In today’s climate the cost of living in urban areas has increased and although there is still a high demand for urban living space, the increased difficulty to obtain mortgages from banks has stagnated the property market, forcing people to stay where they are, sometimes in inadequately sized properties.  Because of the inadequate space people are now discovering the benefits of self storage to keep all their valuable and fragile belongings in.

Historically at home the most popular places to store items in are garages, loft space and garden sheds.  Apart from being less secure, these areas can themselves soon become cluttered over time, and whilst they may be convenient for small items needed day to day, larger and more valuable items such as furniture and antiques may soon become damaged and loose value.  Therefore people have found themselves asking “Now where can we store?” the answer being to opt for self storage.

An important factor of storing your belongings is the question of security.  Though we all believe our homes are a secure place and that our belongings are safe, it is highly unlikely that home security will provide the same level of security offered by a specialised self storage facility, such as CCTV, access control, police monitored alarms and security patrols etc.

Self storage is the ideal place to store those seasonal articles and hobby items such as Christmas decorations, golf clubs, winter garments, jet skis, canoes, patio furniture, bikes etc, which you only need access to at special times of the year and could be kept in a storage unit. 

As each generation collects and inherits more and more belongings, the need for space increases.  Inherited items may not necessarily have any value other than sentimental, but due to their age or style do not fit in or match your modern décor.  Using your self storage unit these items can be kept safe and cared for, to be passed to and used by future generations.

Before hiring a self storage unit try to get as much information about the company as possible.  For example is the facility a member of the self storage association?  What security measures are offered?  What access is allowed?  Are trucks and trolleys provided?  Can packaging materials be purchased from the store?  And when obtaining a quote for storage establish whether or not the price includes Value Added Tax (VAT) and insurance, and what, if any, discounts are available for multiple unit hire or long term hire.  

Self storage companies offer an ideal solution to your storage problems, which in turn may improve your living conditions and lifestyle.

To locate your nearest Self Storage facility visit the Self Storage Association (SSA) website www.selfstorageassociation.co.uk , part of the Federation of European Self Storage Associations, (FEDESSA), to obtain a list of members, or simply carry out a web search via a search engine, for your area.