What Public Storage Facilities Don’t Want You To Know.

Understanding how to use storage space takes a clear focus on what is trying to be achieved. However, once a plan is prepared do not begin mapping out the storage space until items have been entered into an inventory list. Some examples of how people use storage; a person may choose to store snow supplies for winter trips if they live in a studio apartment by the beach, another person might be remodeling their house and cannot store their furniture anywhere else for the duration of the project, or someone may have sold their house and are waiting to move into the new house so they store their furniture, and boxes of belongings, for the time in between residences. These three scenarios are common among people who use storage facilities. The person renting a studio who would like quick access to items in the storage will most likely get the smallest storage space possible and rent the storage for the duration of their time renting in that location. The person who is remodeling their house may possibly require a large storage space depending on the scale of the remodeling project, the size of their home, and the number of items to be stored. The person moving out of their old house before moving into their new one will most likely use a service offered by moving companies, like us here at Amazing Movers, where their goods are stored not at public storage facilities, but at non-public access facilities. This service is deemed Storage-in-Transit where the movers will store the goods in a non-access storage facility for the duration of the time in between residences.

Most people want to ensure that the condition of their items will remain intact going in and coming out of storage. Here are a few precautions that can be broken down into several factors. Take an inventory list. A simple project like an inventory list can be time-consuming, however, having an inventory list is just the beginning of any moving project. A condition list can be made only after an inventory list is prepared. A condition list is important to note and record the condition that each item is in before and after handling by any service provider, or before and after the item is stored in a storage facility. Also just having an inventory list helps you keep track of everything and also helps anyone else dealing with your project envision the whole scenario. Inventory lists are official and when you present an inventory list to anyone working on the job with you it indicates that you are in control of the project and people are more likely to follow your directions. Moving on, check reviews of any moving company that will perform a move in, and move out of storage. Be sure to move with a company that has good reviews to ensure that you don’t experience any hiccups. Some moving companies offer services for storage and charge certain monthly fees for storage. The vast majority of these moving companies that offer storage have non-public access facilities. Inquire with your company of choice and ask about storage options. The main reason you want to do your research on a company, however, is to see what other people are saying about them. Maybe you find a review where someone’s property was damaged, read the response from the company and ask yourself a few questions. How did the damage occur? How did they handle the claim? Was the customer satisfied with the claims process of said company? What sort of value was the item and what type of valuation did the customer pay for? It is important to realize that companies who handle claims with efficiency are trustworthy companies who do not leave the customer high and dry when it comes to loss/damage, however, it is important to also consider the client’s decision and what type of valuation they chose. The type of valuation determines how the company will payout for loss/damage. In California, there are three types of valuation; Basic Valuation, Actual Cash Value Valuation, and Full Valuation. They work in similar ways as they all require reimbursement and define how much will be reimbursed by a moving company to a client in the case of possible loss/damage. It is important to inquire about valuation with the moving company that will be performing your move in and out of storage as the basic valuation is free by law and always included when you are moving with any licensed and insured moving company, but the other types are usually an additional cost. Another big precaution you can take to keep your items intact going in or coming out of storage is to have your boxes professionally packed. Lampshades, glass/porcelain items, crushable items, and items subject to easy wear and tear should be packed neatly and carefully into boxes and the space in the box in between the items must be filled up with packing materials like styrofoam, packing paper, bubble wrap, or packing peanuts. Use caution when packing boxes to ensure that they will be safe when handled.

There are several reasons why self-storage is an inconvenient system for storing your belongings. Time, money, and security all play into your decision-making process when you are looking for a storage facility. The time at which you can access your goods may not be convenient for you, some places are only open 8 am-5 pm and open fewer hours on weekends, leaving you high and dry when they are closed yet you need something important from the storage, or service from their office that day. Most self-storage businesses have what seems to be cheap rates or promotional offers but can soon grow into a money-sucking expense. The industry of self-storage is within the category of real estate and is well into the billions. Estimated at $38 billion in revenue as recent as 2017, the self-storage industry is thriving right now. Self-storage saw growth during the recession of 2011 as they rely on several factors for revenue such as displacement. For example, if someone loses their home, they have to store their stuff somewhere right? Security at self-storage facilities has never been a staple of the industry. Common stories from self-storage customers include rates being changed (increased) on a monthly/quarterly/yearly basis, locks being changed or removed and belongings found missing, storage personnel auctioning off goods without getting proper consent, and even personal safety violations when moving about the storage facility. The best way to prevent all of this from happening is to avoid dealing with self-storage facilities. There are options available to you with non-public access storage facilities which are climate controlled, have security patrol personnel in addition to security cameras, and give you firm rates based on your volume, not the size of the storage locker. Amazing Movers is a moving company that offers storage services and we do provide excellent service. Our movers load and unload your belongings for you, too and from the storage space, saving you time and effort and we do it with great attention to detail as customer satisfaction is our utmost concern.

Your move is unique and we know that with every move there is always something that will distinguish it from the last, even if the items are identical. We have served many customers who have used our storage facility without complaints or problems such as those associated with self-storage facilities. Make the right choice for yourself and do a little bit of research on packing and moving services before you make a choice on what service you are looking for. Maybe non-public storage is the solution you need. Many people who are looking for San Jose movers may also need storage, especially for those moving out of the Bay Area moving to Los Angeles, Orange County, or San Diego who are very often in need of Storage-in-Transit. Here at Amazing Movers, we are one of the best relocation specialists providing this type of service in the Bay Area and California. Feel free to inquire with us about storage for a remodeling project, Storage-in-Transit, or moving services in general.

Posted in BLOG.