What You Should Know Before Renting a Storage Unit

Before renting a storage unit, you need to know four things: what the unit will cost each month, what the rental agreement lets you store, how the facility keeps your belongings secure, and whether your items need climate control. Get those right, and a self storage unit is one of the easiest tools for a move, a renovation or a home sale.

Get them wrong and you pay for storage space you don't use.

We're Bentley's Real Estate, and storage comes up often with the buyers and sellers we work with across Greater Newburyport. Sellers rent a storage unit to clear rooms before listing photos.

Buyers need one when the closing on a new home and the move out of the old one don't line up.

Why people rent a storage unit

Both are typical: most people rent a storage unit during a transition, when belongings need a place to stay for a while. The most common reasons:

• Moving between homes, when you have to move out before you can move in
• Selling a home, when extra furniture and stuff make rooms feel small
• Renovating, to protect belongings and free up space for the work
• Downsizing, when you aren't ready to part with everything yet
• Seasonal items, like holiday decorations, lawn equipment and sports gear

Reason for storage	Typical rental term	What matters most
Staging a home to sell	One to a few months	Location close to home, easy access
Gap between closing dates	Weeks to a few months	Month-to-month terms, quick move-in
Renovation	Length of the project	Unit size, drive-up access
Downsizing	Long term	Climate control, total cost over time
Seasonal items	Ongoing	Low monthly rent, small unit size

If you're selling, decide what goes to storage before the photographer arrives. Rooms look bigger with less furniture, and you'll be packing anyway.

What you need to rent a storage unit

Once you know why you need the space, the paperwork comes next. To rent a storage unit, you usually need a valid government-issued photo ID and a signed rental agreement.

A driver's license, state ID, passport or military ID usually works.

Read the rental agreement start to finish before you sign. The agreement spells out the rental term, the costs, the facility rules, the items you can't store, and what happens if a payment is late.

Most storage facilities also need you to bring your own lock.

How storage unit costs work

That agreement also shows the full price of storage. What you pay for a storage unit depends on its size, its location, whether it's climate controlled, and how long you plan to rent.

Most storage facilities offer month-to-month contracts, and a longer term can sometimes come with a lower rate.

Still, monthly rent is only part of the bill. We'd ask the facility these questions before signing:

Cost item	Question to ask the facility
Monthly rent	Is this a promotional rate, and when does it change?
Admin fee	Is there a one-time fee at move-in?
Security deposit	Is a deposit required, and is it refundable?
Insurance	Is coverage required? Can I use my own policy?
Lock	Do I need a specific lock, like a disc lock?
Rate increases	How often does rent go up, and how much notice do I get?
Move-out notice	How much notice do I need to give to avoid next month's rent?

Many storage facilities offer a move-in special, then raise the rate once you're settled. If the promo rate is why you're choosing a facility, plan for a higher monthly cost later.

Timing matters too. Storage demand follows moving season, which is why late fall and winter may bring better deals.

When it's time to move out, give notice before your rent is due, since going even one day into the next month can mean paying for that full month.

Choosing the right storage unit size

Of all those cost levers, size is the one you control most. The right storage unit size is the smallest one that fits everything you need to store with room left for an aisle.

Start by listing your items, then use an online size guide or ask the facility staff, who size up storage needs every day.

Unit size	What it usually holds
5x5	Seasonal decor, boxes, sports gear
5x10	A dorm room or studio apartment
10x10	A one-bedroom apartment's worth of belongings
10x15	A two-bedroom apartment, including appliances
10x20	A two- or three-bedroom home
10x30	A four-bedroom home

Most storage units have 8-foot ceilings.

That is, you can stack higher than you think. Stuck between two sizes?

We'd go bigger. Renting a second unit mid-move costs more time and money.

Packing well can also let you rent a smaller storage unit. Take the legs off tables, fill dressers with small things, and use stackable bins of the same size.

Do you need a climate-controlled unit?

Once the size is settled, the next question is what kind of space those belongings need. You need a climate-controlled storage unit if you're storing wood or leather furniture, electronics, artwork, photos, clothing, instruments or antiques for more than a short time.

Climate-controlled units usually keep temperatures between about 50°F and 85°F and hold humidity in check, which helps prevent mold, mildew and warping.

