Author: Brad Dixon

Hiding Christmas presents in a self-storage unit can be a creative way to keep surprises from prying eyes. I know this may seem like an extreme and expensive option, but it can be done in a cost effective manner. For example, there are several options for 5 X 7 units at a price of $22 per month. Case in point, the above image is from Life Storage in Austin, TX.

Here are some tips to help you do it effectively and securely, in a city near you:

1. Choose a Secure Facility: Select a reputable and secure self-storage facility with good reviews. Look for features such as surveillance cameras, access control systems, and well-maintained premises.
2. Rent a Climate-Controlled Unit: If possible, choose a climate-controlled storage unit to protect delicate items from temperature and humidity fluctuations.
3. Pack and Label Boxes Discreetly: Pack your Christmas presents in nondescript boxes to avoid drawing attention. Use plain or generic labels without indicating the contents. You can also use codes or numbering systems only you understand.
4. Disguise Items in Storage Containers: Place your gifts inside other items like storage bins, furniture, or large containers. This adds an extra layer of disguise and makes it less likely that someone will stumble upon them.
5. Camouflage with Everyday Items: Blend your gift boxes with everyday items such as household goods or seasonal decorations. Consider placing your presents inside bins labeled as ordinary household items.
6. Use Blankets or Tarps: Cover your items with blankets or tarps to obscure their shapes and make them less noticeable. This can also add a layer of protection against dust.
7. Strategic Placement: Strategically place your gift-containing boxes toward the back of the unit, behind other items. This makes it less likely for someone to accidentally come across them.
8. Visit Discreetly: When visiting the storage unit, try to do so inconspicuously. Be mindful of who might be around, and avoid drawing attention to the items you’re storing.
9. Inform Trusted Individuals: If you share access to the storage unit with others, communicate with them to ensure they are aware of the presence of hidden gifts and won’t accidentally stumble upon them.
10. Keep Valuables Secure: If your gifts include valuable items, consider adding an extra layer of security such as a lock on the storage unit or a lock on the individual boxes.

Remember to check the terms and conditions of your storage unit rental agreement to ensure you’re following the facility’s rules. Additionally, be aware of any local laws or regulations related to storage units and the items you plan to store.

Yes, many investors find self-storage to be an interesting and potentially lucrative option. There are several reasons why self-storage is appealing to investors:

1. Stability and Resilience: Self-storage facilities have shown resilience during economic downturns. People often downsize their homes during tough economic times, creating a demand for storage space.
2. Recurring Revenue Model: Self-storage typically operates on a monthly rental model, providing a steady and predictable income stream for investors. Tenants often sign long-term leases, contributing to a stable cash flow.
3. Low Operating Costs: Compared to other types of real estate, self-storage can have lower operating costs. Facilities are generally simpler to maintain, with fewer amenities and less need for on-site management compared to residential or commercial properties.
4. Flexibility in Location: Self-storage facilities can be established in a variety of locations, including urban, suburban, and rural areas. This flexibility allows investors to choose locations based on local demand and market conditions.
5. Low Tenant Turnover: Tenants often use self-storage for extended periods, leading to lower turnover rates compared to residential rentals. This can reduce the costs associated with marketing and filling vacant units.
6. Adaptability: Self-storage facilities can be repurposed for various uses, providing flexibility for investors. For example, converting existing structures into storage units or expanding existing facilities can be more straightforward compared to other types of real estate.
7. Technology Integration: Some self-storage facilities leverage technology for security, access control, and management, making operations more efficient and potentially attractive to tech-savvy investors.

As with any investment, it’s crucial for investors to conduct thorough market research, assess local demand, and consider factors like competition and economic conditions. Real estate markets can vary, so what might be a good investment in one area may not hold true in another.

Indoor, Outdoor, Or Covered?

You have three general options when it comes to vehicle storage- indoor, outdoor, or covered.

Outdoor storage is the simplest and the cheapest choice. It’s just a parking space in an enclosed and locked lot. Your car is kept safe from theft and vandalism, but it’s open to the elements.

Indoor storage is the most expensive option, but it’s also the safest. You’ll get a drive up unit that’s essentially a small garage. If you’re storing a high-priced vintage car, this is probably the way to go.

Covered storage is something in between the others. You get a covered parking space to keep the worst of the rain and snow off your vehicle. If you don’t want to swing the price for indoor storage or are storing an RV/boat, this might be for you.

No matter what kind of storage you pick, make sure the facility has 24-hour video surveillance and a good security record. The facility will also need to see current vehicle registration and proof of insurance.

How To Get Your Car Ready

Doing a few simple things will help prevent damage to your car while it’s in storage. First, fill up your gas tank and change your oil. This will prevent damage to your fuel tank and engine. Just make sure to drain and replace them before you start it up- both gasoline and natural motor oil degrade after a few months.

You also want to thoroughly clean the inside of your car and plug your exhaust pipe. This will help prevent any furry critters from finding a home in your car.

Finally, make sure to park your car on a tarp. This will catch any fluid drips and leaks and prevent them from seeping into the ground. A cover on top of the car will protect the car’s finish from cold and moisture.

Find Vehicle Storage Near You!

Vehicle storage isn’t all about cars. You can store RVs, trailers, motorcycles, ATVs, and boats, too!

Not every storage facility offers vehicle storage, so take a look at our website to find excellent vehicle storage facilities near you! It’s easier and cheaper than you think!

Stolen And Illegal Items

If you make the extremely poor life decision to steal something or get involved in the drug economy, you should keep it out of your storage. While police generally need a search warrant to get into your storage unit, there are more loopholes than for your living space.

State and Federal judges have held that your unit can be searched without a warrant if you’re behind on rent or if a friend you’ve given the key to lets them in. Best to stay away from a life of crime altogether.

