If you are looking to free up some extra space in your current home or downsizing by moving into a smaller home, long-term storage is the solution! Looking for a place to store items doesn't have to be difficult with our tips on finding the best storage location for you.

13 Things to Look for in Your Long-Term Storage Facility

1.How Much Storage is Needed

As you prepare to put some of your belongings in storage, start to assess how much storage space you will need. Discuss the quantity and size of your soon-to-be stored items with your storage facility so ensure it will all fit in the unit you have reserved for your long-term storage needs.

2. Take a Tour

Touring the facility is one of the best ways to determine if a storage company meets your standards. Ask to see the storage units or warehouse so that you know precisely what the setup is like for your belongings. 

During your tour, here are some great things to think about and ask:

• How easy is it to access your storage unit? 

• Does the facility keep the property maintained?  

• Is the facility guarded and/or have security cameras? 

3. What Can You Store in Your Vault

Every company is a little different in rules and regulations, but the commons items you cannot store in long-term storage vaults are:

• Perishables, like food

• Anything that is alive

• Valuables that are not replaceable

• Chemicals or other hazardous materials

• Money

4. Cleanliness

While taking the tour, keep a close eye out for cleanliness. Are there signs of pests, bugs, or infestations? Does your unit connect to a neighbor that may have a pest problem? You may be planning to store your valued items in the facility, so does the company have your belongings' safety as a top priority? 

Cleanliness is something that will vary from company to company. Self-storage companies could potentially have a higher risk of pest issues due to people putting unmonitored items in the long-term storage units. However, Camelot Moving & Storage provides professional storage services. That means that our expert movers load our clients’ stored belongings directly into each storage vault. As a result, we can monitor, maintain, and ensure the cleanliness of the stored items and our storage facility.

5. Access Points

Another vital piece to your storage facility will be the access points to your particular storage location. Is your unit on the ground floor? If not, is there an elevator available? How close is your unit to the elevator? Do you have to unload and load yourself, or are there professional loaders who will complete the task to ensure your items are safe and without damage while in the long-term storage facility?

Think about how frequently you will need to access your storage and how quickly you will need to do so, and then decide if the facility meets your needs. Access may not seem like a big deal until you have to climb stairs with heavy boxes and furniture or carry those items down a long corridor to your storage unit.

6. Weatherproof Storage

Storing your items long-term is a great way to free up extra space in your home. However, you want to ensure your items are safe from weather elements such as rain, fire, and floods. Natural disasters can happen, and you will want to know the structure of your long-term storage facility and how the company cares for and maintains the property. Check your storage facility to see how it matches up to potential weather hazards.

7. Climate Control 

Not to be confused with weatherproof, climate control is a part of long-term storage that may not always come to the top of mind. Weatherproofing keeps wind, rain, and fire out of your unit. However, climate control deals with the temperature of your unit and keeps it regulated. 

Storage facilities with no climate control will change the temperature in your unit to extremely hot or cold, just as it is outside day and night. Your long-term belongings may not be able to stand up against such dynamic temperature changes. Therefore, choosing a company that regulates the indoor temperature of your vault is crucial to ensure your items don't get damaged.