If your stuff looks like it’s taking over your Irving rental home, you may be thinking if you should rent a storage unit. However, before you sign a contract, it’s beneficial to think about your position carefully. Is a storage unit truly needed? Or are you able to manage your belongings in other ways? To help you respond to this question, let’s examine more closely some of the reasons why you might – or might not – need a storage unit.
Too Much Stuff
One of the typical reasons people rent a storage unit is because they have too much stuff. This sometimes occurs when downsizing to a smaller home, when moving, or when between homes. Several people don’t have space for their collections, and those who have inherited items they don’t want or aren’t now using.
But having too much stuff isn’t a great reason to rent a storage unit. This is especially correct if you look at how much you spend on the monthly rent in comparison with the value of the items you like to preserve. For illustration, paying an extra $100 a month on a storage unit means those items will cost you $1,200 a year to own and not use. Before renting a storage unit, it is important to take into consideration why you want to keep the things you plan to store and, if possible, seek other alternatives to a storage unit.
Storing Valuables
One component that can greatly change the equation on value and storage is if you have valuable items you want to keep but don’t have space for them at home for one reason or another. Undeniably, if you own high-end valuables, make certain to decide on climate-controlled storage. Materials like artwork, musical instruments, antiques, photos, and electronics can be damaged by heat or cold and should never be deposited in an outdoor storage situation.
Creative Alternatives
If you have something you want or need to keep, but it doesn’t look worth the cost of a storage unit, consider other inventive methods to keep your stuff – or not. In various instances, accumulating too much stuff is the consequence of being unwilling to let things go, even though they are things you will likely never use. If you can overcome your attachment to these items, you might be able to sell or give them away instead.
On the flip side, if you have items that you cannot part with but do not essentially need a storage unit to keep, try asking a friend to keep or store it for you until you have the room to get it back. A friend or family member with an empty spare room could use that antique furniture, piano, or framed artwork you don’t currently need but prefer to keep. As another option, get creative with the spaces in your own home to make room for your possessions. Underneath staircases, attics, and garage shelving can all increase usable storage space and let you retain a few more of your cherished belongings.
While there are some instances where a storage unit might be required, in many cases, there are other and less expensive ways to deal with having more stuff than we need. Ultimately, the choice is at your discretion! However, if you think that a bigger rental home would give you not only more living space but more storage space as well, give Real Property Management Meridian a call! You can browse our listings and apply online when you find one that catches your eye.
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the Nation. See Equal Housing Opportunity Statement for more information.
