Whether you are going on vacation or saving up for extensive repairs you might want to consider storing your vehicle. Putting you vehicle in storage will help protect it from the deterioration that will occur overtime if a vehicle is left out in the open. Before storing your vehicle it is important to take some time to properly prepare it. Failing to prepare your vehicle for storage will often lead to expensive repairs and problems when you try to start using your vehicle in the future.

When you are ready to start preparing your vehicle for storage you must first find a good location to store your vehicle in. It is extremely important that you do not simply park your vehicle somewhere convenient and leave it there. Parking lots and even garages are not always the best place for long term storage, especially if you do not plan to prepare your vehicle for storage. If you are serious about making sure your vehicle is stored properly then you must take some time to find a location that is clean, dry, and completely safe.

Leaving your vehicle in a moist, open, environment will lead to rusting and molding both outside of the car and under the hood in the engine. For the best, long term, results you should invest in a storage facility that offers climate control for vehicles. The storage facility you choose should have experience storing vehicles and take proper safety measures to help avoid theft or damage to your valuable property. Using a professional storage facility is often the best way to keep your vehicle in good condition when you are not able to use it.

After you have found a good location for your vehicle you should start preparing your vehicle for storage. The first thing you should do is attend to basic vehicle maintenance. If you make sure that your vehicle is in the best possible shape before it is stored you will increase your chances of getting from storage in good shape. This maintenance should be completely immediately before placing your vehicle into long term, or short term, storage.

Make sure that your gas tank is filled before putting it in storage. Do not store your vehicle with an empty gas tank or a half filled gas tank. Keeping your vehicles gas tank filled will help prevent moisture from forming that would eventually lead to serious rusting problems. Changing the oil in your vehicle is another way to prevent moisture that will lead to corrosion in your vehicles engine if it is allowed to form. It is best to use synthetic oil for storage since synthetic oil will not break down at the same speed as conventional oil.

Do not forget to remove your battery when you are preparing your vehicle for storage. If you are planning to store your vehicle for a long period of time in a safe location there is no reason to leave the battery in the vehicle. Removing it will help prevent cracking, draining, and acid leaks. Some people do not feel comfortable removing the battery from their vehicle but it is the best way to avoid engine problems that can be caused by leaked acid and corrosion.

Once you have performed basic maintenance on your vehicle it is time to start getting the exterior ready for storage. Carefully wash your vehicle and wax it before storage. This will keep the exterior of your vehicle in good shape even during a long storage period. When cleaning the exterior of the vehicle do not forget the tires. Take some time to wipe down your tires and apply lithium grease to them to help prevent cracking and other problems. After your vehicle is completely clean and prepared cover it with a high quality vehicle cover. This finally layer of protection will keep your car fresh while it is waiting for you.

Last, but not least, do not forget pest control. No matter where your vehicle is stored rodents and insects might be able to find there way into the building. Place rodent traps and insect poison or bait around the outside of the vehicle. Many people forget to take steps to prevent infestations never realizing that rodents and insects can easily get into a stored vehicle nesting in and damaging the interior.

When done correctly preparing your vehicle for storage is no different than performing routine maintenance and care. Taking the time to service and clean your vehicle will help you avoid unpleasant surprises and high repair bills when the time comes to take your vehicle out of storage.

Storage condominiums are one of the latest trends in self storage facilities. With a self storage condo, the customer purchases their entire storage unit outright and then is free to do with it what they wish, including renting or reselling it. Similar to residential condominiums, the new owner is obligated to pay association dues to the storage facility. These dues are usually allocated to cover common expenses or kept in a fund to cover future capital improvements.

Storage condominiums have benefits for both the facility manager and the customer. The manager no longer has to worry about collecting monthly rent or providing liability insurance. Their ongoing maintenance duties are usually reduced as most association fees do not include any work inside of the storage unit. The new owner is responsible for his or her own pest control, water damage repair, and fire prevention to protect their own belongings. The customer is free to add their own security systems to their storage condo, but security at the overall location remains the responsibility of the facility owner or management company.

Most storage condos are 14 feet wide and 40 feet deep, with other sizes also available as desired by the customer. Many of them include a residental garage door, complete with opener, for easy access to the space. There is generally 15-amp electrical power already installed in the storage unit, with fluorescent lighting and several electrical outlets. Larger condominiums may be wired for 60-amp power, with the utility bill being sent directly to the space owner instead of the facility manager. Some storage condominium facilities include shared services for use on RVs, motorcycles, and boats. These include repair stations, vehicle washing equipment, and dumping areas for RV waste products.

