What Not to Put in a Self Storage Unit

Written by 

not-to-do

Self storage comes in handy when you need extra space at home, in the office, or during moving. However, not everything is allowed to store in a facility. To prevent danger or horror stories happen to you, please read the following no-no list.

1. No Living Things
Living things such as pets or plants are not allowed to be stored in a unit. It's illegal and cruel to put animals in a unit because they are left alone with no food and water in a dark, confined room.

dogs and cats

Although it might sound like a no-brainer, people have left animals unattended in a storage unit with or without intention. Last month, a guy from West Virginia has been charged with nine counts of cruelty to animals because he locked nine malnourished dogs in a unit with little to no food and water.

2. No Perishable Items
It's also a bad idea to store perishable items in a self storage unit, including food, vegetables, raw meet, or even some packaged products. Even if you just want to store them for a short period of time, they can go bad and attract bugs and insects. Even worse, you might end up with a extremely smelly unit—this leads up to the next big no-no.

3. No Stinky Stuff
Stinky stuff is not welcomed in a storage unit. Unclean items can go stinky even if they do not look dirty when you store them. In a confined space like a self storage unit, the lack of ventilation makes it easier for germs to grow. Therefore, it's best to properly sanitize your items, such as clothes, couch, and vehicles, before you put them in storage.

stinky face

4. No Dangerous Chemicals and Substances
Many chemicals and substances are required to store under certain temperature and moisture level to keep them stable. In addition, some chemicals or solvents with strong smells like vinegar concentrate require ventilation and should never be kept in a storage unit. If you are uncertain, ask your facility manager and read the instruction of proper handling the chemicals first before putting them to your storage unit.

5. No Stolen Properties
Convenient access, minimal management and surveillance, little attention... all these features make self storage facilities the perfect place for thieves to hide their trophies. It's not surprising that news about all sorts of stolen items are found in storage units, including $200,000 worth of LEGO toys, Lamborghini, drug, and etc. However, these same features also put self stroage facilities on the watch list of police. Just because trophies were locked down, it doesn't mean that no one can find them. 

6. No People
Going back to the first point, yes, living things are not allowed to be stored in a storage unit, including people. You may be tempted to use a storage unit as your work space, or even live there because you can't afford rent elsewhere. However, many state laws explicitly prohibit people from living in self storage and squatters might face civil charges.