• Don’t Believe These Myths About Storage Facility Security

    It’s natural to be a little worried about leaving your belongings at a storage facility. Just remember that the security of your things are a top priority for the company—after all, the company doesn’t want a break-in to cause legal liability or ruin the facility’s reputation. High-security storage units in Mountain View take extra steps to safeguard your possessions.

    Myth: Anyone could walk in and steal my stuff. Secured storage facility in Mountain View, CA

    Reputable self-storage rental companies take the safety and security of their customers’ belongings very seriously. Good storage companies invest a great deal into their security measures. When you choose a facility, look for well-built security fences and gates. Most storage facilities secure the property with a high-tech alarm and electronic keypad access.

    Myth: Employees are rarely on-site.

    Once you rent a storage unit, you’ll have easy access to it whenever you want—without having to find an employee to help you. Unfortunately, this has led many people to mistakenly think that managers are rarely at the facility to supervise the grounds and protect the storage rentals. This isn’t the case at reputable storage facilities. Look for a company staffed by capable professionals who are readily available to keep an eye on the facility.

    Myth: I have to buy extra insurance, even if the facility looks safe.

    Most storage facilities do force their customers to purchase storage insurance coverage. This is usually unnecessary and only adds additional fees to the rental. Look for a facility that accepts your current renter’s or homeowner’s insurance policy.

    Myth: If I’m a day late with the rent, my stuff can be auctioned off.

    This is a frightening prospect, but you can rest assured that your belongings will be protected by state law and the terms of your rental agreement. In California, absolutely nothing can be done to your rental unit until it’s been at least 14 consecutive days since the payment was missed. Even at that time, an auction can’t take place. The storage facility must send a written preliminary lien notice to the renter, which provides notification of the date of termination of the rental agreement. This date must be at least 14 days from the date of the notice. At that point, the facility owner must send another notice of a lien sale, notifying the renter when the unit will be auctioned. This date can’t be any less than 14 days from this second notice. At any point, the renter can satisfy the arrears and halt the sale.

  • Insurance, Packing Tips, and Other Information for First-Time Storage Renters

    If you’re struggling to find enough space in your Palo Alto home for all of your belongings, you might want to consider renting a storage unit. Self-storage is a terrific option for anybody who needs a safe, secure place to store their personal possessions. If you’re renting a storage unit for the first time, here’s some information you might want to know.

    You should buy insurance.

    As safe as self-storage is, it’s still important to insure your property to ensure that it stays safe. Along with insuring Storage for renters in Mountain View, CA your belongings, you should keep a thorough record of every item you keep in your storage unit. If possible, you might also want to try to take a photograph of everything you store. That way, you’ll be fully prepared against any eventuality.

    You shouldn’t overstuff your unit.

    While you may be able to fit a lot of your belongings into your storage unit, you should be careful to keep it organized and accessible. Leave a path for yourself to walk through your unit so that you’ll have easy access to your items at all times. Also, make sure that there is at least some space between your boxes of items and your unit’s walls. Always turn your unit’s light on as soon as you enter to ensure that you don’t stumble over anything.

    You should make the most of your space.

    First-time storage unit renters may wonder how they can get the most use out of their space. It’s important to put some thought into where you put all of your items. If you have a large item such as a couch, for example, you won’t be using your space efficiently if you simply place it in the center of your unit. Rather, you’ll want to place it at the back, where it will take up as little space as possible, so you can fill the rest of your unit with your other items.

  • Tips for Safely Storing Photos

    Photo storage unit in Mountain View, CA If you’re like most people, your photographs are the one possession you can’t imagine throwing away. After all, every photograph you take represents a memory. Even the most innocuous photos you own will be fun to look back on some day. If you’re in need of a secure place to keep your photo albums and your other cherished belongings, renting a unit at a storage facility in Mountain View is an excellent option. Here are some additional tips for keeping your precious photographs safe as the years go by:

    Make sure you have the right storage environment.

    You don’t want your beloved photographs to be marred by mold, moisture, insects, or other common problems. You also don’t want your photographs to fade because they’re exposed to sunlight. That means that you should make sure to keep your photos in a cool, dark, dry, and well-ventilated space such as a secure storage unit.

    Buy the right containers for your photos.

    You don’t want to just stack your photographs in cardboard boxes—you want to find an appropriate way to store them long-term. Photo albums with sheet protectors are a good option for keeping your photos safe while still making them easy to access. Once you’re ready to put your albums in storage, wrap them in tissue paper for extra security. If you prefer to use boxes, use water-resistant plastic ones, and lay your photos flat rather than on end.

    Keep your photographs well-organized.

    If you have a lot of photographs to store, you may want to put them in some kind of order. Otherwise, you may find yourself combing through hundreds of photos when you want to find a specific one. Label your photo albums in a way that you will find useful—whether by date, subject, or event—and make sure that the labels are clear and easy to read.

  • Simple Strategies for Decluttering

    If you’re like many people, you’ve probably got a lot more clutter around your house than you would prefer. One problem you may have run into is that you have a lot of items that you don’t want to throw out, but that you don’t have a place for in your home. A good option is to rent a storage unit in Palo Alto where you can store important items that you don’t need to use on a regular basis. However, it can also be rewarding to go through your belongings from time to time and get rid of anything that you truly don’t need. If you need some decluttering tips, check out this helpful video.