While the thought of moving to a new home is very exciting, the actual process of moving can mean nothing but hard work and huge amounts of stress. Many real estate experts emphasize the importance of removing items from your home prior to sale… it is well established that by “de-cluttering” your home, potential buyers will be more interested because it will look larger and it will be able easier for them to imagine their own belongings in the house. Self storage can be a great way of quickly removing items from your home to help give the appearance of a more spacious, less cluttered living space, which may help to attract more buyers.
If you downsize your home to save money, you may find that in doing this you have more furniture and personal belongings than your new home has room to accommodate. Whether you want to hold on to these possessions, or slowly sell them over time, you’re going to need somewhere to keep them. Self storage is definitely one option, and can be a cost effective one if you spend time looking around for the best deals to suit your needs.
The Benefits Of Self Storage
There are alternatives to self storage and if you only have a few items you may be able to store them with friends or relatives or sell them at a garage sale or auction. But self storage offers some advantages while avoiding inconveniencing others:
- All of your items can be kept together.
- Your items will be in a secure facility.
- Many storage facilities are climate controlled protecting your items from heat, cold and moisture.
- You can access your items when required, to perform maintenance or to retrieve anything you require.
- Valuable items can be wrapped up appropriately and protected from dust, insects and anything else that may cause harm.
What To Look Out For When Using Self Storage
Wherever you are, there will be a number of self storage facilities to choose from. It is important to choose a facility that suits your requirements and provides you with the peace of mind that your items will be safe and secure. There are a number of things to consider when you are planning to utilize self storage, including the following:
- Make sure that the facility is in or around the area you live in and that it is suitable and convenient for you to transport your stuff there. So, if you live in San Francisco, find a self storage facility in a safe neighborhood around that area. Similarly, if you live in (or are planning to move to) Santa Monica, simply Google self storage in Santa Monica or the whatever area. Slight changes in the search area can result in significant savings in storage costs.
- Ensure that the space is large enough to accommodate all of your items, but that you are not paying for unused space.
- If you require climate control, is it available?
- Do they offer free truck usage? Moving Supplies? Hand Carts? Padlocks?
- Find out about the security situation, and ensure that the facility has adequate security measures in place.
- Ensure that you are able to access your items when you need them (What are the hours of access?). This is particularly important if you are selling items, because you may need to be able to get them out in a hurry.
- Take the time to read the fine print and make sure that you understand and agree with the terms and conditions of use.
While you may consider self-storage an unnecessary and avoidable expense when planning to sell your home, it can be invaluable in helping sell your house and making the transition as easy as possible.
See Also:
- The Benefits of Owning a Vacation Rental
- Tips for Surviving Foreclosure
- 5 Ways to Finance a Deposit on a Property
- Buying Your First Home
- More House Hunting Tips For New Families
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