more articles like this

Storage Facilities
updated: Jul 13, 2012, 8:47 AM

By Edhat Subscriber

Our son, who lives in Brooklyn, will be moving from his small apartment in a month, but staying in Brooklyn (Park Slope) & will need to store a room's worth of contents until May or June 2013.

I'm assisting in the research, hence, wanted to know what to look at when judging storage facilities besides: price per month, upstairs vs street level, protection, does he need his own insurance, etc? Any and all tips are appreciated.

Comments in order of when they were received | (reverse order)

COMMENT 297042	2012-07-13 09:15 AM
My experience - sell everything - cause moving it - paying rent - moving it again - easier and cheaper to sell and start over after the move -
COMMENT 297043	2012-07-13 09:16 AM
I pay $75/mo for a 5'x10' in Goleta. The facility is outdoors, all ground level, and open, which is bad if you are paranoid about someone breaking in (I'm not), but great as there is access 24/7. Have been there 5+ years with no problems. Least expensive one around that I know of. They have bigger ones available if 5x10 too small. So if cost is the biggest issue, call OK Storage at (805) 968-0218. Located in Ellwood area behind CalTaco and Dioji. Also, If you pay for a year up front they tack on a 13th month free. Oh and unless you are storing gold furniture, I wouldn't waste money on insurance.
COMMENT 297047	2012-07-13 09:21 AM
I had a big one at A-American on Calle Cesar Chaves, cost me about $200 a month but it was clean, they were nice & it worked for me.
COMMENT 297048	2012-07-13 09:21 AM
Do not get street level or an end unit as those are the first to be broken in to - get as high up as possible. I once stored all my stuff on the 5th level of a storage place in Los Angeles (in Southgate - just south of Plaza de Mexico off of the 105), but moving my piano and my fridge was difficult (I hope you have some strong friends who can help you carry the heavy items). Also, do the math: are the items your son is going to store worth the cost of storage. Let's say his items are worth $700, but storage will cost say $100/mo. (or more!) x 9 mos. = $900. Well, it wouldn't be worth it unless his storage items were worth say $1,800. Maybe your son should sell all his stuff and use the money spent on storage to buy items when he returns. Do your research though before selecting the wrong place.
COMMENT 297054	2012-07-13 09:32 AM
Is he storing stuff in Brooklyn? Pretty sure that prices and conditions in Santa Barbara will be quite different from NYC!
COMMENT 297062	2012-07-13 09:38 AM
I also agree its a waste of money to store most items. I'd tell him to sell the stuff and make some money.
COMMENT 297063	2012-07-13 09:42 AM
Twice I've moved from one side of the country to the other with my precious belongings. Price of Fuel + Storage = Value Added Junk
COMMENT 297064	2012-07-13 09:43 AM
He moved out, across the country in fact. Pretty sure he can handle this himself mom. Sure he might get a storage unit on the wrong level or pay too much but he will learn from his mistakes and grow as a person, let your little boy go.
COMMENT 297067	2012-07-13 09:46 AM
Be kinda fun to put one of those 'Pod' containers at the curb in front of his place - a great way to ingratiate oneself with the new neighbors!
COMMENT 297071P	2012-07-13 09:49 AM
Ouch, 064 - You're being way too harsh here; no need to snark! Many parents LIKE to help their kids, especially when the kid works full time & the parent has time to assist. I'm sure you were never helped by your parents nor have done so for your kid(s), assuming you have them. Take a breath & find something to like about yourself today, because there's probably a lot.
COMMENT 297101	2012-07-13 10:31 AM
I have a 3x3 and I'm paying $75 per month at Public Storage.
COMMENT 297105	2012-07-13 10:44 AM
297101 - A 3x3? That's a closet, not a storage area. You're getting screwed. Right next door you can get over 5 times the storage for the same price.
COMMENT 297109	2012-07-13 10:47 AM
I'm sorry, that did come out snarkier than intended 071P There is a point at which parents need to back away though and for me that would be somewhere around storage unit research in California for a kid in New York.
COMMENT 297131P	2012-07-13 11:13 AM
297109 - there are no rules - only what individual relationships find acceptable or not. What is not acceptable is for others to impose their ideas on others. If an adult child can accept a parent's help, I think that is actually a healthy relationship. Too many offspring are not big enough to handle that.
COMMENT 297180	2012-07-13 12:59 PM
If you want to save money, have him rent a Uhaul, get some friends, and bring it to a storage facility himself rather than hire movers. You can Google storage facilities in Brooklyn. You might also want to check out nearby areas to compare prices, but I doubt price will vary too much. Some places have promotions so it's worth a few minutes looking around. Check Yelp for reviews of specific storage facilities.
COMMENT 297187P	2012-07-13 01:14 PM
after using a mini storage unit for storing some of my mom's household goods for about a year, I was surprised at how dirty everything got. Covering everything with sheets (thrift store) helps. Moisture and high humidity might be an issue on the east coast, but climate controlled units are probably expensive. If good quality furniture is involved, it might be better if he could farm it out with friends for a year.
COMMENT 297211	2012-07-13 02:57 PM
Watch a few episodes of "Hoarders" on TV. Unless your son's stuff is "Antique Roadshow" quality memorabilia, sell it or give it away. It's cheaper and easier to buy stuff over again.
COMMENT 297309	2012-07-13 05:52 PM
dumpster time.
COMMENT 297642	2012-07-14 03:45 PM
Give away some of it for crying out loud.
COMMENT 298008	2012-07-16 10:08 AM
Hello OP, I work for a local storage facility, and I'd be happy to share a few tips about the process. #1 - Set a Budget. There are facilities from Goleta to Carpinteria that hit every price point. Give 'em a call to get some prices. Prices change and different places offer different deals. Much of the process is also preference. Upstairs units are going to be cheaper than downstairs or drive-up units. How much is that convenience worth? Only you and your son know exactly where you will fall on that spectrum. #2 - Make a visit. Is there room to maneuver that moving truck coming from New York? Is the place clean, secure, and in good shape? If your son's belongings are valuable enough to store then it is worth inspecting the storage facilities you are considering. It might require a drive across town, but it will be worth it in the end. A little time up front can save a lot of money and heartache down the line. Good luck!
COMMENT 298038	2012-07-16 11:22 AM
Oh, and one other thing.... I'd be happy to discuss this in more detail some of the other ins and outs, like insurance, what to look for security wise, etc. Just leave a message here and I can post my email address - always happy to help a fellow Edhatter!

14% of comments on this page were made by Edhat Community Members.