There are many types of businesses that people choose to go into in order to be self-employed. A problem that often occurs for these people is that the amount of supplies and equipment necessary to run their business often outgrows the small space that they had set aside in their home when they started the business. Instead of having the business supplies take over much of their living space, renting a storefront business location, or moving to a larger home to accommodate everything, they often decide to place a portion of their business supplies into a nearby self storage unit. This is an ideal solution because the self storage facilities allow room for the business to grow. There is always the possibility to get a larger storage unit as the person's self employed business needs more space.

All sorts of business supplies can be kept in a self storage unit. For those people that are in the business of selling things that they make, the self storage unit can be used for unsold items, supplies for making new items and any type of documents that the person keeps for the business. Of course, if any of these things are susceptible to damage from extreme temperatures and humid conditions or if the person will be spending a lot of their time in the storage unit, then it is best to find a self storage facility that offers units with a climate that is controlled. This means that the temperature and humidity level are kept nearly constant throughout the year. Depending on what region the person lives in, just heat or just air conditioning may be used to control the climate, but regions that have temperatures below freezing and above ninety degrees will have both.

Our military families live all over the world and often it is necessary for these families to be relocated to a new base within a certain time frame so that the military person is able to properly perform their duties where they are most needed. When this occurs, the family usually tries to find a home located in the area near the new base so that they can all be together.

Everything in the home must be packed up and prepared for the move whether it is to a new location that is across the state or across the country. Often this type of move leads to either some or all of the household possessions being placed into a self storage unit. This may be due to several different circumstances. Usually it is due to the fact that the new house is not completely ready for them to move into or that a suitable home has not been found within the time that is allotted for the military person to do this. When the deadline for moving has been reached, the military family might also need to leave some possessions, such as additional vehicles or excess furniture, in a self storage unit near their original home until there is an allowable time for them to return and move these things to their new home.

1. Wipe down metal objects and tools with a little oil before storing to avoid rust formation.
2. Maintaining a steady environment prevents warping, rust, yellowing, mold, and infestation of vermin.

* Short term business storage:
        During remodeling, redecorating, or downsizing your business
        When relocating your business
        Storing seasonal furnishings (patio furniture, grills, outdoor kiosks, etc.)
        Storing excess inventory before the start of the holiday season

*The following is a list of items commonly stored in climate-controlled storage, along with the fact that a frequently visited storage unit will be more comfortable if it has a controlled climate.

Media is often used as a general term for such things as computer software, VCR tapes, CDs, DVDs, vinyl records, 8-track tapes and audio cassettes. Although some of these are no longer mass produced or they are only made in very limited supplies, there are still those people that have older collections that they want to preserve. Keeping unused media, especially vinyl record collections, can infringe on the person's living space. Stowing the box out of the way in an attic or basement could permanently damage the various types of media and make them useless and worthless. Instead, they should be moved to a self storage unit somewhere close to the home so that they can be checked on or accessed periodically.

Of utmost importance when storing various types of media is that the self storage unit is one that has a controlled climate so that the interior temperature does not get extremely cold or extremely hot. Depending on the region where the storage facility is located, this might involve the use of a heat system, air conditioning system, or even both if the winters are cold and the summers are hot. In addition, if the region is rather humid or the storage unit is located below ground, there may be a dehumidifier that keeps the air moisture under control so that mold and mildew are less likely to be a problem.

Some people might not think that storing any type of musical instrument in a self storage unit would be a good idea because of their susceptibility to damage from temperature changes and moisture in the air. However, if it is done correctly, the musical instrument will still be in the same condition when it is removed from the self storage unit as it was when it was placed into the unit.

Whether it is a temporary situation like placing valuables and musical instruments in a storage unit while out of town, or a more permanent circumstance like a family storing the musical instruments of a member that has passed away, the storage unit that is rented should be one where the climate is controlled so that the musical instrument is protected from being damaged by being too hot, too cold, or too damp. The climate controlled self storage units will cost a little more than regular units of comparable size, but it is important that the musical instruments are protected or they will be useless and worthless when they are brought out of storage.

