It’s True: Sharing Is Caring, But It’s Not Always without Risk

Storing your belongings is easy when you have a rental unit. You sign your name on a lease, box up your stuff, and stow everything away in a convenient place. What happens when your mom wants you to hold a few items in your unit for a few weeks, but it turns into several months? Maybe your best friend is in between jobs and needs a place not only for himself but for his possessions. Should you be the "good" friend and offer up some of your rental space?

Sharing is honorable. It shows people that you care. It can also cause problems in a relationship if things are not handled with care and foresight. At 5A Rent-A-Space, we encourage you to use caution if the opportunity to share your unit comes about. We also offer several options for storing your stuff and a free moving van near your San Mateo home when you rent from us.

Why You May Want to Avoid Sharing Your Rental Unit

When funds are low, it may make sense to share the costs of a storage rental unit. If you trust explicitly the person you are sharing with, then it can be beneficial. Here are some reasons why you may want to reconsider splitting a rental space:

1. Your partner fails to pay their portion of the bill: Generally, only one person is connected with a storage unit. If you split the costs and your best friend cannot pay their portion, you will have to cover the full amount. That can quickly put a wedge in your relationship.
2. You cannot be entirely sure what other people are storing: It is always possible that a friend's couch is infested with fleas. Your cousin's mattress may be harboring bed bugs. That box of kitchen items from your mom may have forgotten food in it that invites insects into your unit and your stuff.
3. Only one person can have access to the unit: If you are not one the lease, then the rental facility is not going to open the unit up to you. It also means that if your friend gets upset with you, they can keep you from accessing your belongings.
4. Time may last an eternity: Remember that box of china your mom wanted you to store for a few weeks? There is no way to predict the future. You may find that you still have it a year later. That means you lose out on space for your own stuff.

Encourage Others to Rent their Own Unit from 5A Rent-A-Space

Renting a storage unit is simple, painless, and not as expensive as you may think. Before you agree to store someone else's stuff, think about the consequences if something goes sour. At 5A Rent-A-Space we have many different sizes to meet you or your family's needs. We even help move your items with a free moving van when you rent with us.

Reserve your self-storage unit online now. Call 5A Rent-A-Space at 650-338-0016 or toll-free at 1-800-5ASPACE (1-800-527-7223) to learn more. Not sure how much space you will need? Use our online Space Calculator to estimate the best unit size for you.