The living room has transformed to an obstacle. The garage has not been able to accommodate a car in years. Each of the closets is full to the brim, which makes each opening them like opening a bomb. Sound like home? It is typically at this point that people start looking for a storage solutions in their area – and it is where errors start to occur as well.

This is what most people find surprising: there is a huge difference in bad and good storage facility. One is a dark and dusty row of metal doors having a rusty padlock. The other has fenced access, weather and personnel who pick-up phone. The two appear on the same search results.

Space is virtually an underestimation.

All people believe that they possess less than they do. You can feel it when you are standing in the unit that is already loaded – there is a truck half-loaded outside – that is when the reality strikes. A rule of thumb: take the size that you think you need, then take a step higher. The additional square feet is less than the headache of having to fit it in like a game of Tetris that you can never win.

Make a visit to the facility prior to commitment. Wide-angle lenses are used to take the photos of websites and during the sunniest day of the year. A different story could be told by the actual unit.

Good location is a plus, but not all.

There is a facility within five minutes that is not very well secured that is simply a convenient disappointment. The distance is important, management is more important. Visit in person. Test the condition of the property to see whether it is maintained. Unless the common areas are taken care of, your unit is likely to be getting little attention as well.

One of such features, which people neglect to save money, then regretted a lot, is climate control. Humidity destroys furniture. Wood is warped, electronics undermined and old paperwork yellows in the heat. In the case of anything that has sentimental or financial importance, the upgrade will pay off.

Uncomfortable questions to be asked prior to signing.

Is the price incremented within the first month? What would be the result in case of a late payment? Are there flexibility to leave early? This information is seldom volunteered by the facilities. Read all the lines of the contract – there are always some surprises there.

Recommendations come in handy, though sift through. Of the three-star ones, the most of the truth is in them. They are written by individuals who went through such an experience and did not want somebody to become frustrated in the same way.

Your possessions would not like being caught up in haste. Make the additional time. It’s worth it.