The unique set up of a storage condominium arrangement can give it some flexibility with regard to city land use regulations and zoning laws. Because they are not rental units, a storage condo facility can often be placed in areas zoned for light industrial use, not just commercial zoning areas. This land is usually much cheaper for the facility owner than it would be to purchase commercially-zoned land. In cities where parking spaces and vehicle storage are hard to come by, purchasing a storage condominium may be more economical than paying parking fees by the day or month.

Despite their high prices, customers are purchasing these storage condominiums because of the flexibility and convenience they give. Since the customer now owns the storage unit outright, they are free to make any improvements they wish to the interior of the space. Exterior improvements must usually be approved by the facility manager since they affect the look of the entire area. Some common interior improvements include epoxy floors, new walls to separate the space, and adding windows or doors. Condo owners with a higher construction budget may even install climate-control equipment for the storage unit. This usually entails adding insulation in the walls and roof, along with either an air conditioner or swamp cooler to keep the temperature down inside the condominium.

Businesses are also taking note of these new storage condominiums, purchasing them for use as off-site file rooms or vehicle and equipment storage. Due to city zoning laws, most storage facilities have provisions in the sale contract prohibiting the operation of a business from inside the condominium itself. They are quite useful in shifting some of the storage space burden out of a company’s primary office, which is probably being rented at a premium rate.

Being able to actually own the storage space gives a business more financing options. It is far easier to obtain a loan to cover the purchase of real property than it is to persuade a lender to pay for the company’s storage rental for the year. The cost can generally be classified as a capital investment instead of a recurring monthly expense on the company’s balance sheet and income statements. Storage condominiums are a natural fit for businesses that use a lot of large equipment or vehicles, such as construction or delivery companies.

Financing the purchase of a storage condominium may be more difficult for a private individual. Many banks have no experience with the concept of buying a permanent storage unit as a real estate investment. As a result, these loans are usually treated as 10-year personal loans rather than traditional 30-year real estate mortgages. There is also generally a large down payment of 20 percent required upon the signing of the loan.

Taking advantage of the many storage rental facilities all across the United States has helped millions of families save space in their homes while safely storing important items. Even though renting a storage unit might seem like an easy task to many it can be difficult especially if a person has never rented a storage facility before. Choosing a safe area to store items in is hard enough and the work doesn’t stop there. Once a person or family has found a likely storage facility it is sometimes hard to decide what size storage unit should be rented.

The size of a storage rental unit does not seem like an important concern to most people but anyone that has rented a storage unit before will tell you that choosing the wrong sized storage unit can be a disaster. Whether a storage unit is ultimately too large or to small having the wrong size can spell disaster for a person on a tight budget or a person that is in desperate need of more space. Before renting a storage unit it is important that all individuals spend time deciding how much space they will need for the belongings they plan to put into storage.

Most storage rental facilities provide prospective customers with the sizes of their available storage units. The most common storage unit sizes are 10 feet wide by 5 feet deep, 10 feet wide by 10 feet deep, 10 feet wide by 20 feet deep, 15 feed wide by 20 feet deep, and 20 feet wide by 20 feet deep. Many companies will provide you these numbers and even small pictures to give you an idea of what the size looks like but the average person might have a hard time visualizing these sizes. To make things easier keep this in mind, 10×5 is about the size of a walk in closet, 10×10 is usually the size of a very small bedroom, 10×20 is the size of the average one car garage with 15×20 being only slightly larger, and 20×20 is the size of a spacious two car garage.

The monthly rental fee of most storage facilities is determined by the size of the unit being rented. The larger the storage unit the more you will pay. Even though most storage rental facilities are relatively affordable the monthly fee can add up over time. Renting too much space can lead to money being wasted in storage rental fees that are unnecessary. On the other hand, renting too little space can lead to the need to upgrade storage units which often causes additional fees to be charged to your account not to mention added labor and time spent making a second move that could have been easily avoided.

To avoid spending extra time and money take some time to determine how much space your items will need before you sign any contracts. First, isolate all of the items you plan to place in storage. This might be harder for some people than others but it will be worth it in the end. Even if you have to pile boxes onto beds or couches get all of the items you want to store in one location and stack them in approximately the same way you will store them in your storage unit. Get a measuring tape and figure out how much space your items occupy and give a bit of allowance for extra space to remain around and above all of the items you plan to store.