Weapons

You’ve probably seen Storage Wars by now; you know if you fall way behind on your unit’s rent, it’ll be auctioned off. A variety of people come to these auctions, including people who might be restricted from owning weapons. If there are weapons in the unit, it could be a loophole.

Rather than restrict who can go to storage auctions, the law decides to restrict what you can store. So guns are illegal and most facilities restrict things like knives and nunchucks, too.

Dangerous Chemicals

You shouldn’t store household cleaning supplies, aerosols, pesticides, fertilizers, or gasoline in your unit. Most of those things are either a fire hazard or potentially poisonous.

Storage facilities are unique buildings; fire-fighters have described feeling like they’re in an oven when putting out a fire in a unit. You don’t want anything that could affect their breathing or make the fire worse.

Cash

Storage facility thefts do happen from time to time.. While insurance can cover your losses if things are stolen, most homeowner’s policies will only pay you back $200-$300 for cash losses.

It’s just not smart to store cash in a storage unit. Consider a safe-deposit box at a bank, instead.

Humans

Of course, it’s not legal to live in a storage unit, but it’s also a terrible idea. Self-storage units don’t have temperature or humidity controls and they don’t have adequate ventilation, either.

It’s not a good idea to keep any formerly alive humans in your unit, either. Should you default on your unit, your loved one will pass to someone who has no idea they were even there.

What You Can Store

Don’t worry, though. You can store pretty much everything else in your self storage unit.

From furniture and clothes to books and electronics, storage facilities are secure places to keep most of your things during a move. Find out what facilities are near you here!

We don’t like to think of these things, but they can and do happen. And your local storage facility isn’t immune.

So, how do you keep your items as safe as possible? And how is it insured?

Your Homeowner’s Or Rental Policy

First, the good news: if you have a current homeowner’s or rental insurance policy, your things in storage are likely covered! You don’t have to do anything special, either.

But, the coverage your items in storage have has the same limitations as your current policy. That means, your items are likely covered from:

• Hurricanes, tornadoes, and lightning
• Fire and smoke damage
• Wind and hail
• Theft and vandalism
• Snow and ice weight
• Explosions, falling objects</p>

But, your items likely aren’t covered from:

• Flooding
• Vermin, rodents, and animals
• Poor maintenance
• Mold and mildew

Second, while most homeowner’s and renter’s policies include what’s called “off-premises coverage,” that coverage is typically only 10% of the personal items coverage for property at your home. So if your policy will pay you up to $10,000 to replace personal items, that amount will be only up to $1,000 for your storage unit.

Before you sign a storage agreement, you may want to read over your policy or give your insurance agent a call, just to be clear on your policy limitations. Your insurance agent may be able to help you to get more coverage, too.

What If I Don’t Have A Policy?

Before you can sign a storage agreement, the storage facility will likely make sure you do have insurance. Generally, that means providing a copy of your current homeowner’s or rental policy.

But what if you don’t have a policy? Your storage facility probably offers their own policies to cover loss or damage to your items. You may even be required to purchase a policy if you cannot provide insurance.

Whether required or not, you should make sure you have insurance for your items in storage.

Other Ways To Keep Safe

Even if you have an insurance policy, hopefully you’ll never have to use it! How can you keep your belongings safe?

• Know what items are in storage. Complete a clear and detailed inventory of your items going into storage. Take pictures of any high-value items to note serial numbers and condition.
• Make sure your facility is secure. The best facilities are well-fenced, have 24-hour video surveillance, and require security codes to access units.
• Check natural disaster protection. What are your facility’s procedures in case of fire? How do they protect against flooding?

Find A Safe Storage Facility Near You!

Take a look on our website to find a safe, secure storage facility near you!

All of these terms refer to storage units that have their temperature and humidity controlled. But do you need this kind of storage or is it an unnecessary frill?

What Is Climate-Controlled Storage?

Traditional storage units provide protection from rainstorms, wind, and direct sunlight, but that’s about it. A unit in the Midwest will endure large temperature swings and a unit in Florida will get incredibly humid.

Climate-controlled units are heated, air-conditioned, and use humidifiers to maintain a consistent temperature and humidity regardless of the conditions outside. It’s not that different to keeping your own home warm and cool.

Different companies have different temperature and humidity guidelines. But in general, units don’t get below 50F or above 85F. Humidity is typically kept to around 50% or 55% You should be able to find a specific answer on a company’s website or by giving them a call.

Who Needs Climate-Controlled Storage?

High temperatures can dry out leather, fade paintings, and damage electronics. Cold temperatures can crack wood. And humidity can destroy electronics and cause the growth of mold and mildew everywhere.

If you’re storing anything with significant financial or sentimental value for longer than a few weeks, you want to look into climate-controlled storage.

This includes:

• Pricey furniture and electronics
• Musical instruments
• Important documents and family heirlooms
• Art work
• Antiques

If you’re looking at your things being in storage for an extended period of 3+ months, you can add things like household appliances, clothes, and books to that list. If it’s susceptible to mold or mildew, you shouldn’t leave it long term in a non-climate controlled unit.

How Much Does Climate-Controlled Storage Cost?

There’s typically  a 25-50% premium on climate-controlled storage, though the exact costs can vary from region to region and season to season. If you’re paying $100 for a storage unit, that means a climate-controlled unit of the same size will cost $125-$150.

Climate-controlled storage probably isn’t worth it for you if you’re a college student moving from the dorms into your first apartment. Or if you need storage for a few weeks while you wait to close on a new home.

But if you have valuable items or need storage for over 3 months, the extra cost of climate control is far cheaper than buying replacements. And, of course, sentimental items can never be replaced.

Where Can I Find Climate-Controlled Storage?

Most major self-storage companies have climate-controlled options. Take a look on our website to find climate-controlled storage in your area.