If you want to free up space in your home, remodel, or even free up space for a relative while on vacation, self-storage can help. Millions of people even use self-storage facilities like a second garage to store business or personal items.
If you plan to rent self-storage, it’s a very good idea to make sure you know what you can and can’t store first, as many facilities have restrictions for health and safety reasons. Food storage, for example, can lead to a pest problem that damages not only your property but that of other tenants as well. When you rent storage, you will be required to sign a lease stating that you will follow the rules, including storing only approved items.
Specific guidelines vary by facility, but the following are items you may never store in a self-storage facility.
Fuel and toxic items
You will never be allowed to legally store items that are inherently dangerous. This includes gasoline, motor oil, corrosive materials, chemicals, paint, fertilizers, cleaning supplies, propane tanks, and hazardous waste.
Most facilities will also not allow you to store ammunition, weapons, explosives, or fireworks. You can store a barbecue grill, but it needs to be cleaned and you can’t store your propane tank.
Tires or Vehicles
You can store a vehicle, but it has to be insured, registered and in working order. While many self-storage facilities allow you to store tires, there is generally a limit of four tires. If you don’t pay your lease, the storage facility will likely charge you to dispose of them.
Medical and Pharmaceutical Supplies
It’s not uncommon for sales reps to rent storage to store supplies and samples, just like many other business owners. Just remember that while you can store many medical supplies and even pharmaceuticals, you can’t store anything radioactive, including many cancer drugs.
food
Anyone who has watched Storage Wars or operated a self-storage facility has seen that many people use self-storage units to store emergency supplies like canned goods. Just remember that virtually all storage facilities forbid storing anything perishable because it attracts pests. Self-storage managers must pay a lot of money each year for pest control and can damage your belongings and those of tenants in nearby units.
Other Items You Can’t Store
You may not store anything illegal, including stolen items. Storing plants or animals is also prohibited. Virtually all storage facilities prohibit people from living in a storage unit or using heaters, generators, freezers, or refrigerators in the unit.
As you prepare to compare storage facilities and get quotes, make a list of the items you’ll be storing and have the facility manager review it to make sure it will be okay. It’s a good idea to disclose what you’ll be storing, especially if you’ll be purchasing insurance on your items.