Is a Storage unit safe?

Storage Unit Basics

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Producing too much waste is a massive issue all over the world, and Canada is no exception. Canadians produce about 3 million tonnes of waste plastic alone each year.

In most cases, folks are simply getting rid of old clutter that they don’t need. In others, though, they’re discarding things simply because they don’t have any space left to put them. That’s where a storage unit comes in and provides extra room to store the stuff you can’t fit anywhere else.

In this Post, we look at storage unit basics. Is a storage unit safe, and what can you put there? Read on for more:

Storage Unit Basics

Storage units are individual storage rooms located at a storage facility. They come in multiple sizes, giving you plenty of types of storage units to choose from.

A storage facility is open longer than typical business hours, allowing you access to your storage before or after work. They’re at convenient locations you can drive to. They also allow you to enter with your vehicle to more easily load or offload items.

Short and Long-Term Storage

Everyone’s storage needs are different. Some people just need a spot to put furniture between moves. Others need something they can rely on for years to come.

Whatever your needs, you can store your stuff for as little or as long as you want. It doesn’t matter if you need only a month or several years. Your storage unit will be waiting for you.

Items to Store in Storage Units

You can store almost anything in a storage unit. Old boxes of documents, bags of clothes, bikes, you name it. Just know you can’t store illegal, perishable, flammable items, and things that could be problematic.

Temperature-Controlled Units

Given Chilliwack’s frigid winter temperatures, you might be concerned about storing temperature-sensitive items. Luckily, storage units offer solutions. Heated, dry-air units keep your items safe throughout even the longest winters.

Is a Storage Unit Safe?

Your secure storage unit does everything to keep ne’er-do-wells from accessing your belongings. There are round-the-clock surveillance, security, and alarm systems to protect against break-ins. Each storage unit has its own cylinder lock that makes it very difficult for any would-be thieves to break into.

Storage unit security prevents strangers from entering. People need to be renting one of the units to enter in the first place. This is welcome given the concerns some have with the recent rise in crime in Canada.

Find Storage Units in Chilliwack

Is a storage unit safe? Yes, and it provides a secure location to store as much or as little as you want, for as long as you want. Additional options such as heated rooms keep your belongings in stable condition regardless of the weather. You can find the answers to more questions we answer all the time, here.

Access Mini Storage Ltd. provides all of the above at a convenient location near your home in Chilliwack. Drop by one of our three trusty locations and get a storage unit you can rely on for years.

Storage Unit for Seasonal Storage

What Size Storage Unit Do I Need?

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Canadians are cutting back on spending as inflation tightens its grip on our society. We’re putting off buying new things by holding onto what we have a little longer.

The trouble is, we need to store all this stuff somewhere when it’s not in use. If you’re considering moving to a larger, more expensive home to accommodate all your belongings, wait.

Renting a storage unit for seasonal storage is a much cheaper and less inconvenient option. Take the first step towards de-cluttering your home today by learning how to find the right storage unit size for your needs.

Determine Why You Need Storage Unit Rental

For most Canadians, participating in seasonal sports is key to living a satisfying life. That means many of us have closets full of sports clothing and equipment that we only use for part of the year.

This equipment, along with seasonal clothing items is likely to make up the majority of your storage requirements. Remember, you may need a very small unit for your summer sports gear and clothing and a larger one for your winter equipment like skis.

During the planning phase, you should also consider whether you’d like to store any other items to help save space in your home or if you want to move to a smaller house.

It’s usually best to rent a unit that’s bigger than the size you think you need, so you don’t need to go in search of large storage units later.

Draft an Inventory of Items for Storage

Don’t guess your storage unit needs. Rather, make a detailed inventory of the items you’d like to place in storage.

Walk through your home and garage and write down everything that’s creating stress by cluttering your home. You can use this list to help figure out how many boxes you’ll need for storage.

Be sure to measure any items that you can’t pack into a box, such as large sporting equipment or pool equipment.

Try a Trial Run

Browse some storage facility websites to check the availability of storage units in your area.

Once you know the options available to you, mark out a space equal to the size of the smallest unit in your driveway or garage using painter’s tape.

Pay attention to the way the facility describes the dimensions of its units, as this will affect your packing strategy. A 5×10 unit is five feet wide by ten feet long, while a 10×5 unit is ten feet wide by five feet long.

