A storage unit rental in Mountain View can be very helpful in a number of different circumstances. You can free up a significant amount of space in your home by dealing with your clutter. Keep reading for a few signs that you should talk to a storage facility and get a self-storage unit.

You Are Running Out of Closet or Garage Space

If you have already used up all of your in-house storage space, you have a few options. You can hold a garage sale, donate some of your clutter to charity, or invest in a self-storage unit. If your closets and garage are filled to the brim with belongings that you are not open to parting with, your best bet is to rent a storage unit . This will allow you to save your closet space for hanging clothes and storing shoes, and your garage can be reserved for your car.

You Cannot Locate Important Things

When your home is full of clutter, it can be important to locate the items that you really need when you need them. The more belongings you have laying around the house, the more items you will find that are not what you are looking for. A storage unit can help you in this respect. Storing less useful belongings in a storage space can help you quickly and efficiently find the things you do need, when you need them.

You Have Many Seasonal Items

Is your house full of Fourth of July, Halloween, and winter holiday decorations, you are using up a great deal of space that could be reserved for more day to day belongings. Consider storing your seasonal items in a storage unit in Mountain View so you can access them during the appropriate holidays and keep them out of sight when they are not needed.

At Independence Storage in Mountain View, CA , your satisfaction is our ultimate goal. We offer all ground level storage units, and all of the units are 10-feet tall. Electronic keypad access ensures that your belongings stay safe, and you can access your storage unit 24/7. On-site managers also help keep your belongings secure. There is no minimum stay at Independence Storage. We also offer customized billing and payment options for your convenience. If you are moving your belongings with a semi-truck, you will find that our storage facility offers easy truck access. And if you have a boat or trailer, our extra-large spaces will accommodate your storage needs.

Although California offers ideal boating weather virtually year round, you probably won’t be on the water every day. Thankfully, you can keep your boat safe and secure at a boat storage facility in Mountain View. But while keeping your boat at a storage facility will protect it from theft and vandalism, you will also need to maintain your boat to make sure that it stays in tip-top shape. This is important, because when items like this are stored, they must be maintained as if they’re being used. Here are some basic boat maintenance tips that will pay off in the long run.

Wash Your Boat Regularly

The first and simplest task is to wash your boat regularly, especially if you boat in saltwater. Rinse your boat with freshwater after every outing before you return to the storage facility to remove salt residue. Salt will corrode metal and other hardware, and can mar your boats gelcoat as well. Use specially formulated marine boat wash to remove the salt residue from your boat before putting it back in storage.

Change the Oil

Just like your car, your boat needs to have its oil changed regularly. The frequency will vary depending on the type of engine your boats has, but a good rule of thumb is to change the oil every 100 hours of operation or at least once a year. It’s best to change the oil while your boat is still in the water, before you load it on the trailer and head to the storage facility.

Check the Propeller

If you have an outboard or stern drive bot, check the propeller as part of your pre-launch routine. Make sure discarded fishing line hasn’t become wrapped around the propeller shaft, and inspect the blades for nicks, dents, and other signs of damage. The smallest imperfection in the propeller can cause your boat to lose performance and burn excessive fuel.

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Mirrors and artwork are extremely fragile. Before you put mirrors and artwork into storage, you need to pack them to keep them safe. Although they make boxes specifically for large mirrors and artwork, you will need to do some preparation to the items before putting them into the boxes. Wrap bubble wrap around the mirror or artwork and tape around the item to keep the wrap in place. Then line the bottom of the box with packing paper to create a cushion. Place the mirror or framed artwork inside the box and fill in the space around the item with more packing paper.

Visit your self-storage facility in Mountain View for boxes, packing paper, and other packing supplies. Your self-storage facility should also provide packing tips to help keep your belongings safe while they are in storage.

Mirror Mirror: Learn How to Pack Mirrors and Artwork

Packing boxes for storage isn’t exactly an art form, but it’s pretty close. By making sure to properly pack your belongings, you can expect them to come out of their boxes in good shape. Good packing techniques can also help you conserve space so you can get the most out of every box and fit more items in your storage unit. Here are some tips for packing boxes before you move everything into a self-storage facility in Mountain View .

Use the Right Boxes

The right box makes all the difference. Heavy items should be packed in small boxes, while light items should be placed in bigger ones. Large boxes packed with heavy items not only make for back-breaking work but also have a better chance of breaking during transportation.

Pack Heavy to Light

When packing the boxes themselves, place heavier items at the bottom of the box and lighter items on top. This will prevent light, fragile items from breaking and will add stability to the boxes. The same concept applies when placing the boxes in the storage unit, with lighter boxes stacked on top of heavier ones.

