Save money on your storage unit? Is that even possible to do? Of course, it is. There are many ways that you can save some extra money on your self-storage unit, but many people do not know that these ways exist. Below, we will go over the do’s and don’ts so that you can save as much as possible.
DO: Take Advantage of the Deals and Discounts
ALWAYS take advantage of the deals and discounts that storage facilities have to offer. One of the most common deals is the month free. You will often receive one month free of rent when you sign up for a rental. Other common deals include money off when you reserve online, free rental trucks, and discounted rates for the term of your lease.
DON’T: Bring Every Item You Own with You
Okay, so just because you are renting a storage unit does not mean that you need to store EVERYTHING. Take time to go through your items and become more organized. Toss out what you don’t need and only store what must be stored. Storing all your items will COST you in the end. If you find you have a lot of items that you don’t use or need anymore, consider donating these items to a local charitable organization such as Habitat For Humanity. You can find more information here: https://www.habitat.org.
DO: Know How Much Space You Need
You can SAVE money on a storage unit if you know exactly how much space you need. Since storage unit prices are determined by the size of the unit, if you choose a unit too big, you will be paying for something you do not need. Take time before you move in and calculate what unit size you need and then stick with it.
DON’T: Choose the Wrong Unit
Choosing the wrong unit could cost you more money in the end and leave you spending more than you expected. As we mentioned above, it is important to choose the right size unit, but it is also important to choose the right unit in general.
If you need a climate-controlled unit, get one. Do not put your items in a non-climate-controlled unit only to have to replace the items.
DO: Share Your Storage Unit with Someone
If you only need a small amount of space and you do not need an entire unit, you may want to share some storage area in your unit with a friend or family who needs some space as well. This way, you two can split the monthly cost and this will shave down a portion that you owe on the unit.
Before you go this route, make sure you trust the person you plan to rent the unit with as you are ultimately responsible for it.
DON’T: Shove Items into Your Unit and Always Take Care
Always pack your items nice and neat and store them in a neat fashion. If you shove all your items into your unit, they may fall, break, or become damaged and this will only lead to more money out of your pocket. Avoid the decision to rush and stuff your unit at all costs.
I appreciate the tip about sharing a storage unit with someone to save a lot of money on space. My brother and I were actually thinking of living in with our aunt and her extended family for the holidays, so we were looking for a place where we can store all the things we won’t be using until the holidays are over. Getting separate units for the both of us definitely seems unnecessary, so I’ll look for a storage unit that’s big enough to store all of our belongings in so we can save a bit of cash.