So, after what has probably been a great deal of thought and time, and lots of discussions with your colleagues or your family, you have come to the wise conclusion that the best thing that you can do with all your excess furniture, equipment, office requirements that you are simply not using, is to put them into storage. But there are several different storage centres and it is important to understand what you should be looking for when making this important choice.
Location – where exactly is it situated?
Where is the storage centre you are considering located? It is very important that it is in a central location so that you can get to it easily in case you need to retrieve something or in case you find you have further things to put in store, as time goes on. Choose a storage unit that is in the centre of the country and that you can get to easily from where you live. Saving time is always a consideration. Parking is another essential, especially if you may be bringing or retrieving heavy items. You want to make sure that you can park immediately outside the building, and you don’t have to drag heavy items more than the minimum possible.
What kind of building is the storage centre?
There are many different kinds of storage centres through the country, and the important thing is that you know this and understand that there are various buildings which suit various different functions. There are several storage units, out of town and away from the main centres, that are situated in what used to be kibbutzim and used to be cow sheds! Obviously, these storage centres usually leave a lot to be desired, if it is important to you that your belongings are kept in clean, air-conditioned units. You must be sure that they are dry and no damp can possibly get in, because this is one of the main problems of putting items into storage. It is absolutely critical that the unit is completely dry, free of humidity, and isn’t likely to allow any condensation to get into the unit and into your precious items, and possible spoil them. Photographs for instance, or documents could be rendered useless if condensation gets in.
Security -how safe are your belongings?
Yes, you will probably get a key to your unit and you know it should be securely locked, but unfortunately burglaries happen. How can you be sure that precious items, may be of great value, are safe? It is essential that any unit you select has 24-hour CCTV cameras so that the management of the storage centre can see at any moment, even remotely what is going on in their building. So, if there is anything suspicious going on, they are immediately alerted and can take action to ensure that your belongings are safe and protected.
Service – how important is it?
Clearly the level of service that any company provides makes a huge difference to your experience. So, it is important to check the company out thoroughly before you start to get involved. The easiest way to do that is to make a list of all your questions and then make the various calls. Listen to how you are answered. Do they have time for you? Do they really listen to what you need? Do they give you advice that is not necessarily just to cost you more money, in fact may actually save you money? Are they polite and friendly? Do they speak English if that’s important to you? And most of all, when you finish the conversation do you have a good feeling that this company cares? And if they promise to ring you back, you know that they will.
Price
Remember that cheap isn’t always best. That’s why you should check out a few companies and see if the one who is charging a little more, has a good reason for doing so. Are there aspects of the storage that you hadn’t thought about that are actually included in the cost? If something has to be delivered to the centre straight from the port or from a delivery centre, will the company accept it on your behalf at no extra charge? That’s a useful facility if you might be getting things delivered from time to time after you’ve made your main storage placement. So, you need to check out, what exactly are you paying for, and what you are getting for that payment. How about boxes, crates, wrapping paper? Is it supplied? Is that included in the price? As long as you know, that’s the most important issue. But remember, don’t make a decision based on price alone, there are frequently other more important considerations.
Size – keep it small? Or store big?
How can you possibly know what size unit is right for you? And yet most people make the decision themselves without taking a professional advice and guidance. When you speak to the storage centre, you must have made clear lists of what you want to put in store and you must have taken measurements of all large and bulky items. There may be items that you are unlikely to use or need for a long time, then of course, you can pack them away. But make sure that you leave those more likely to be needed items the front of your unit so they are accessible. Discuss all these points with the storage consultant. They will be able to tell you very quickly what size unit you need to rent, leaving access if necessary.
How important is climate -control?
Well, it all depends on what you are putting in store. If you are storing items that are sensitive to changes in temperature, then you must seek out a company that can offer you the facility of a climate-controlled environment. If you are storing antiques, musical instruments (particularly pianos which are very vulnerable to temperature changes) leather furniture, expensive electronic items, or anything at all that is likely to be sensitive to humidity, then looking for a storage unit with which offers you climate control is absolutely essential. These storage centres will usually have air-conditioning and ventilation, and they will be thermostatically controlled, so that all your items are protected. It may be that the rental cost of these units is slightly higher than those with no climate-control, but it makes sense to pay a little more to make sure all your belongings are safe and you retrieve them in the same state in which you first stored them.
Insurance – should we take out insurance?
Any good storage company will advise you on exactly what you should do depending on what you are storing. If the items are valuable, like antiques or jewellery or precious pieces of art, paintings, sculptures and the like, then it would seem to be the sensible thing to do to take out insurance, and most good storage centres can arrange that for you.
So, as you can see there are many aspects that you need to take into consideration before you put items in store. In all our research there is just one company that fulfils all these requirements and that is Ribua Storage. Talk to them, see the level of service, and immediately let them take on all the headaches leaving you with just – peace of mind.