Fill in Empty Spaces

Empty space inside packing boxes allows items to move around and potentially break. To keep everything in its place, fill in gaps with clothing, towels, or packing paper. Boxes that are loosely packed or unbalanced can also be hard to move due to the shifting weight inside the box.

Label and Tape Boxes Well

Label each box with the room it’s destined for and a description of its contents. This will help you quickly find a particular item, especially when the time comes to take your boxes out of storage. Once the boxes are labeled, tape close the bottom and top seams and make a couple of wraps around the box’s top and bottom edges, where stress is concentrated.

If you want to save money and make it easier on yourself to move in and out of a self-storage unit, you need to learn how to pack it before you bring truckloads of furniture and boxes to the storage facility. For starters, make sure to use uniformly sized boxes. This will make it easier to stack items vertically, thus conserving space. You should also pack tall items like couches and mattresses along the walls around the unit. Finally, make sure to keep an inventory of everything inside your unit and a diagram of where your belongings are located.

Once you know how to pack your storage unit, you need to find a self-storage facility in Mountain View that you can trust with your belongings. Look for a storage facility that promises high-tech security to keep your belongings safe. An online account system will also be beneficial in scheduling and making payments while on the road.

A self-storage unit is a safe and secure place to store everything from precious antiques and family heirlooms to extra furniture and seasonal clothing. Some storage units are even big enough to house cars, boats, and motorhomes. While you might not think you need a storage unit, there are in fact numerous occasions where it makes perfect sense to rent a unit from a self-storage facility. Here are just a few of the most common reasons people rent storage units in Mountain View .

Staging for a Move

If you are getting ready to move, renting a short-term storage unit can help the process go more smoothly. Boxing up all of the non-essential items in your home and moving them to a storage facility will free up a lot of space in your home, which will make it easier for the moving company to get all of your bulky furniture and expensive belongings.

Downsizing Your Home

Whether you are downsizing to save money or live closer to the city, you will most likely not be able to bring everything along with you to your smaller home or apartment. If you have a lot of large, bulky furniture items, consider storing them until you know what your permanent living arrangements will look like.

Going Away to College

A lot of students utilize self-storage while attending college. Dorm rooms and apartments are often too small to bring all of your things from home, so keeping them in a storage until clears up space for your parents or siblings that you won’t need while you are away studying.

Long-Term Vacation

If you’ve been planning a six-month backpacking trip across Europe or a road trip across the United States, don’t let your stuff hold you back. If you are moving out of your home or apartment and can’t bring all of your things with you, place them in storage and know that they will be waiting for you when you get back from the trip of a lifetime.

A lot of Americans are downsizing their homes, and not all of them are doing so because they have no other choice. If you’re getting older and your children have moved away from home, it might make a lot of sense for you to move into a smaller home or apartment. In addition to the money you will save, you may also enjoy more time for yourself and be closer to more modern conveniences. For more advice on whether or not you should downsize, watch this brief video clip.

If you are downsizing your home, find a self-storage facility in Mountain View . Having a place to keep your extra belongings, especially the most important and valuable items, can help ease the transition to a smaller home.

Our customers and their satisfaction are our top priority! Be sure to visit our Yelp page to read reviews straight from our customers!

“Pretty much the friendliest people in the world. I stored some stuff here over the summer while i looked for a new place closer to downtown. Every time i came by, they knew my name and checked in with me.

They have options for automatic payments, lots of opportunities for discounts, great prices and there are elevators and dollies provided for your convenience.
If you’re in need of a storage space, just skip the corporations and support these local guys. You won’t regret it!” -Sam E.

Moving can be an overwhelming experience, and it takes a lot of planning to make your move go as smoothly and as stress-free as possible. Whether you’re moving across town or across the country to Mountain View, you’ll need to pack your items securely so that they arrive at your new house in one piece. Put your heaviest items at the bottom of your moving boxes to make them easier to carry, and to keep your lighter items from being squished. As you sort through your belongings, throw out anything you don’t need anymore, and put what you don’t immediately need at your new house in a storage unit in Capitola. Self-storage can help keep you organized during a busy move. Check out this infographic from Independence Storage to find more tips for packing your stuff, and to learn how to make moving day go as smoothly as possible. Feel free to share this infographic with your friends, family, and coworkers!

These days, you can have just about anything the way you want it. Extra pickles, extra mayo on your burger? No problem! Want that leather couch in red? It’ll be here in a week. Fortunately, the same can be said when it comes to your storage options. Some self-storage facilities in Mountain View will allow you to customize your storage unit rental to fit your needs. Here are some things to think about that will help you get the most out of your storage unit rental .

Billing Options

While it isn’t necessarily the case that no two renters are alike, a lot of people who rent storage facilities do have different billing needs. Whether you are renting a short-term unit, a long-term unit, or you aren’t sure how long you will need to keep your belongings in storage, customizable billing options allow you to pay for your unit whenever is best for you. Add online bill payments or automatic withdrawals for added convenience.

