Choosing the Perfect Facility and Unit for You

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April 17th, 2022

Moving, downsizing, remodeling, or just having too much stuff? With a need for a storage unit in your plans, how do you know what storage unit is right for you? Choosing the perfect storage unit for your needs doesn't have to be complicated. Eagle Guard Storage will help walk you through the steps to ensuring you get the best storage unit for your needs.

First, we should discuss the different types of storage units that most facilities will offer. Drive-up self storage, climate controlled self storage, and non temperature controlled self storage are the main types of self storage units. Eagle Guard Storage offers ground floor drive-up self storage at all facilities. There are benefits to each of the types of storage, continue reading to find out if drive-up self storage is right for you.

Climate controlled self storage is good for your belongings that may be sensitive to extreme temperatures. Most items do not require a temperature controlled storage unit and will be perfectly safe in a standard self storage unit. If you plan to store items like vintage records or antique heirlooms, there is no doubt you should go the route of a climate-controlled unit. A simple way to determine if your belongings need to be in a climate-controlled storage unit, is to ask yourself if you would keep them in a garage for the amount of time you plan to store them. A non temperature controlled self-storage unit can easily be compared to a standard garage.

Something else to consider is ease of accessing your storage unit. Most standard storage units have drive-up access, however some can be inside of buildings. Drive-up self storage makes getting to your unit a breeze! Just as the name suggests you drive right up to your storage unit door, like your own garage. This eliminates the need for carts, stairs, or elevators and makes loading and unloading simple.

How do you know what size unit is correct? Many common phrases we hear from customers who are looking for the right unit are “I’ll take the cheapest one you’ve got” or “The bigger the better!” These typically are not how you should choose the right size self storage unit. Some questions to ask yourself before renting a unit are: How often will I be visiting my unit?Do I need access to the items that will be at the back of my unit?Can I stack my items to make better use of the space I will rent?What are some of the longest, tallest, and widest items I need to store, and will those items fit within the dimensions you are considering?Will I be adding and removing items from my unit?Should I have two smaller units rather than one large unit?

If you need assistance answering some or all of these questions Eagle Guard Storage is just a phone call away! Chat with our storage expert managers during office hours, or try out our storage calculator before you rent your unit online.

Amenities

Hours of access may be something that is really important to you. Most facilities do not allow 24 hour access to your unit but do offer extended hours so you have plenty of time throughout the day to get to and from your space. At Eagle Guard Storage our facilities are open to you 24 hours 7 days a week. Most of our customers access their self storage units during the day, however, you will never have to wait to get into your unit for something you may need outside of our office hours.

Security is another thing to be mindful of when looking for a facility to rent with. Ensure the facility you are renting from offers a well-lit, keypad entry, gate code access, and security cameras prior to renting.

Easy online rentals and payments are another great feature that most facilities offer. Eagle Guard Storage allows you to not only rent your first or additional storage units online but also makes paying your bill easy! Simply set up a login and password and you can set up automatic payments once you rent your first unit.

Insurance may be something you did not consider needing when looking for your facility and unit. Some self storage facilities require you to carry insurance through your homeowners policy or will offer insurance to you when renting. Although many people tend to rely on homeowners insurance to cover their items while in storage, this usually creates a higher deductible. Many insurance companies will offer a very small coverage amount for items outside your home and property and this information may not be something you consider until it is too late.

When renting a storage unit self storage insurance is something you should always carry. This will help cover the cost to repair or replace any belongings in the event that are damaged or ruined. While no one anticipates anything happening to their items while in storage in the rare event that something does happen you will know you are protected. Most self-storage insurance plans start around $10 a month and carry thousands of dollars in coverage. These plans are through licensed insurance companies so you have nothing to worry about.

Eagle Guard Storage can meet your storage needs! We hope that these tips will help you find the perfect storage facility and unit for your specific needs. Eagle Guard Storage offers a variety of self storage options at many locations. Rent online today, contact us, or give us a call to talk to one of our friendly and knowledgeable storage experts. We are happy to answer any questions you might have!