Choosing a local storage unit can be a tricky task as there are lots of different decisions to be made. What location should you go for? What storage type is right for you? What security do you require? What size? How much do you want to spend? Here we talk through some of the key things to consider when choosing a local self-storage facility to help make your decision a little bit easier.

Location

Location is one of the most important factors when choosing a storage unit. If you’re planning on visiting the storage frequently then it is worth going for a storage facility that is closely located to you. Even if your local storage is slightly more expensive, the time and hassle it saves is probably worth it in the long run.

However, just because a storage facility is the closest doesn’t mean it’s the most accessible particularly if you live in a busy town or city. For example, many Peterborough and Stamford residents choose to use MoreStore Self Storage because we are located on an easily accessible, out-of-town commercial estate with good transport routes instead of a busy town centre location.

MoreStore is also conveniently located for customers from Market Deeping, Bourne, Spalding and other surrounding locations, who don’t want to have to go into town to access their stored items.

Security

One of the most important things to consider when hunting for a storage unit is whether the site will keep your belongings secure. For your own peace of mind, you want to be sure that your items are locked away safely and securely.

Even though you know your local area well, you shouldn’t ignore the security risks and should always question the business on how they go about protecting customer belongings. Check whether the business has any security measures such as CCTV cameras, gates and how they are protected outside of business hours.

MoreStore Self Storage, for example, is located inside a secure warehouse and has a gate fitted with an access control system. We also have 24-hour monitored CCTV.

Type

When looking into the types of storage that are available, you may come across a few different options. Once you have determined what you need in terms of location and security, you will then be able to choose the most suitable type of storage facility.

Warehouse storage facilities are generally one of the most common types of storage and are usually situated on industrial estates and out of town locations. Units are often placed in large buildings which have been sectioned into rooms of different sizes to accommodate different needs. Although prices for this can be slightly higher than other types of storage units, these tend to be the most secure.

Lock-up garages tend to be situated in more dense urban areas due to the limited space and simply involve packing your items in a large crate and storing them on a rack. Units can be privately owned or managed by agencies. Though these are a popular and affordable option, access tends to be more restricted.

Some facilities also offer converted shipping containers for self-storage purposes. These tend to be cheaper and you can drive up close to the storage, however, it is worth pointing out that they are not temperature controlled, so only items that are not temperature sensitive should be stored. Since these are located on remote sites, the facility may not offer 24/7 security.

Space

Working out how much space your items will take up can be tricky as it’s not always easy to visualise how much space your possessions will take up. Below are some listed examples of room sizes to give you a rough idea of how much you can fit into each one.

• 25 sq ft: Approximately 20 large boxes or the contents of an average garden shed.
• 50 sq ft: Approximately 65 large boxes, 1 x Luton van load of goods. A 1 bedroom flat would need a unit of between 50 and 75 sq ft.
• 100 sq ft: Approximately 140 large boxes, the contents of an average garage, or 240 racked archive boxes. A 2 bedroom house or flat would need a unit of between 75 and 100 sq ft.
• 150 sq ft: 250 large single boxes or 3 Luton van loads of goods. A 3-4 bedroom house would need a unit of between 120 and 150 sq ft.
• 250 sq ft: Approximately 400 large boxes or 4-5 Luton van loads of goods. This size unit is suitable for the contents of a 4 or 5 bedroom house.

If you’re unsure, it’s probably a good idea to choose a facility that offers lots of different size storage units; that way you can always swap for a larger or smaller space if necessary. For a rough idea of how much space you require, see our storage space calculator.

For more information about self storage, get in touch here.