If you feel that your items could be stored more efficiently in different boxes or containers then repack them! Do not wait until after you have rented a storage unit and started moving things into the storage unit to start thinking about more efficient ways to pack. Experiment with plastic containers, larger, and smaller boxes until you get everything packed and arranged in a way that you think will be easy to fit in a smaller storage facility without crowding the unit.

After you have gotten everything you want ready for storage and are prepared to rent your storage unit take a moment and think to yourself will I ever put anything else in storage? If the answer is I don’t know, always try to rent a slightly larger storage unit if the space you plan to rent will just barely fit in all of your current belongings. This will save you the inconvenience and expense of renting an additional storage unit or having to move all of your belongings to another storage unit.

On the other hand, if you do not plan to store any additional items to your storage unit and actually plan to be removing items shortly because of a move or any other reason do not be afraid to rent a storage unit that just squeezes everything in. This can be done safely for extremely short term storage because there is a less of a chance that your storage unit will attract vermin in the form of insects and rodents. When your items are in storage for short periods of time there is little need to make all of the preparations necessary for safe, long term, storage.

Lastly, if you are renting on a short term basis and need to store furniture and many belongings before a move into a home do not be afraid to rent the largest unit available. Renting a large space for a short period of time can be convenient and financially sound since you are not planning to keep the storage space for several months or years.

Leaving a vehicle unattended for a long period of time can create problems when you try to drive it again. Rust and corrosion can form on the body or inside critical components, goo can clog the fuel system, sludge can form in the engine oil, mildew can grow in the interior, and constant sunlight can slowly fade the paint and deteriorate vinyl, leather, and rubber parts. That’s why if you need to store your vehicle, whether for the winter or because it can’t be driven for an indefinite period of time, certain precautions and storage locations should be taken before you put it into storage.

The best place to store a car is out of the weather, preferably inside a building that’s cool, dark, and dry. Many might initially believe that their garage is the best place to store the vehicle but take a few factors into consideration such as is the vehicle to be stored going to prohibit other cards from being stored in the garage? Is there any activity in your garage such as the kids bringing their bikes in and out or do you have any animals that go in the garage. What else do you store in the garage and is it an entryway into your home where people will be bumping into your vehicle?

If the answer to any of these questions is yes then it may be in your best interest to rent a storage unit to place your vehicle in where it will be nice and safe. Most individuals over the age of 17 years old own a car here in America, and if they do not, they strive to make that a reality. Cars have changed with the times, and so have all of the bells and whistles that come with modern automobiles. Families typically have 2-3 cars or more, depending on the number of teenagers living in the household at the time. Of course there are other reasons why people might own more than one vehicle besides the necessity of each parent having their own car to get them to work or to school. Car enthusiasts are buying up the muscle cars that they remember from their youth and restoring them to their previous luster. Collectors go in search of that perfect fixer upper and then spend a great deal of time and money restoring it.

It seems that there is often a need for a car storage unit that serves as an extra garage for all of these spare vehicles. This is a growing trend in the industry and is beginning to catch on. There are many reasons why people choose to rent or use a car storage unit. For instance, if a household has more cars than will fit in their garage, or if they do not have a garage at all, a nearby car storage unit can be used to hold one or more of their vehicles. A car storage unit can also serve as an excellent holding area for tractors and trailers when they are not in use.

In large metropolitan areas, parking on the street or in public parking garages can be very expensive. In large cities, parking is a huge expense. Renting a car storage unit is a much more economical way of storing your vehicle, especially when you only use your car to drive outside of the city. Another reason that people might rent a car storage unit is that it serves as a place to store their snow plows, riding lawn mowers, dune buggies and RVs during off season or cold months.

In addition, a car storage unit is perfect for business men and women who will be traveling for extended periods of time and want to maintain the safety and security of their vehicles while they are away. It is best to keep the vehicle out of harms way. There is less worry for you in the long run, and the cost of a car storage unit is worth the peace of mind that you will feel. Military personnel are another sector of the population who can benefit from the use of a car storage unit to keep their cars and trucks safe and secure until they are home again.

The benefits of using a car storage unit fully outweigh the price that one would pay for the rental of the space, and it is easy to see why classic and antique car collectors will go the extra mile to keep their investments safe. A car storage unit is secure and affordable, especially when you consider the cost of the vehicle itself.

I’ve sold my house but my new house won’t be ready for 2-3 months. Is it less stressful to have a door-to-door storage unit or a garage at a storage facility?