| Even a little extra space offered by a self-storage | | | | 6. More room for toys |
| unit can make life easier on a day-to-day basis for | | | | If you love the outdoors, you probably have lots of |
| most homeowners. Having room to breathe, | | | | equipment that you use during certain times of the |
| organize, relate, work and play at home brings peace | | | | year. A self-storage unit can give you the extra |
| of mind and freedom to solve life's bigger problems. | | | | square footage you need to keep the kayaks AND |
| Here are 10 ways self-storage units can help with | | | | the jet skis easily accessible while keeping room in |
| household issues: | | | | your garage for toys you use frequently or all year |
| 1. Not enough room for day-to-day items | | | | long. |
| Limited space inspires organizational skills and creative | | | | A self-storage unit is a great place to store:o |
| problem solving, but even the most organized of | | | | Camping and climbing equipmento Boats, inner tubes, |
| homeowners can run out of space at some point. | | | | rafts, canoes or kayakso Skis, snow boards or surf |
| Freeing up space within your closets, rooms and | | | | boardso Jet skis, ATVs and other small-engine |
| garage will literally give you breathing room. | | | | vehicleso Golf carts and clubso Recreational vehicles |
| 2. Saving family heirlooms and hand-me-downs | | | | (RVs)o Classic and show cars |
| Perhaps you are struggling like many families to find | | | | For hobbyists, a self-storage space can mean more |
| space to keep valuable antiques or heirlooms to pass | | | | room to keep:o Photos and photography equipmento |
| on to their children and grandchildren. Or your family | | | | Musical instruments and DJ / production equipmento |
| is young and you're living in a smaller home, hanging | | | | Collections of books, magazines, wine, comic books, |
| on to hand-me-down clothes and furniture for | | | | collectibles, videos, etc.o Craft and hobby supplies |
| growing children and future new arrivals. Even if you | | | | 7. Selling a home |
| just want to hang on to valuable personal belongings | | | | As you prepare to sell a house, a self-storage unit |
| that don't suit the current décor of your | | | | can be useful in hiding away personal belongings for |
| home, a self-storage unit can provide the "archival" | | | | proper staging. |
| space you need to keep valuable space in your home | | | | 8. Seasonal storage |
| free for new growth and change. | | | | A self-storage unit can be used to store away |
| 3. Downsizing to a smaller home | | | | household items you only during certain times of the |
| If you are reducing the number of bedrooms, | | | | year, such as:o Artificial Christmas trees and holiday |
| basement or attic space where you can store extra | | | | decorationso Patio furnitureo Pool equipment and |
| furniture, a storage unit is a great place to store | | | | supplieso Lawn mowers and other yard equipmento |
| extra mattresses and bed frames, dressers and | | | | Off-season clothing and outerwear |
| mirrors, coffee tables and couches, and TVs and | | | | 9. Offsite security |
| stereos. | | | | Storing copies of important documents and data in a |
| A new home, condo or apartment can come with | | | | separate physical location is a smart idea. In case of |
| appliances and furniture that you already have. Until | | | | flood, fire or other catastrophic damage affecting |
| you have time to sell or donate your unwanted | | | | your home, having a second set of medical, legal, |
| appliances, or if you wish to keep them until you're | | | | financial and insurance-related documents, as well as |
| sure what your plan is, a self-storage facility can be | | | | backups of computer hard drives and software in |
| an ideal option. A drive-up garage-style self-storage | | | | your self-storage unit can prove critically important. |
| unit works well for storing an extra car, motorcycle, | | | | Keeping a stock of canned and other non-perishable |
| truck or van. | | | | food, a generator and other emergency supplies can |
| 4. Extended absence | | | | be beneficial not just in your home, but also in a |
| Being able to take a long trip without paying rent or | | | | self-storage unit, especially in areas prone to natural |
| a mortgage can free you up to explore the world, or | | | | disasters. |
| give you peace of mind as you leave for military | | | | 10. Paying the bills |
| deployment or temporary work assignment. | | | | If your home is also your place of business, a |
| Self-storage units are an affordable way to be | | | | self-storage unit can give you the equivalent of an |
| flexible and adaptive during these extended absences. | | | | inexpensive warehouse to store:o Inventory for |
| 5. Life in limbo | | | | home-based businesseso Home office supplieso |
| Whether you're caught between two house closings, | | | | Farming equipmento Saws, tools and equipment |
| living in the upheaval of major renovations, or a | | | | Storage facility managers are pros at putting |
| student preparing to move home for the summer, a | | | | self-storage space to the best use. Be sure to ask |
| self-storage space can be a convenient answer for | | | | them any questions you may have about making |
| storing your belongs in the interim. | | | | your extra space work for you. |