What is Self Storage?

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What is Self Storage?

Self Storage has grown to a multi-billion dollar business worldwide; from humble Australasian beginnings in Western Sydney in the late 70’s, Self Storage sites businesses are just about everywhere, Including EJ Shaw at Northern Beaches.

Self Storage is short for ‘self-service storage’ and in the United States it is often referred to as ‘mini storage’. The Self Storage industry is one in which storage space is rented to customers, usually on a month by month basis.

Self Storage facilities in Australia are normally a steel windowless partitioned box with a large secure metal roller door, usually about the same size as a one-car garage door to enable cars, boats and caravans to enter the storage area. Sizes range from locker size right up to commercial sizes from 3 metres wide and 12 metres deep, and can even include outdoor space in some facilities.

Some Self Storage facilities offer additional headroom, but on average they are about 2.4 metres high. Most Self Storage facilities also include lights and power outlets inside each storage area.

Self Storage can be used for personal or business purposes. Individuals most commonly use Self Storage facilities for household goods, whereas businesses may choose to store excess inventory or archived records. Self Storage is an ideal way to temporarily store personal items while you deal with a lifestyle transition such as moving house, marriage, divorce, retirement or death in the family.

Units usually come with, a steel partitioned box, with a secure door the average size about 10 square metres or half a garage. These spaces cost anywhere from $150 – $250 a month, depending on location.

Self Storage is most popular in the United States with recent figures claiming that one in ten United States households now rent a Self Storage unit. Self Storage is relatively new to Australia but the trend has caught on quickly, and new Self Storage units are being constructed all the time.

But what goes on behind those big fortress styled walls or big roller doors?

Sizes range from lockers right up to commercial size spaces, often 3 metres wide and up to 12 metres deep.

Some have lots of headroom but typically about 2.5 metres high. Self Storage spaces are available by way of an “agreement” or licence to use the space.
Self Storage offers a flexible Storage agreement not offered by traditional commercial lease agreements. Storers can upsize and downsize to suit their storage needs and as the terms is flexible, Storage costs can remain only for the term needed.

Storage spaces can be booked online or you can phone in and speak to the friendly staff who will assist with your Storage requirements.
Items that are flammable or dangerous cannot be stored. Animals, plants and people are a no no!

Typically, Storers move their own goods into their booked space and if need be removalists can undertake this task for you.

 

What Is Personal Storage

Whatever your personal self storage needs, the chances are you’ll find a solution in self-storage. The self-storage industry has seen a boom over the past few years as individuals and families realize that this is a cheaper and more flexible solution than traditional storage.

If you talk to self-storage companies, you’ll hear a wealth of stories about the odd and very personal things that people store and why. Most self-storage facilities will boast that they’ll store anything, for any reason – no questions asked. Obviously, there are some items that self-storage facilities cannot legally store and it’s wise to check with the company first if you are unsure about what they will accept.

There are hundreds of reasons why people opt for Personal Self Storage, the most common of which include:
• To simply free up space in your home.
• As a store for all or part of your personal possessions while you move house or are between houses.
• When moving from a large home to a smaller one.
• To keep personal clutter out of your home while you are trying to sell it.
• To help with space as a family expands.
• To keep valuable and personal items secure while taking an extended holiday if you’re renting out your home whilst away.
• To keep collections and memorabilia in one place.
• To store seasonal items such as garden furniture or tools if you don’t have a dry place or space to keep them at home.
• To store clothes on a seasonal basis – i.e. your winter wardrobe is in storage in summer and changed for your summer wardrobe in winter.
• As a storage space for recreational vehicles when not in use – these can include boats, motor homes, caravans, motorcycles and cars.
• For students to store their personal possessions during holiday periods when they have to move off campus. Students also take up self-storage units after graduation before they decide where they will ultimately move.
• As temporary storage for personal items whilst decorating.
• To store sports equipment and bulky leisure items such as surfboards or windsurfers, either on a seasonal or permanent basis.