Length of Use

How long you will require a storage unit depends on a number of different factors, the primary one being why you are renting a storage unit in the first place. Whether you are staging for a move, downsizing your home, combining households, or away at college, you should be able to determine how long (or how short) your storage rental is.

Pre-Payment Options

If it is the case that you will have your belongings in storage for quite some time, look into pre-payment options that can help save you money in the long run. By pre-paying for your self-storage unit in Mountain View, you may be able to receive a sizeable pre-pay discount. Some storage facilities may even offer pre-payment options for short-term rentals as well. And to make sure you don’t pay for more time than you need, look for a storage facility that offers prorated storage refunds for mid-month move outs.

If you are packing up your things and getting ready to move them into a storage unit, you will undoubtedly find yourself taping dozens if not hundreds of moving boxes. To keep your belongings secure, be sure to follow proper taping techniques.

How to Tape Moving Boxes

For starters, use packaging tape instead of scotch tape or masking tape. Once you tape the bottom of your box, fill the box to the very top for added support and stability. Then, fold in the smaller flaps followed by the larger flaps and tape the box closed using the “H” pattern. To see what this taping pattern looks like, and to learn other taping tips, watch this short video clip.

Once you get all of your boxes taped up, be sure to find a quality storage facility near Mountain View to store your belongings. Don’t settle for the first storage facility you find, but look for a facility that is clean, safe, and secure.

Living in a cramped dorm or studio apartment is all part of the college experience, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make the most of your living situation. With some clever and creative storage solutions, you can keep your room organized and fit most of your belongings. Of course, you won’t be able to take everything with you to college, which is where a storage unit comes in. Here are some easy storage tips and solutions for college students living near Palo Alto.

Use Multi-Purpose Items

Whether you live in a dorm room or an apartment, you’ll probably need to get creative if you want to save space and stay organized. Fortunately, there are tons of multi-purpose items out there that can help you do just that. A multi-purpose hanger, for example, lets you hang up your favorite necklaces and belts underneath a blouse or jacket.

Clear Up the Floor

To conserve space and keep your room looking clean, look for over-the-door storage bins and keep books, CDs, and DVDs up off the floor. Stacking vertically can also help clear up floor space and give your room the appearance of being larger.

Raise Your Bed

Unless you share a bunk bed, purchase raisers or simply place your bed on cement blocks. The added space will provide ample storage space beneath your bed, where you can store boxes, plastic totes, sports equipment, extra clothing, or whatever else you need to store away.

Rent a Storage Unit

For everything that won’t fit inside your room, store it at a secure storage facility near your dorm or apartment. Big furniture, expensive items, and seasonal clothing are ideal for a storage unit, since they are easily accessible without taking up valuable space in your small dorm or apartment. Just make sure the storage facility you choose is safe, clean, and secure.

There are a lot of storage facilities near Mountain View , but there’s only one Independence Storage. For almost 20 years, we have offered professional storage services for residents in Mountain View, CA and the surrounding areas. We love to provide our customers with packing and storage tips to make the best use of their storage unit. All of our storage units are safe, secure, and clean. We also offer online bill pay for your convenience.

When you choose Independence Storage, you can rest assured that your possessions are secure. You will also enjoy working with our friendly and courteous staff.

Whether you’re moving into a smaller home, consolidating households, or even going on a long-term vacation, a storage unit can help you keep your most precious belongings safe and secure until you need them. Here are some tips from a storage facility in Mountain View, CA to help you get the most out of your storage unit so you can fit everything you have without needing to get a second unit or upgrade to a larger unit.

Biggest Items in the Back

Before you start throwing everything in your new storage unit haphazardly, start with the biggest items in the back of the unit. Turn couches on their side and stand them upright, place bookshelves against the wall, and slide in any other large pieces of furniture you might have. Once these big items are in, you can get creative when placing everything else around them.

Stack What You Can

As you load your storage unit , take every opportunity you can to stack vertically. When stacking, place the largest and heaviest objects on the bottom for the most stability. Be careful not to go too high, however, or you may risk injury when you attempt to take down the stack when you move out of your storage unit.

Consolidate Creatively

When it comes to packing a storage unit, the most successful renters are those who get creative when consolidating and stacking items. Place boxes on top of shelves, stack chairs, throw bags of clothes on top of couches and large furniture items, and look for other opportunities to store smaller items inside of larger pieces of furniture.

As you look for a storage facility near Capitola, make sure the facility is clean, safe, easily accessible, and well-kept. For added convenience, look for a storage facility that offers online bill pay and 24/7 accessibility.