By now everyone is familiar with the term self storage. It refers to any one of a number of pay by the month drive up storage facilities for storing common non perishable items. However; if you are considering renting from one of these storage facilities, there are a few things that you will want to bear in mind.

Rather Pricey By the Square Foot

For one thing they are not cheap when considering the amount of square footage that you get for your dollar. In fact, you are going to most likely pay more per square foot of floor space at your common monthly rental facility then you would for an equal amount of floor space in a rented home or apartment. So don't think by any means that you are getting a great deal.

Still A Good Deal

However; on the flip-side, there is no deposited or credit check required and you can be in and done in about ten minutes. Also, while the square footage is costly there are smaller units that can run you as little as $60 per month in some areas of the country. Also there can be no doubt that the 24 hour security that self storage facilities offer is top notch.

Don't Scrimp on Your Lock

Before you begin packing though, there are a number of unwritten rules that you should be aware of. The first rule is that standard padlocks aren't as secure as you might think. Not only can they be easily picked with tools that can be purchased online but they are also vulnerable to multiple keys.

A Few Things to Consider

This means that you are going to want to buy one of the those big heavy, hardened locks that they will most likely have for sale at the front desk. Another rule if you have items such as furniture that can be damaged by rodents or insects such as ants is to buy some poison for both and put it out inside your storage unit. Also, remember that your storage unit is not climate controlled and is vulnerable to weather changes