Storage unit ceilings are normally around eight feet tall. Try fitting all your boxes into your demarcated space to get an idea of what size unit you’ll need.

Alternatively, you can use our space calculator to anticipate your storage needs.

Rent Your Ideal Storage Unit for Seasonal Storage

Once you’ve established your requirements regarding a storage unit for seasonal storage, you need to find a facility you can trust with your treasured possessions.

Access Mini Storage LTD offers a range of alarmed, heated, and video-monitored large and small storage units at three locations in Chilliwack. Browse our affordable options and book yours now.

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4 Impactful Reasons To Use a Self-storage Service

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In need of some space for your personal items or business products? Maybe it’s time to go for a self-storage subscription!

Self-storage service is a convenient, clean, and safe way to store your belongings. Whether it’s for personal or business matters, you can place all your belongings and assets in this safe storage unit. 

Read on as we give you the top four reasons people are shifting to self-storage units to have the extra room they need.

1. Self-Storage Provides Better Security

Houses that are not fully protected from robbery may need the security provided by self-storage units. A self-storage rental unit is fully-equipped to keep your valuables safe. They are typically well-secured with CCTVs, a gated entry, security fences, locks, and a 24/7 security team.

Surveillance cameras can detect unauthorized people who will try to steal. Most storage facilities have advanced security systems to help protect your items. Access Mini Storage Ltd offers you the advantages of both added security and extra storage room for a reasonable cost.

2. Self-Storage Reduces Clutter

If your home is full of mess, decluttering may be the best way to free up space and boost your quality of life. If muddle dominates your house, it may weigh heavy, distract and affect your ability to focus.

Decluttering boosts your mood, reduces stress, and even helps you sleep well. So a self-storage facility is the best place to keep your extra belongings and to have them out of sight and mind.

3. Self-Storage Helps Businesses

Most businesses use self-storage units to reduce and maximize office areas. A self-storage service can be beneficial to:

  • Keep extra commodities during peak seasons
  • Keep samples, products, or business stock surge
  • Keep seasonal goods in off-peak seasons, like Christmas items
  • Store or move excess office furniture or unused equipment
  • Archive old things or business files
  • Protect things during a natural calamity or emergency like a fire, flood, or storm

Usually, hiring a storage unit is more affordable than leasing out an extra room or office to store any surplus business equipment.

4. Self-Storage Is Cost-Effective

The price of a self-storage service is much more reasonable compared to the expense of losing your personal effects or business files. Yearly, people pay the price for their mistakes of keeping items in insufficient areas. A self-storage investment will store your valuables in safe vaults that will be flood and fire resistant, unlike in a moist basement or attic. 

Many self-storage buildings are in valued sites where the retail price is on the map. Instead of paying for extra rooms to keep your belongings, you can move your things to a self-storage unit for as long as you need. 

Why You Need Self-Storage Service

It’s always best to stick with a reputable self-storage service like Access Mini Storage Ltd in Chilliwack. Are you looking to secure your things against theft and damage caused by hurricanes, fires, or floods? Do you plan to declutter your home and need a safe and secure space for your things? 

We offer the perfect storage solutions for your business and residential needs. Take a moment to contact us or visit our facilities in North Chilliwack, Central Chilliwack, and Sardis. 

Must-Have Packing and Moving Supplies and How to Use Them

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Did you know that moving is one of the most stressful times in a person’s life? There’s a lot to handle, and there’s always a nagging worry that your precious items will be lost or damaged during the process.

Packing up for a move is arguably the most important part of the moving process. Improper packing can lead to broken or lost items and lots of heartbreak. Safe and secure packing leads to safe travels and fewer headaches.

If you’re about to move and are wondering what the best packing and moving supplies are, you’re in luck! We’ve written a quick and handy guide to the must-have moving supplies. Read on to learn more!

Moving Boxes and Packaging

A lot of people think that they can just use old moving boxes or packing supplies, but this is not the safest or smartest way to pack. If you want to make sure that your move goes smoothly, it is important that you invest in high-quality packing and moving supplies.

In order to find the best kind of cardboard box for your needs, you should think about how much weight the box will hold and how many items can fit inside of it. The overall strength and thickness of the box are also important.

