If you need to rent a storage unit for the long term, you'll have different concerns than if you just rent a unit for a few weeks. You can rent a storage unit for as long as you need it, and if you prepare your belongings well, they can survive a long time in storage. Here are four tips for using long term storage storage facility services.

Consider the Weather

If your belongings will be in storage for a year, they'll be subject to different weather conditions during different seasons of the year. If you think extremely cold or hot temperatures will harm your things, get a climate-controlled unit. A climate-controlled unit costs more, but the expense is worth it if your electronics, fabrics, and other fragile items will come out in the same condition as when they went into storage.

Pack for Protection

Two threats your belongings may face include insects and mice. If you won't be able to check on your things for many months, you want peace of mind your belongings are safe from rodent and insect damage. Put things that can be damaged in tote bins with lids that snap shut so spiders and other bugs can't squeeze through and live in your clothing. Cardboard boxes aren't very protective since they can be ripped open by mice, and bugs can get inside them fairly easily if there's a gap in a flap. Pests will tear up cardboard if they're determined to get inside a box, so having the added protection of hard plastic is important for long-term storage of clothing and other items that mice or insects might like to infest and destroy.

Consider the Storage Facility

You always want a storage facility with good security, but security is even more important for a long-term storage facility when you won't be close enough to check on your belongings regularly. You might want a facility that offers indoor storage for the best protection, and you can also look for features such as a high security fence, good lighting, and a gate the keeps out people who don't belong on the storage facility's property.

Load the Unit Thoughtfully

If your things won't be moved for months, consider how staying in the same position will affect your belongings. For instance, you may want to store a mattress flat on pallets rather than stand it on end or on the side. You might want to fold clothing rather than leave it on hangers, especially heavy sweaters that might stretch out.

You'll also want to stack the storage unit carefully so the totes or boxes are stable and level. Try to leave space around your things for air circulation, and be careful about tall or heavy items that could shift and cause other things to crash to the floor.

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