With minimum rental periods for Personal Self Storage of between 7 days and a month and flexible notice periods, self-storage is a quick, cheap and effective solution for your short-term personal needs when compared to more traditional storage methods. You can access your stored items if you need to, have control over how they are stored and can feel confident that they will be secure on site. The self-storage rental fees you pay will include basic services such as lighting, security measures and rates.

 

When Will You Need Self Storage?

As we grow up our life changes. There comes a time when mum and dad says that it’s time for to move out. Now this is not always easy. Where do you go? Do you move in with mates, do you make the decision to rent your own spot, who knows. But for about 20 years you have been slowly building a bedroom full of stuff. Mum and dad want you to take it with you.

Reality check: Wherever you move to unless you buy your own home, you may not have the space you once enjoyed. You can rent a room with a friend or relative, but you may have severe restrictions on the space that you use. Don’t despair as this the best time of your life; you are out of mum and dad’s hair, go and find that penthouse apartment and leave the storage to us at EJ Shaw Storage!

We have plenty a spaces to suit students and those of just moved out of home. Over time you will form relationships with other people and some of you will get married. When you do this is the merging of two you families’ possessions for all of their life. You may have a clean out and get rid of stuff that you don’t need but on the other hand, you might need a storage space from EJ Shaw Storage to store that excess stuff that the merging of two families brings.

As your family grows, so does wealth creation and in time you start to buy a lot of stuff. Your interests change and you may be the outdoor type the goes camping or you might even be the type that buys a jet ski or a boat or likes fishing. You might even have a hobby that takes up the whole garage: who knows!

We see these life events every day at EJ Shaw Storage. We have a storage space to suit all of these life events and many more. As your family grows up they will move out too. With a bit of luck you get those rooms back that you’ve been paying for the last 20 years, but if you don’t, we have a storage space for you at EJ Shaw Storage!

Now that you’re older, it’s time to help out your parents. It’s time for them to move from the large home to the small home or even the retirement home. A lifetime of amassing wealth and items all comes down to this time. No need to worry as we have a storage space for your parents at EJ Shaw Storage.

Life events need not be complicated by trying to work out where stuff needs to go, we have a full range of packaging and merchandise materials to help you with each one of these events as they unravel in your life.

 

Benefits of Self Storage

At EJ Shaw Storage we want you to be clear on the benefits of using self-storage over other forms of storage.

  • A professional agreement between you and us. We use tried and tested self-storage agreements that protect your valuable goods legally. These documents protect your interest in your goods and ensure privacy.
  • Our property is fenced and we also have pin coded access. Members of the general public are not granted access to our self-storage facility. Only customers have access. Our surveillance systems ensure that we can keep an eye on what is going on, protecting your valuable goods.
  • At EJ Shaw Storage, we have a number of sizes to suit, combine this with flexible rental terms and self-storage becomes the ultimate storage tool for everyone.
  • At EJ Shaw Storage we are conveniently located, saving you time for your storage needs.
  • Extra Services. We have a full range of merchandise, our cartons, boxes, bubble wrap, tape another storage needs. Come down and have a look and pick up what you need.
  • Specialist storage Insurance. At EJ Shaw Storage, we offer a specific industry based low-cost storage insurance product in the unlikely event that something happens to your goods in storage. You can rest assured that your goods are safe with an insurance policy.

It’s important to understand the self-storage provides a valuable service to the community and business alike providing flexible storage services and a tailored storage solution developed by industry professionals who know and understand your storage needs.

It’s pretty risky to store your valuable goods with friends and relatives. Are they insured? Are your goods insured on their property? What happens if they steal your goods? It would not be the first time that that has happened. Don’t take the risk.

Sometimes we decide to store our valuables with a friend’s business. Do you know if he’ll be in business next month or not? What happens if a receiver is appointed? How will you gain access to your goods? How will you even be able to prove that they are yours?

