Self storage has been the fastest growing sector of commercial real estate for the past 35 years and has been considered "recession resistant" by Wall Street analysts. Here are 10 things that you are probably not aware of about the self storage industry. 

People always need storage, but many never know what features to look for within the storage units besides how much space they need. Here are six questions to ask the storage facilities when searching for a place to store your stuff!

Typically the process of moving all of your stuff into storage can be a little bit on the stressful side. From packing all of your things to arranging your Uhaul like a game of tetris to unloading all of your heavy items. There is no denying the stress factor that accompanies a day of moving. Which is why we at American Self Storage would like to lighten up that bitter feeling you have towards all things storage with a little bit of humor. Below is some of our favorite funny images of storage. 

There are tons of ways to hide your valuables around the house! We've complied a list of 6 unique ways to make these storage spots both natural looking and easy to access for the people who know what they are looking for. Most of these ideas are simple to implement and extremely effective when it comes to hiding things from plain sight!

1. Library storage bin – make this out of a few pieces of wood and book spines gives an extra space to either store more books or hidden treasures

Remember when you first stepped into a college dorm and realized how little space there ACTUALLY is? The bed practically takes up half the storage space already! Here are 6 items I WISHED I had in college.

American Self Storage in Phoenix, Arizona has expanded their business by offering customers the option of a climate controlled storage unit. Since those at American Self Storage pride themselves on being the number one storage resource in Phoenix, AZ they found it necessary to listen to what their customers had to say. Offering climate controlled storage units allows customers to feel at ease when placing their valuables in an enclosed space. 

Below is a list of questions customers should ask themselves before deciding on climate controlled units.

Let us thank you for serving our country with a military discount.

As a Vietnam Veteran who served as a Combat Commander Officer with the U.S. Marine Corps, American Self Storage owner, Dennis Peterson has always run his businesses with the American heroes in mind. At American Self Storage, it is our mission to honor every man or woman who has dedicated any part of their lives to serving their country. The business itself is called 'American' self storage to represent the loyalty and dedication the company has to our country as well as those serving it. In addition, every American Self Storage location has either a flag or an image of a flag proudly displayed for all to see - go check for yourself!

To show our gratitude to all of those who have served or are currently serving, we offer exclusive military discounts. As of 2010, roughly 1.5 million Americans have actively served in either the Coast Guard, Navy, Marine Corps, Army, or Air Force with another 800,000 in the reserves. With so many men and women facing difficult conditions to defend and aide our country, how could we not give a simple 'thank you' with a military discount? If you have served in any sector of the military or are currently serving, please take our military discounts as a thank you for what you do.

Please inquire about our military discount offerings at your nearest American Self Storage location.

Although it would be very convenient if all of our possessions could fit neatly into cardboard packing boxes and be safe and secure, it is just not possible. To ensure that certain items will survive being packed up, moved to a self storage unit and eventually moved back, and unpacked, some special packing techniques need to be implemented.

One of the main household items that need special care is the breakable dishes. Piling the entire set into a cardboard box will eventually result in a box of useless shards. To keep the dishes from breaking, you need to pad each piece very well. Using bubble wrap is probably one of the best methods. In addition, although they stack well when placed flat, the best way to protect plates, saucers, and other generally flat dishes is to stand them on their edge. First, a good layer of bubble wrap should be placed at the bottom of the cardboard box. After the individually bubble-wrapped dishes are placed on edge in the box, the space around them should be filled in with more bubble wrap to the point that the dishes do not shift when the box is gently shook. Before closing and sealing the box, another layer of bubble wrap should be place over the top of the dishes for added protection. After the dishes are all securely packed it is important that they are labeled as fragile and that they are not stacked in a precarious way in the moving vehicle or storage unit.

Aside from cardboard boxes that are gathered from a supermarket or other retailer, most people do not give any thought to what packing materials they might need until they are starting to pack things up to put in a self storage unit. This is unfortunate because it can lead to poorly packed boxes or other problems that occur when they move the boxes to storage and when they return to the storage unit to retrieve a particular item or items from inside one of the boxes.

Most cardboard boxes from supermarkets or other retailers have already been through a lot of use which can weaken them and cause your possessions to dump out everywhere when the boxes are picked up. In addition, the boxes might have been constructed to hold lightweight items and using them to pack heavier items could cause the box to break. Instead of using second hand boxes, it is advisable to check with the storage facility to see if they have sturdy cardboard boxes available for a minimal cost. In addition, if you do not have a permanent marker you should request one because they are essential for labeling the outside of the boxes for easy retrieval in the future.

Most people think of self storage facilities as just offering a place to store personal possessions. Although this is the original and main function of this type of facility, there are more and more self storage companies that are offering storage to businesses as well. Both large and small businesses can find many uses for placing various items in a self storage unit.

Of course, the most obvious use of the storage unit is the additional space that is made available when unused items are removed from the main business location. This is especially true of home based businesses where there is no other option for increasing the space needed for business related items aside from moving to a larger house, which is not usually feasible. Almost any business related item can be placed in a storage unit. This includes such things as seasonal items, extra inventory, business records, and excess furniture. Some storage rental facilities even offer parking spaces where businesses can temporarily store their company vehicles if their business location has limited nearby parking spaces that are free or affordable within the company budget. Renting a vehicle storage space is usually less expensive than parking the vehicles in a paid parking garage. The process of renting a storage unit is the same for both individuals and businesses.