What Not to Store in a Storage Unit
So, you have your first storage unit, and you’re ready to fill it with important items that are simply taking up too much space in your home. That’s great! While you can store a lot with us, there are some things that we, and other self storage facilities, prohibit. These are common sense and easy to avoid, so let’s go over them to get you up to speed.
Perishable Food
While canned goods are fine to store for a short time, open food decomposes, stinks, attracts pests, and grows mold and mildew. The smell can permeate your storage unit and get into your other belongings. If pests, like bugs and rodents, get into your unit, they can cause a lot of damage and spread to nearby units.
Live Animals
Storing live animals is illegal and cruel. This includes pets or animals you may intend to give away. Just don’t lock an animal up in a stuffy, dark storage unit. Plus, this can attract pests and the animals can die.
If you’re going out of town for a day or longer, bring your pet or pets with you, hire a professional pet sitter, or have one of your friends look after your pets.
Live Plants
Yes, lightless rooms are bad for potted plants as well. Plants need light, fresh air, water, and to have their soil rotated. Like animals, they can die in a unit and attract pests. If you don’t have room for a plant in your home, you can give it to friends or put it on your porch or in your yard.
Scented Items
As hinted at previously, you should avoid things with strong scents. They can, yes, attract pests, and they can also cause a serious annoyance for your storage neighbors. If a scented item is packed so well that its smell does not escape, and it doesn’t fall into another category on this list, then it’s probably fine.
Wet Items
Always make sure your belongings are dry before putting them in storage. Mold likes to grow in damp conditions, so don’t introduce them to your storage units. And yes, moisture can also attract thirsty pests.
Hazardous Materials
These include anything corrosive, explosive, and flammable. No one wants serious damage to happen to your belongings or to the facility itself. They could also harm you and others in the vicinity.
We prohibit ammunition, car batteries, charcoal, fireworks, liquor, paint, paint thinners, pesticides, weed killers, and similar items.
Stolen and Illegal Goods
This should go without saying, but we want to mention it anyway. Don’t store anything illegal. That includes prohibited items in your area like illicit drugs, and it includes anything stolen. If you have something that you know belongs to someone else, don’t store it. Return it. Facility managers will call the police if they suspect you have stolen or illegal goods in your unit.
That covers it! If you have any questions about what you can or can’t store, feel free to ask us. If you're feeling comfortable and ready to put your items in storage, let us help find you the perfect location near you.
