Shifting to a novel position needs
making plenty of choice. You require choosing whether you're shifting yourself
or hiring an expert shifting company, which trade to choose for movers or
moving truck rental, which items to pack which ones to let go, and many more.
One of those choices is going to be which self storage or mini storage company to use if you need a place to store
items that won't fit easily in your new home.
That means that you'll need to
know what to look for in your storage unit facility. Here are some of the
biggest factors to use in your self storage in Chicago decision-making:
· Location: The old joke in real estate about the top three
factors in selecting a home being "location, location and location"
often holds true in storage unit facilities as well. You're going to look for a
facility that is close to your new place and is easily accessible from major
roads to make things convenient for you. The crime rate of the neighborhood
should also be a major factor.
· Unit size:
You want to have a storage unit that is large enough to hold all your surplus
possessions, plus room to be able to get in around those possessions, plus
possibly some room for "growth" in case you need to add more items
after your move (a common occurrence). The reason for allowing these
"pluses" is that you don't want to have to break your lease or rent a
second unit with additional fees simply because you weren't planning ahead when
you made your original choice. The smallest size units are usually 5' by 5',
which will hold a small number of boxes or small bedroom furniture. The largest
units are typically 10' by 40', which is large enough to hold most of the
contents of a 4-bedroom house.
· Climate control: More and more storage facilities have begun
offering climate control for their units, meaning they are typically inside a
larger building. The primary advantages of climate control are that they
preserve delicate items from heat, cold and humidity much better than non-
climate controlled units, and are much more comfortable work in around in
inclement weather. These units typically charge a significant premium.
· 24-hour direct access: This is typically a factor of pure
convenience, and while nice to have, most likely shouldn't be your main standard
unless you imagine needing to entrée your element in off-hours or on holidays.
Also, if you plan on keeping your items in storage for a longer period of time
and not needing to access them often, you're less likely to need this feature.
· Monitored security cameras: This additional security feature
is especially nice if some of the items you are storing are very valuable (as a
general note, I don't recommend storing valuables in a storage unit). Please
note that the cameras don't do nearly as much good if they aren't monitored, so
verify that they are.
· Security guards on premise: Similar to the monitored security
cameras mentioned above, it's an extra bonus to have security guards on premise
if they actually spend their time patrolling the areas around all the units.
However, if you pick the right facility, this will be hopefully unnecessary!
· Sprinkler system: A fire raging through a series of storage
units is certainly a nightmare you want to avoid. Sprinkler systems are vast if
this improbable incidence does occur; though, you'll desire to encase your
belongings in case they go off. Water damage often causes as much if not more
damage to property than fire.
· Insurance available: It's always a good idea to make certain
that you have adequate insurance coverage for all your belongings, including
those in your storage unit. And having insurance available from your storage
facility is certainly very convenient. However, all insurance is not created
equal, and you'll want to be sure you fully understand exactly what is covered,
whether the coverage is for replacement value or another amount, and whether
your existing homeowner's coverage applies to your storage unit items.
· Payment methods accepted: If you're going to have your storage
unit for any length of time, you'll want to find out what types of payment are
accepted for monthly billing, and whether those options meet your needs.