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.

Placing currently unused items in a self storage unit is a great way to free up space or keep things safe while a person is away from home for an extended period of time. Most of the time, there are no problems with the safety of those possessions. However, as with any other location where the possessions might be kept, there may be circumstances where the possessions are at risk. There might be damage due to vandalism or forces of nature. There is also the possibility of some or all of the possessions being stolen no matter how well they are looked after. It is these rare circumstances that many people are not properly prepared to handle.

The main thing that causes them issues is the fact that they did not get the possessions in their storage unit properly insured. Either they did not give it any thought at all or they assumed that their home owner's insurance policy would cover the possessions even when they were no longer on the property. Although some home owner insurance policies do offer a bit of coverage for possessions that are not actually on the home owner's property, it is usually not adequate to make a difference in the cost of replacing the stored items.

Aside from offering a place to keep furniture and other household or business items, many self storage facilities also offer various types of vehicle storage spaces for nearly any type of vehicle as long as it is in drivable condition, has current tags, and is insured. The vehicle storage spaces can be simple parking spaces that are open to the weather, parking spaces that have a roof to somewhat protect the vehicle, or individual garages that completely enclose the vehicle for maximum protection. Just as there are various reasons that people use self storage for their smaller possessions, there are many reasons that people look to self storage facilities as a place to keep vehicles.

One of the most common uses for vehicle storage is a place to keep boats, campers and other recreational vehicles that people do not have space for on their own property. Since these vehicles are only used occasionally for recreational purposes, it is ideal to park them at a storage facility that has various security measures in place such as coded entry gates and security cameras so they are safe when not in use. Many of the storage facilities that offer this type of storage also have a dump station on the property for the convenience of their customers with RVs.

Although self storage facilities offer a great way to free up space, there are restrictions as to what can be placed in a unit or parked in an outdoor space. Every storage company has its own set of rules, but there are certain items that all storage companies prohibit for legal and safety reasons. The items described below are actually illegal to place in a storage unit.

Due to the large amount of buildings and items stored in them that could catch fire, it is illegal to store anything that is flammable or combustible. This includes fireworks of any type, aerosol cans or other items that are pressurized, and all types of fuel. If a lawn mower or other fuel-powered tool is being stored, the fuel must be drained out prior to bringing it to the facility. Along with the flammable and combustible materials, it is also illegal to store any chemicals or other things that are considered hazardous or toxic because if they were to spill it could impose a health threat to everyone nearby.

When a family wants or needs to be out of town for an extended time, there is always the question of how to best protect the special belongings in their home while they are away. The thought of losing anything due to theft, vandalism, or even natural disasters while they are away can be very upsetting. Depending on the neighbors to keep an eye on the house does not always work because there are times when the neighbors might be away from their own home due to work, school, or other things happening in their own lives.

An inexpensive way to ease their mind while they are away is to rent a storage unit at a facility that is close to their home. Their belongings will be kept safe and secure while they are gone and it will not take long for them to pack up any items that are valuable, monetarily or sentimentally, and move them to the storage facility before they head out of town. At some self storage facilities, they can even rent space to store any vehicles that they are leaving behind while they are gone in order to protect them as well. 

Although most people do not give it much thought when they are moving their possessions into a storage unit, keeping everything organized in storage units is essential to being able to find anything when it is needed or when the entire storage unit is moved to a new location. If there is no organization, the possessions in storage become a large jumbled mess of furniture and boxes. No matter how hard a person might try to remember what was in each cardboard box, it will become more and more difficult as time passes. As the saying goes, "Out of sight, out of mind."

Organizing a storage unit starts with the first box of possessions that are packed. To prevent the future frustration of trying to find certain items, the person that is packing should do several things. First, they should organize the items that they are packing by the room where they belong, such as putting only items from the bathroom in a box together. Second, as the items are placed in the box, it is advisable to quickly jot down some type of name or description on a piece of paper. Placing this inventory list on top of the contents before sealing the box will prevent the need to root through the contents when they want to retrieve a particular item. Finally, to help keep the storage unit organized, the person should use a permanent marker to write a short description on the top and several sides of the box to identify the contents. An example would be to say that the contents came from the left set of kitchen drawers. 

At this time, the newest American Self Storage is the one that is located in the city of Phoenix, Arizona. Like all of the other American Self Storage locations, this one is a clean, well cared for facility where the renters can feel assured that everything is being done to keep their possessions safe and secure from both vermin and crimes. The manager for the facility resides on the property so that they can respond quickly if there is ever any type of emergency. The resident manager and other staff members make periodical rounds of the entire facility to be sure that all of the units are securely closed and that there are no signs of breakage in the fencing or other problems that might infringe on the security of the items stored there. The staff members also check the structure of the buildings and items stored outdoors after any type of severe weather to be sure that nothing has been damaged.

Placing your belongings in a storage unit can be a complicated process if you have never done it before. That is where the resident manager and the rest of the staff at the American Self Storage located in Stockton California can be very helpful. Consulting with one of the friendly and knowledgeable employees can save you from a lot of frustration before, during and even after your usage of one of their various sizes of storage units.

Before you rent one of their indoor storage units or outdoor parking spaces, they can help you decide the perfect size storage unit for your needs so that you do not end up paying for lots of unused storage space or find out that things will not fit in the storage unit size that you thought would work. They are very familiar with the sizes of various types of furniture and other things that people store as well as the dimensions of various campers, boats and other vehicles, so all they need to do is simply ask you questions about what you need to store.