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If you are planning a move, it makes sense to get your household down to the necessities and remove all that clutter not only for a better presentation to potential buyers but also to make it easier for you on moving day. Therefore, having a good moving storage plan is essential to make your move easier.
One common storage option that many people use is to rent a self storage unit. This can be handy all throughout the year and not just when moving. These units come in various sizes you can get them the size of a small closet or a large 300 square foot space. If you have sensitive items like fine antiques, you might want to consider a new storage that will be climate controlled but if your Items are not that particular about the climate then you can save some money by using outdoor storage.
Self storage units come with garage style doors that lift up and you provide your own key and lock so that no one else can get into them, not even the people at the storage facility. Before you went one you want to check Into the hours of operation to be sure that you can come and move items in and out at the time that is convenient for you. Also, if you will only be using it during your move that you want to be sure you are not locked into a six month lease.
Portable storage is a fairly new way of storing items that is becoming very popular today. With portable storage, a storage container is delivered to your driveway. You've been half as long as you want to fill it up with your items. When it is full you simply call the company they take the container away and store it for you. Then, when you've completed your move you can have the container delivered to your new homes driveway and unload it.
Portable storage is more practical if you are moving out of the area as you can actually have the container delivered anywhere in the country. A self storage unit, of course would be stationary to that one area but is a good option if you are just moving in the same town.
Another option which can get to be a bit pricey is to have movers come and pick up your extra stuff in storage for you and then move the items to your new home after you moved. You can have them stored for any length of time but of course will be paying storage fees. This is a good option if you have the money but don't have the time or the skills to move your own stuff.
Moving storage is something that you should seriously consider if you are planning a move. During my last move I found it took a lot of the pressure off just to take all the stuff that I didn't need around the house but still wanted to keep and move into the storage unit which I rented several months before the actual move had to take place. That way I could take stuff over a little bit at a time and was an overwhelming. then after you move, you can take your time moving the stuff out of storage unit into your new home. Who knows, you may discover that you didn't really need all that stuff after all!
If you are going to store your belongings in a self-storage unit, you are probably wondering whether or not they are insured. After all, the unit could catch on fire, be broken into, or be otherwise damaged, leaving your valuable property at risk. The good news is that most self-storage companies offer insurance, but before you purchase it, make sure you really need it.
Insurance Is Not Automatic
The first thing to understand about self storage insurance policies is the fact that they are not automatically applied to your belongings. Some companies have policies already in place, and if they do, the cost of your rental will cover the insurance premium. However, this is rare. Most companies are competing to get your business by having the lowest possible rate, and as such they do not build insurance into the cost. This will only cause them to lose business to companies advertising lower rates. However, you can usually get insurance if you want it, but you will have to pay for it.
Of course, some items are covered under the insurance policy the building's owner has. For instance, fire is typically covered under the owner's insurance policy. Theft and weather damage, such as the damage that may occur if there is a tornado or windstorm, is not necessarily part of this coverage.
You May Not Need It
If you own your own home and have a homeowner's insurance policy, you may not need insurance on your items in storage. Before you sign up for the insurance policy offered by the storage company, check with your current insurance provider. Your insurance policy likely covers your possessions, and this may include possessions store off of your property. Most insurance policies cover all of the property of the homeowner no matter where it is in the world. Of course, your deductible and any exclusions that apply to the homeowner's policy also apply to the items you are storing, so if you feel that your belongings will not be adequately insured, be sure to purchase the policy.
Of course, if you are using the storage unit to store a vehicle, this will not be covered under your homeowner's policy. Almost all homeowner's policies exclude the vehicles that the property owner has. This makes the need for automotive insurance more real. If the car is not insured, then purchasing the additional insurance policy is a good idea.
Most renters' insurance policies work in a similar way. Since they insure the 'contents' of the rental home, they also protect the belongings you put in storage. Again, check with your current insurance provider to determine what coverage you already have before you purchase the coverage offered by the rental unit.
What if You Are Not Covered?
If you do not have an existing insurance policy that will cover your belongings while in storage, you will have to decide whether or not the cost of the rental unit insurance is worthwhile. The only way to do this is to determine how valuable the items you will be storing are, how upset you will be if you lose them, and then choosing whether or not the cost of the policy make sense in light of the value of your belongings.
Keep in mind that you are not protected, even if the rental unit's owner allows you to rent without insurance. Even the best security measures can be overcome, and no one can protect your belongings from a natural disaster. If something happens to the building, your belongings will be lost, and you will be left with nothing. If you do not want to see this happen, consider purchasing insurance for the items you place in self storage.