Tape

Not all tape is created equal. In order to properly secure your moving boxes, you need to make sure to use tape that won’t give out.

Shipping tape is the kind that you would find at a shipping supply store. It is thin and only meant to hold a box together long enough to ship it.

Ideally, you should add packing tape to your moving supplies list. Packing tape can withstand temperature/humidity changes and rough handling, so it is a much better choice for sealing your moving boxes.

Packing Fragile Items

For items such as crystal dishware and other breakable knickknacks, make sure that you pack smart. Put heavier items at the bottom of the box, and make sure that there is no extra wiggle room by filling empty spaces with wadded-up packaging paper.

Make sure that the boxes and packing supplies you use are heavy-duty. Thin-walled boxes do not provide enough impact protection for your fragile items. Sealing the bottoms of your boxes with an extra layer or two of tape is also a good idea.

Bubble wrap is a must-have for packing fragile items. Wrap the items in bubble wrap and fill any voids with wadded-up wrap as well. Make sure that the sides of the box are also well-lined in bubble wrap.

Other Packing and Moving Supplies

Besides boxes, packaging, and tape, you also should consider some other handy items. Moving blankets are a great item for moving furniture, as they can protect the wood from scuffs and dents.

Moving dollies will save both your time and your back. You can take multiple boxes in one trip without having to lift and carry them. A packing tape gun can also save you lots of time while sealing your boxes.

Shopping for Packing Supplies

Moving is never cheap or easy but buying everything you need in one stop is a huge timesaver. Avoid ordering supplies online, as they tend to be of dubious quality and have high shipping charges.

If you’re looking for packing and moving supplies, Access Mini Storage offers a full assortment of boxes, tape, and other moving necessities. And if you need to store your items for a while, we also offer many self-storage options for your needs. Call Access today at (604) 824-0030 or contact us online to find out what we have to offer!

Items That Are Banned From Self-Storage

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More than 400,000 people move to Canada each year.

The process of relocating can be exciting yet stressful. After all, there’s never enough time to get everything done. And yet you have tons of details to juggle while uprooting your life.

Sometimes you don’t have room to take everything at once. Or perhaps you just temporarily need a little extra space at the house. That’s why Access Mini Storage units are so helpful. The key is to be aware of banned self-storage items you can’t keep in your unit.

Here we take a look at the most common items not allowed in storage. Keep reading to learn more.

Illegal Items

 

The first category of items not allowed in storage facilities is anything illegal. This includes everything from smuggled weapons to stolen goods. Keep in mind that law enforcement officials can easily obtain warrants to search your storage unit.

It’s also important to remember that storage facilities are monitored by security cameras.

Perishable Items

 

The management team at the storage facility where you rent should warn against storing items that can perish. This includes food that can spoil and start smelling and organic material.

Why is this a big deal? The bad smells will attract animals and pests that can be annoying or dangerous. That’s why you should also never store items like aquariums with live fish, or any type of human or pet foods, even when stored in sealed bags.

Flammable Items

 

It’s no secret that flammable items are extremely dangerous. This includes flammable products like gasoline, grease, oil, cleaning chemicals, propane, ammunition, fireworks, etc.

Keep in mind that when flammable products ignite, they can cause expensive damage to the items inside your storage unit as well as other units at the same facility.

Live Plants

It’s never a good idea to store live plants inside a self-storage facility. After all, plants need plenty of sunlight and water in order to survive. Thus, they won’t survive very long in total darkness.

The best strategy is to give them away before moving or take them with you to your new home.

Live Pets

Never attempt to store living animals inside a storage facility. Doing so is dangerous and unhealthy.

Toxic Items

Storing items that are toxic can create serious health hazards. This includes any type of cleaning product, paint thinner, or kerosene.

People

Please remember that a storage facility is not designed or intended for human habitation. Thus, you should never attempt to live inside one or allow someone else to live inside your rented storage unit.

Your Guide to Banned Self-Storage Items in Chilliwack

Moving to a new home is both fun and exhausting. The key to a positive experience is to eliminate as much clutter as possible by renting a self-storage unit. Fortunately, this guide to banned self-storage items will help prevent an embarrassing situation.

Please feel free to contact us today at Access Mini Storage in Chilliwack to learn more about our self-storage facility.