Whether it’s long-term or short-term, when you’re in the rush of needing to store your belongings, it can be easy to forget how important it is to stop and think before just choosing a commercial storage unit and company.
Choose the wrong storage facility, and you can find yourself in a year-long contract with a company that doesn’t meet your storage needs. The next time you need storage space, be sure to do the following before you sign a contract:
Commercial Storage Planning
Even if it seems like you don’t have a minute to spare, taking some time to plan and understand your commercial storage needs can make a huge difference in how successful your storage experience is. Things you’ll want to do include:
- Making a list of everything you’ll need to store. This will help you estimate how much space you’ll need.
- Estimating how many boxes you’ll need. Remember that you’ll want to box anything that isn’t very large to which you won’t need regular access.
- Remembering to include extra room for walking within the unit if you’ll need to be able to access items. For instance, if you’re storing files and documents that may need to be reviewed, workers will need enough space to retrieve those boxes and remove them from your commercial storage unit.
- Remembering to label boxes. This is especially important if you plan on storing paperwork that has not been scanned or digitally recorded in any way.
Tour the Facility
Before you sign any contracts or make any commitments, be sure to take a tour. Taking an in-person tour allows you to ascertain the following about the commercial storage facility that you’re considering:
- Is the security adequate? Are there security measures around the outer perimeter (like a fence) as well as inside (like locks and cameras)?
- Do any of the units have broken locks or appear to be damaged?
- Are there signs of infestation issues from mice, rats or raccoons?
- Does there appear to be adequate staffing? If you ask to speak to a manager, is someone available?
Assess Your Needs
- You can’t make the best choice for your needs if you don’t truly understand what your needs are. As you assess your requirements, think about the following:
- What hours will you need to be able to access your stored items? Are business hours acceptable, or will you need 24-hour access?
- Do you need heated or temperature-controlled storage units to protect electronic or office equipment in storage?
- How important is proximity to your business? If staff will need to visit the storage unit on a regular basis, it may be better to choose a storage facility that is close to your place of business.
Commercial Storage Unit
Waukesha Storage offers a variety of standard and heated Waukesha commercial storage unit(s) in Waukesha, WI. For more information, call us today.