As we discussed in our last two blogs, people choose self storage for all kinds of reasons. Sometimes it’s part of a carefully considered strategy to keep costs down while growing your business, and other times it’s a mad rush to stash your belongings the weekend of an unexpected move. Whatever the reason, Moor Room offers self-storage, which suburban residents and inner-city dwellers alike have been choosing for over 20 years.
We like to think that most business owners are doing their best to provide just that, but unfortunately, not all self-storage providers are created equal. Aside from cost and quality, there are some factors that will be unique to your situation that are even out of their control. With this in mind, we’ve put together a few pro tips to help you find the one that’s right for you.
Access
This is a big one and there are a few different components that contribute towards overall accessibility. The first is location, and it’s one of those things that does rely mostly on you. If you’re going to need even semi-regular access to your items or you’re storing more than one or two carloads of stuff, don’t pick a place that’s on the other side of town. In general, don’t pick a place that’s in the middle of nowhere just because it’s the cheapest.
The second element of accessibility is the hours in which you can access your stuff. For example, if you’re a tradie and you’re storing tools that you only need for the occasional specialist job, you’ll want to be able to get to them easily when the time comes. It’s a good idea to look for 24/7 access to maximize the convenience of your storage experience.
Cost
You obviously don’t want to be paying through the nose for self-storage, but it’s probably better to think in terms of value rather than just cost. If it’s worth paying to store your valuable items at all, it’s worth paying for a decent service that won’t cause you headaches in the long run. Of course, look at the cost, but also look at the extras they offer, the security, and the overall service. Most importantly, shop around and compare. The final cost will naturally depend on what you’re storing, for how long, and how much of it there is. And remember, not all things can be put in storage (see our first blog).
Security
As we said, not all self-storage providers are created equal, and security is one of the areas where they tend to diverge wildly. Are there CCTV cameras installed, and are they monitoring all the storage units or just at the entrance? Are there heavy locks on all the doors? How secure is the perimeter of the facility? Check their website if they have one and by all means ask, but also have a good look when you’re there. If they claim to have a certain security feature on the phone but it isn’t there when you rock up, then we suggest you take your business elsewhere.
Service
You might not think of this as a big deal for self-storage, but you’ll probably end up dealing with these people more than you think. Are they honest and thorough? Do they pay attention? And are they polite? All of these are important. You don’t want to find the guy at the counter shrugging nonchalantly when your key won’t open the lock. If it seems like they don’t care, chances are they don’t.
Get in Touch with Moor Room Today
Moor Room offers 24/7 access and personal service at prices you’ll love. With 20 years of experience and five convenient locations around Melbourne, we think you’ll have a hard time finding a better self-storage provider anywhere. Get in touch by phone or email today to find out how we can help.
