Lack of storage is almost always a common problem in many homes. It can be stressful, especially when they’ve all piled up over time, and you would have to deal with all the decluttering. Because let’s be honest, it’s easier to pile up excess items than to free up space for other things to be stored. Although the good thing is that there are now many storage solutions available; from storage bins down to storage space rentals — all depending on your needs.
Households that don’t have much storage space, often resort to making use of home storage solutions such as buying multifunctional furniture pieces, using wall space to save floor space, and some opt to rent a self-storage unit to store their excess belongings. But for households that have a garage, it’s usually the go-to place to store any excess belongings such as clothes, exercise equipment, toys, etc. Both the self-storage unit and the garage make a plausible storage solution as they provide the space for things that need to be stored, however, one of them has some edges over the other, and vice versa, which leads us to what we’re going to discuss because, in this article, we will be taking a look at the pros and cons of self-storage and garage storage.
Self-Storage
Pros
- Safe and Secure Storage
Safety and security are important when it comes to storing your belongings. Self-storage facilities have high walls, are gated and locked in buildings. On top of that, they have CCTV cameras installed in every area of the facility and security personnel who monitor the whole place 24/7.
- Extra Storage Space to Help Declutter Your Home
Don’t you just love freeing up some space at home? Clutter at home, especially during the pandemic, can be easy to spot since you’re mostly at home, so decluttering is a great solution to that. A self-storage unit serves as an extra storage space for items that you still want to store but don’t have enough space for.
- Accessible
Storage facilities, although they are not attached to your house, are typically located nearby many residential areas and offices, making them still accessible. You can choose which branch is nearest to you, and store with ease and access your things no matter what time of the day it is.
- Cost-Effective Storage Solution
Self-storage may not be free and costs can vary depending on the size or features you choose since the bigger the size, the higher the costs will be. But when you think of it, it’s a cost-effective storage solution that can benefit you more than it will cost you. You will be paying for the safety and security of your stored items, which is a great deal because the storage company will make sure that any risks will be minimized.
- Has a Climate-Controlled Storage Unit Option
Many storage facilities, especially reputable ones, offer climate-controlled storage units. A climate-controlled storage unit is essential for storing temperature-sensitive items such as furniture, electronics, photographs, and more. It is also ideal if you’re planning to store the said items on a long-term basis. The regulated humidity inside the storage helps prevent molds and mildew from building up and destroying stored items.
- Comes in Different Sizes
Self-storage units are available in different sizes, so you won’t have any problem storing big, bulky items. They also have a size guide where you can take a look at the different sizes that best fit your storage needs.
Related: How to Choose the Right Storage Unit Size For Your Storage Needs
Cons
- It Doesn’t Come With Your Home
Unlike garage storage, a self-storage unit doesn’t come with your home. You have to go to a storage facility to be able to access your belongings. This may come as an inconvenience for people who prefer their things to be stored close by, or just within the boundaries of their home. That’s why you need to consider what you put up for storage if you plan to rent a self-storage unit since it’s not close to you and you would have to travel or drive just to get what you need.
- It is Not for Free
Given the security and safety features of self-storage rental, you can expect that it’s not for free. Although, even if it is a cost-effective storage solution, some may still be put off by the thought that they would have to set aside a budget for storage alone.
- Decluttering is a Must!
For people who tend to dump all of their extra belongings in storage, this may be a con for you. This is because, with self-storage units, you can’t simply store everything at once without checking if they need to be stored or not. Most self-storage companies encourage you to maintain a clean storage unit to keep pests off the area, hence why you need to declutter first before you put your things up for storage. Plus, renting a storage unit comes with the responsibility of complying with their safety rules, which means you also have to take note of the items that shouldn’t be stored in a storage unit.
If you think of it, it’s not entirely a bad thing because decluttering provides you with more advantages rather than disadvantages. The only thing that deters you from decluttering is that it’s very tiring and time-consuming.
Garage Storage
Pros
- Convenient Storage Access
Since garages typically come with a house, you don’t have to worry about having easy access to your belongings because it’s just a few steps away from where you are at home. So even if you suddenly need something at a late hour, you don’t have to go out of your way just to get them because they’re just in your garage, which is already a part of your house.
- Free Storage
Well, the house that you bought isn’t exactly free. But because it’s already yours, to begin with, the garage is also yours, which means you don’t need to think about any monthly fees after you store your belongings. You just simply store them and it won’t cost you anything.
Cons
- No Climate-Control
Moisture and frequent temperature fluctuations are often the culprits of the fast deterioration of stored items such as furniture, musical instruments, artworks, electronics, and more. These items are sensitive to moisture and temperature fluctuations, which is why they need to be stored in a climate-controlled environment. One of the downsides of garage storage is that it doesn’t have a climate control system that allows you to safely store items such as the abovementioned. This means that when you store these kinds of items in your garage, they are also susceptible to damage while in storage.
Related: 10 Items That You Should Store in a Climate-Controlled Storage Unit
- Security and Safety Are Not Guaranteed
Not many garages have 24/7 security to monitor the safety of your stored items, which is why it’s not necessarily always the best place to store valuables.
Both the self-storage and garage storage has something that the other one doesn’t have, and both of them serve as a storage solution for people who require extra storage space. However, in terms of overall convenience and safety, self-storage is winning. Nonetheless, this doesn’t rid garage storage of its advantages; because at the end of the day, it all boils down to what kind of storage solution you need for your items.
Let our self-storage unit help you free up some space in your home by storing those bulky items! Contact us today to learn more.
