Protect Your Stuff From A Natural Disaster With Self Storage
When a natural or man-made disaster is imminent, moving some of your things to safety is a smart idea. But even though you're probably in a rush and feeling emotional, take the time to do this right. How? Here are a few important tips anyone can put to use.
1. Select the Right Location
The right storage unit facility depends on the disaster you suspect. If you live in a low-lying area and face heavy rainfall and flooding, you'll want a storage unit on higher ground. Worried about a hurricane? Your facility will need to be out of its main path.
2. Make a Priority List
Focus on the most important items to take to safety. This usually means the most fragile, the most expensive, the most difficult to replace, and the most sentimental. Tag these as priority items and prepare them first. If you run out of time, you've done the best you could. And if you have more time, you can move down the priority list.
3. Keep an Inventory
If possible, avoid just throwing items into a box and sending it to storage. Instead, write down what's going into the unit and where it's located. You might also take photographs, describe items, and note their value for possible insurance purposes later. Making an inventory helps you know everything is safe and that it all makes it back into your home.
4. Protect Your Stuff
Because these items are important enough to send away for safety, they're important enough to further protect. If your worries are rain, flooding, or storms, wrap goods in plastic or seal them in plastic bins if possible. Put down a layer of pallets and a plastic tarp to keep them off the floor. And use a tamper-proof lock to secure the unit itself.
5. Minimize the Work
If you have little time to prepare your unit before a pending storm, civil unrest, or another disaster, make the most of this time. One simple trick is to load the bins and goods you want to store into a vehicle or onto a trailer. Then, simply drive the vehicle into the unit — and out of it again — and close the door. The less you load and unload, the faster and easier this job will be when you probably have other things to prepare as well.
Where to Start
The best place to start protecting your things is to work with a reputable self-storage facility in your target area. Call now to learn how they can help and make arrangements for your unit. You'll soon have the peace of mind that comes from knowing you've protected your most important belongings from whatever Mother Nature has in mind.
For more info about self-storage, contact a local company.