Six Mistakes to Avoid When Putting Your Belongings in Long-Term Storage

You need to take special care when putting items in long-term storage to make sure that your valued possessions don't somehow become damaged or neglected while they're out of sight.

The following are six mistakes you should avoid to keep possessions that you put in long-term storage in the best possible shape. 

1. Storing items that aren't insured

It's always important to have insurance on items you put in storage. However, it's especially important to have insurance on items you're putting in storage long-term. Insurance is important because items in storage long-term are out of your sight for a longer period of time and are therefore more likely to become inadvertently damaged. 

2. Not taking advantage of climate-controlled storage options

A lot of different items you could want to store long-term could be subject to damage due to exposure to temperature and humidity extremes. Items like books, furniture, collector's items, electronics, and musical instruments are all susceptible to damage from climate extremes. Fortunately, climate-controlled storage units are widely available to protect items in storage from temperature and humidity extremes. 

3. Failing to place items depending on when you'll need them again

You'll make life a lot easier for yourself down the road if you place items in long-term storage strategically. Make sure you place items closer to the entrance to your unit if you'll be likely to need them again sooner. Items that you don't see yourself coming back for in a long time should go at the very back of your unit. 

4. Stacking boxes and other items in a haphazardly

Don't be too hasty when you're stacking items in your long-term storage unit. Over time, your belongings are likely to fall if they haven't been stacked in a stable and balanced manner. 

5. Neglecting to occasionally check on your items

You shouldn't leave items in long-term storage too long without checking on them to make sure that everything at your storage unit is fine. If you go too long between visits to your storage site, you won't notice if items are stolen or damaged. This means that you'll be less likely to recover stolen or damaged items. That's why routine visits to your long-term storage site are so important. 

6. Forgetting to make rent payments

It can be easy to overlook storage unit rent payments when you've had items in storage for a long time. You should set reminders to yourself so you always make your payments. If a rent payment on your storage unit is very late, the storage facility will eventually take possession of your items to pay your outstanding debt. When this happens, you will lose the items you stored. 

To avoid these and other mistakes, contact local self-storage companies. 

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