It’s the First Time I’m Renting At A Self Storage Facility in San Mateo — Where Do I Start?

If you have made the decision to rent at a self storage facility in the San Mateo, Foster City area, you have already made a good start. What’s next? If this is your first time storing items, follow these steps to ensure you get an efficient and cost-effective storage experience:

1. Choosing the Right Storage Facility

If you decide to phone shop first, be sure to call more than one storage facility.  Many facilities have similar pricing, but the difference between actual locations and storage facilities can be worlds apart. 

Before renting a unit online, visit the facilities. Select one in a part of town that you are comfortable with.  Ask yourself these questions:  When you visited, was there a representative on the premises to help you?  At 5A’s self storage facility in San Mateo – Foster City area, someone is available on site 7 days a week.  Did the storage manager make you feel welcome and that your business would be appreciated? At 5A, every customer is important to us. To show our appreciation, we give a free gift for simply stopping by and inquiring about storage. We provide a $20 rent credit if a customer refers us to a new renter. In addition, we offer a $10 Safeway card to someone who isn’t even our customer but refers a new renter.

2. Determine How Long You Need to Store Your Stuff

While there is plenty of flexibility to extend your rental agreement, it helps to know how long you will need to store your belongings at the rental facility. Estimating the length of time gives the storage consultant an opportunity to work out the best price for you.

3. Figure Out How Much Space You Need

Make a careful assessment of the items you plan to store. Put together a basic list of items you want to store and the storage consultant can help recommend the perfect size to fit your needs. Remember to factor in some extra space for ‘wiggle’ room in case you underestimate or change your mind about how much stuff you want to put into storage.

4. Decide How Often You Will Visit the Self Storage Facility

If you will visit often, you’ll want a storage unit that is easier to access. If you plan to store your things once and then go away for an extended period of time, you can choose a unit that costs a little bit less simply due to its position at the facility, such as a unit on the upper floor. The 5A self storage facility in San Mateo – Foster City area has a freight elevator and 4-wheel, flat bed dolly to make it easy to store on an upper floor.  When you pack your self storage unit, remember to put the things you may need often near the front of the unit, while items you won’t need can be near the back or against the walls.  If you will be accessing your things frequently, leave a walkway down the middle.

5. Carefully Pack and Store your Belongings

Get some good, strong boxes and pack things right. Stack heavier items on the bottom to create a safe base and put lighter items on top to prevent damage. Take apart furniture, if you can, and wrap items individually to ensure the best protection. The 5A self storage facility in San Mateo – Foster City has a complete line of boxes, packing materials and specialty use items to protect your stored belongings.

6. Get the Right Insurance

Self storage facilities now require that you carry insurance on your stored items. The self storage company is not responsible for your belongings stored in the unit. You need to have insurance to protect yourself from losses. You may take the convenient, low cost insurance the self storage facility provides, or a homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy is another option to cover your belongings while they are stored. For those who are traveling, if you are packing your belongings into a self storage facility and leaving the country to travel for a few years, you’ll want to have the peace of mind knowing that your stuff is well protected while you are away.

7. Getting Life Organized

Self storage is an excellent way of getting organized. Once you’ve cleared out all the extra stuff from your home or office and stored it, you can enjoy more comfort and the convenience that extra room and spaciousness provide!

Call 5A Rent-A-Space at (650) 341-2964 with your questions and talk to one of the experts at our self storage facility in the San Mateo - Foster City area. You can also get more information from our FAQ page, use the “Space Calculator” to assist you in getting the right size, and even rent online.