Usually needs climate control	Usually fine without climate control
Wood and leather furniture	Tools
Clothing, rugs and textiles	Patio furniture
Photos, artwork and paintings	Camping gear
Electronics, instruments and antiques	Sports gear

Climate control is about humidity as much as temperature, and it matters most where both swing through the year. And here on the North Shore, we'd lean toward a climate-controlled unit for anything you'd hate to see damaged.

Security features to check at a storage facility

Humidity is one risk to your belongings; theft is the other. A secure storage facility has gated or keypad entry, cameras aimed at the rows of units, good lighting and staff on site during office hours.

Visit the facility in person before you rent a unit, since photos won't show whether the gate locks.

When you tour a storage facility, look for:

• Gated access that needs a code or card
• Cameras that cover the rows of units as well as the office
• Bright lighting and clean, pest-free hallways
• Individually alarmed units, if you're storing valuables

Then buy a sturdy lock for the unit. A disc lock or cylinder lock is usually a safer choice than a standard padlock.

Check that the facility allows the lock you want to use.

Insurance for your stored belongings

Even the best lock can't cover every risk, which is why most storage facilities require insurance on your unit. You can usually buy a protection plan from the facility, or show that your homeowners or renters insurance covers belongings you keep off-site.

Check your existing insurance policy first. Homeowners and renters insurance often cover a portion of items in storage under personal property coverage.

But the limit can be lower than you'd expect. A quick call to your insurance agent will confirm what's covered in storage.

Make an inventory of everything you store, and take photos inside the unit.

That list makes a claim much easier, and the facility generally isn't responsible for theft unless staff negligence caused it.

What you can't store in a storage unit

That inventory is a good moment to sort what can go in the unit, because storage units are built to hold household and business items like furniture, files and clothing. They aren't meant for anything perishable, hazardous or alive.

Not allowed in most storage units	Why
Food and perishables	Attract rodents and pests
Flammable items, like gas, paint and fireworks	Fire risk
Toxic or hazardous chemicals	Safety risk to the whole facility
Living plants or animals	Unsafe and against the lease
Firearms and ammunition	Banned by many facilities

You also can't live in a storage unit or use it as a full-time office, specifically because doing that violates the lease and local laws. You can, however, store business files and inventory in the unit.

Storage facilities also don't provide dumpsters, and trash left on site can bring a fee, so declutter before you pack.

Access hours and location

With the packing list settled, think about when and how often you'll get to the unit. Access hours and office hours aren't the same thing at most storage facilities.

Some facilities offer 24-hour gate access, while others only open during standard business hours. Even with late gate access, staff may not be on site.

Location is a balance between convenience and cost. A storage facility near home is easier to reach during a busy move.

If you're relocating within Greater Newburyport, a unit between your current home and your next one can save time on moving day.

How to pack and organize a storage unit

Every one of those trips goes faster when the unit is set up well from the first day. Pack a storage unit with the heaviest items at the bottom and back, and the things you need most often near the front.

Leave a walking path down the middle so you can reach everything without unloading the whole space.

• Label every box on more than one side
• Use plastic bins with lids for items that need protection from moisture
• Wrap furniture in moving blankets rather than plastic, so it can breathe
• Put pallets under boxes to keep them off a damp concrete floor
• Keep a written list of everything in the unit

Case in point: if you're staging a home to sell, store the things you won't need until after the move. Keep one box at home with the items you'll reach for meanwhile.

Paying rent and ending your rental

After move-in, the rental settles into a routine, and storage unit rent is usually due monthly. If you miss payments, the facility can lock you out and, after a grace period, sell what's in the unit at auction.

Late payments can affect your credit, too. If a payment will be hard to make, call the facility manager early.

When you no longer need the space, empty the unit, remove your lock and give the notice your rental agreement requires.

How storage fits into buying or selling a home

For many of our clients, emptying a storage unit is the last step of a home sale or move, because storage was part of the plan from the start. A seller who clears out extra furniture before listing gives buyers room to picture themselves living there.

A buyer whose closing date shifts can keep the move on track with a month-to-month unit.

Our agents help Greater Newburyport sellers get a home ready for market. We also help buyers and sellers plan the move around the closing.

We've been the #1 real estate brokerage in Greater Newburyport by market share seven years running, and our 60+ agents know the timing questions that come with every sale.

Planning a move on the North Shore

Planning a move in Newburyport, Amesbury, Newbury or anywhere on the North Shore? Call us at (978) 572-1200 before you sign a storage rental agreement.