For individuals that are really into crafting or teachers that need large quantities of craft materials for all of their students, it is often more economical to purchase the craft supplies in bulk when they are on sale and keep them until they are needed. However, this leads to the problem of finding enough storage space in the home or school to keep all of the bulk supplies readily available yet not in the way of other daily activities. A cluttered craft room or school art room is not conducive to creativity. Renting a small self storage unit for the excess supplies is the perfect solution.

These self storage units can be as small as a five foot square floor area which is like having an extra closet just for the excess craft supplies. In fact, the self storage unit can even be arranged in a similar manner to the main storage area in the home or classroom by grouping the supplies by type and keeping them in labeled bins that are stored on inexpensive bookcase shelving in the storage unit. This will keep the supplies from getting dusty while they are not needed and make it a breeze to retrieve something that is needed in the home or classroom.

Over time, a family can acquire quite a few photographs. They are often passed from one generation to the next. These photographs of people and events from the past hold sentimental value and are treasured dearly, but they can take up a lot room in a family's living space over the years. The best way to keep them in one place and safe for future generations is to rent a self storage unit.

The self storage unit should not just be a standard unit because the photographs are susceptible to damage from temperature extremes as well as from dampness in the air. In order to preserve the condition of the photographs, they should be kept in a storage unit that has a controlled climate. At a storage facility, each climate controlled storage unit may have individual heating and cooling devices, but they are usually all grouped together in a single building that has central heating and air conditioning. Then the warmed or cooled air is brought to the individual storage units through ductwork in the same manner as it would be in a house. This keeps the temperature in the storage units nearly constant throughout the year. To further protect the family photograph collection, the self storage unit should also have some type of dehumidification system to control the dampness in the air if it is located in a region with high levels of humidity. The moisture in the air could cause the photographs to stick together and mold to develop on them.

Often people have possessions that have been passed on from one generation to the next for quite some time. These items may include antique dolls, family made patchwork quilts, antique pieces of furniture, old family pictures, and family bibles, as well as other items that have a high sentimental value and are considered irreplaceable. There may also be other antique items that the person has purchased at an auction or through another source and want to preserve due to their monetary or historical value. These might include coins or pieces of currency that is no longer in circulation or documents from the past. No matter what type of antique or heirloom items are involved, a self storage unit can provide a safe and secure environment for these items so that they do not take up too much of the living space in the home.

Since antiques and heirlooms are usually considered irreplaceable, every precaution needs to be taken to preserve their condition so that they will last as long as possible. For this reason it is best to be sure that the self storage unit is one that has a controlled climate. This means that the temperature will usually be kept between sixty and seventy degrees with the humidity level around fifty percent. By regulating the temperature and humidity in the storage unit the antique and heirloom items can be protected from being damaged by such things as rust, mold, yellowing, and warping.

Sales representatives for pharmaceutical and insurance companies as well as retail and internet sales companies have a big responsibility. In a way, they are the face of the company that they represent. They are the people who are responsible for getting new clients or customers interested in the products or services offered by their company and keeping the current clients and customers content. As a part of their job, they may have quite a bit of stuff that they need to keep readily accessible. This is where a self storage unit can be very beneficial in helping them keep everything organized and in one place.

Often sales representatives have samples of the products as well as catalogs that depict pictures, prices, and short descriptions of everything that their company can offer the customers. They must keep an adequate supply of samples and advertising products such as pens that show the company name and phone number. It is important that they have all of this handy so that they can be ready whenever they have a meeting with a new or established client or customer. Keeping all of these things in a self storage unit is more practical than keeping them in the trunk of sales representative's vehicle or cluttering the small amount of office space that they may have.

Electrical devices, such as computers, televisions, and stereos need special care when they are being placed in a self storage unit. If they are not taken care of properly, they could become damaged or in some other way be inoperable when they are retrieved for use in the home or office.

The best way to protect computers, televisions, stereos and other electrical devices is to repackage it the way that it was sold in the store. This means using the original box and all of the packing materials such as the Styrofoam pieces that are specifically shaped to hold the various parts of the device. Unfortunately, people will often discard all of this when they initially open the container holding the electrical device because they either do not have additional space to store it or they are not planning to move and do not think that it may be needed in the future. If this is the case, then a sturdy cardboard box of nearly the same size can be substituted along with adequate padding to protect the electrical device.