There are too many risks involved in storing your valuable goods in places that are not professional self-storage facilities. There are a number of competitors to self-storage that appears to be self-storage but are not self-storage. At EJ Shaw Storage we have invested significantly in the latest surveillance systems and we are confident that your goods are completely secure if you store them with us.

Many removalists may offer local storage solutions but your goods end up stored in a box in a big warehouse and you cannot access them easily. Self-storage provides a convenient seven days a week access to your valuable goods as and when you need to gain access. With the added flexibility of being able to increase or decrease your size of space at any time, self-storage makes the perfect choice for your storage needs.

It’s also important to support local businesses of them as they also employ people in the local community.

One of the main benefits of Self Storage is the flexibility of the storage arrangements. Customers pay only for the amount of time that they need (usually paid in advance on a monthly basis) and can arrange to upsize or downsize as their needs change.

As the name suggests, customers have the flexibility to move their own goods into the Self Storage facility. Removalists can be hired to take care of the moving and storing, but either way, you know exactly what you’ve got in there and that it’s been moved in safety.

 

How to Choose a Self Storage Facility

Do you live in Dee Why or the Northern Suburbs of Sydney? And do you need Self Storage? Then you should consider E.J. Shaw Self Storage, as it is the most convenient, affordable and secure storage facility in the area. We have a state of the art facility in Freshwater, offering clean, secure and affordable storage solutions to the northern beaches, and to Manly and surrounding areas.

So, if you live in a small house crammed with your belongings, or planning to move to a smaller house and worried about where to put your stuff away, then renting a Self Storage facility makes a lot of sense. After all, while the minimalist lifestyle might be the new in-thing, not many of us are in a position to part ways with our belongings, whether they are sentimental or utilitarian.

However, before you sign a lease agreement with the first Self Storage facility you find, there are a few precautionary measures you should keep in mind. Most of these relate to safety, hygiene, access, and fit & size of the storage facility.

In particular, you should be mindful of the following 5 factors when renting a Self Storage facility.

1) Location: Just like residential and commercial real estate market, location is the single biggest factor when it comes to choosing a Self Storage facility. This is especially true if you would be making frequent trips to retrieve stuff from the Self Storage facility. As a rule of thumb, you should look for a Self Storage facility within a one-hour radius from your home if you plan to make at least one weekly trip to access the facility.

On the other hand, if you would not have any need to access you stuff at the storage facility, then it would make sense to have them lodged at a distant, or out of town facility. This would result not only in considerable savings for you but you might also get a bigger storage facility for your goods.

2) Accessibility: Regardless of how often you would be visiting the Self Storage facility, it would be plain awful not to be able to access them when you need them the most. A lot of facilities offer 24×7 service, while some are only accessible at certain specified hours during the day. You should find out about their accessibility policy in order to avoid such an unpleasant surprise.

3) Cleanliness and hygiene: Cleanliness and general hygiene of a Self Storage facility is of utmost significance. You should expect a standard of cleanliness that you would maintain at your own house otherwise you would be putting your belongings at risk. You should enquire with the facilities manager about their cleaning services as well as pest control measures they employ. Stories about people turning up at the storage facilities only to find their belongings rotting away, or damaged by rats, are not uncommon. Proper diligence and homework is your key against such nasty surprises.

4) Security: You take adequate security measures at your home to keep yourself, your family and belongings safe. Similarly, you should be expecting nothing less from a Self Storage facility. Ask them about their access policy, security infrastructure, and other security measures in place to safeguard your belongings.

5) Customer service: While a Self Storage facility might not, in a strict sense, be equal to your home but people like to think of it as an extension of their dwelling. In other words, they expect the same sense of security and comfort as they would in the confines of their own homes. This experience of an intimate and personal space, however, can be rudely marred by impersonal and uncooperative customer service.

Therefore, look for reviews and referrals so that you know about the level of customer service you can expect.

E.J. Shaw Storage caters to storage needs in the Manly area, servicing customers from North Sydney, Dee Why and as far afield as Brookvale. Call us today, we’ll give you advice on what a storage unit at E.J. Shaw Storage can do for you.

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