If you have a self storage unit, you might find yourself called upon to help other people with their storage needs. For example, your friend might ask you to store her furniture between apartment moves, or your mother might ask you to keep her fine china safe during a kitchen remodel. But before you say yes, think about these three very important factors.
As much as you trust your friends and family, you never really know what they're asking you to store... even when they have the best intentions. How do you know your friend's mattress isn't infested with bedbugs? Or that the boxes labeled "Kitchen" that your uncle asked you to store don't contain food that will lead to an ant infestation? Unless you packed it yourself, you can never be sure what others have given you.
Storing items for other people may seem simple, but your storage facility still considers you the only person with the right to access your storage unit. If you go on vacation for two months and your friend suddenly needs to access your unit, the storage facility will not open the unit for him or her unless they are named on the lease. The same goes for providing them with building access codes or other account information. If yours is the only name on the rental agreement, then the storage facility will not give access or information to anyone but you.
Everyone plans for the best, but no one can predict the future. So, when a friend or family member asks you to store something, keep in mind that you might be giving up that space forever. If your friend moves to Florida to work at Disney World, chances are high that he's never coming back for the 'vintage' furniture he asked you to store for him. In the end, you'll have less storage space of your own.
Don't feel bad about turning down requests to share your storage unit. The truth is, it's usually easier for that person to rent a short-term unit of their own. At Four Seasons Self Storage, we are conveniently located right in Arnprior