to what you’ll need soonest or most frequently. If you rotate your boxes, you can put out-of-season things towards the back and keep on top of everything. With a proper plan, you can avoid having to completely empty out your unit every time you realise something essential is ‘somewhere’ at the back.
Think about what you need to store
– If you’ve invested in a storage unit, then make the most of it. For example, over the holidays, your unit is a good place to store those spare folding chairs that visitors tend to need, guest camp beds, air mattresses and other guest extras. You can even store an extra crate of tableware for entertaining. By keeping all of these extras in your unit, you can keep your home clutter-free.
Hide those gifts!
– There’s nothing more annoying than spending hours finding the perfect present, only to have the recipient snoop around and find it in your bedroom or ‘hidden’ in a cupboard. Let’s face it – family members are great at hunting down gift hiding spots, especially kids! So why not use your storage unit to put your Christmas presents and holiday gifts so that they aren’t discovered beforehand? This is even more useful if your toys and gifts are large, bulky or generally difficult to hide at home. After all, who wants to try and hide a set of new kids’ trikes at home somewhere…
Think about access
– When you’re picking your storage unit, think about how you’ll access it. No one wants to spend ages driving over town in rush hour to grab the BBQ after work. Look for one that’s close to home, and with good parking. You want to be able to park close to your unit for easy transport.
Look too for units that have good lighting and on-site security, especially if you plan to visit at night or alone. Most units are safe and have camera security, but it’s always good to know that you’re as secure as possible if you’re visiting during quiet hours. Some units have staff on the front desk which many customers like too, especially those that offer full-service management options alongside self-storage.
So, with only a few weeks until Christmas, act now to get your perfect self-storage space secured, and enjoy a clutter-free holiday!