When your home is starting to get a little cluttered with your surplus of possessions, an effective solution is to rent a unit at a self-storage facility. This extra space can help you better organize your living quarters while still having access to the items you seldom use but aren't yet ready to throw out. If you're on a tight budget and the idea of paying to store your extra items in a storage unit seems daunting, there are several ways you can save money and still enjoy all the benefits of renting at a self-storage facility. Here are three ideas to try.
Declutter Before the Move
Storage facilities have numerous sizes of units for you to consider. If you want to save money, there's no point to rent a large unit to store boxes and boxes of items that you'll never use again. Before choosing your preferred unit size, take some time to declutter your possessions. This phase can include donating items to charity, throwing things out and even selling items with value—and then using the money to put toward your storage unit rental. A serious commitment to decluttering can mean the difference in a large storage unit and a small one—and lots of money saved in the months ahead.
Share with Friends
If you have enough possessions to store but not enough to fill a large storage unit, reach out to some close friends to see if they have a desire to store any of their extra items. By giving up half your storage space, you can split the cost of the unit and save a considerable amount of money over the course of the year. This partnership is best to reserve for close friends. You don't need the hassle of a casual acquaintance who doesn't pay for his or her share in a timely manner each month.
Don't Pay for Perks You Don't Need
Many storage facilities offer climate-controlled units as a choice for their customers, which is ideal if you're storing something that requires a specific temperature and humidity range. If you don't have this need, however, it's best to opt for a standard unit without these perks. The rental will cost you less money, and if you reach a point in the future when you need the climate-controlled space, you can always take a few hours and move your items.
Contact a storage facility like University Self Storage to look at your options.
