There aren’t any major military bases directly in Boston, but it’s still an important city for New England’s active duty soldiers, veterans and their families. With six Massachusetts bases close by and a smattering of military population spread across town, Boston is proud to serve the troops that call The Bay State home. Whether you’re a reserve soldier who lives in the area or someone stationed at a nearby base, there are plenty of reasons to choose self storage in Boston and plenty of things you need to know as a military member. Let’s dive in.
Why Boston?
If your military assignment takes you to
Fort Devens, you’ll be 40 miles away from Boston in an area that’s mostly residential. The closest towns to Fort Devens are Ayer and Shirley. Ayer has just three storage facilities and Shirley has none. If you consider the fact that Fort Devens serves more than 130,000 service members and associated personnel every year, the estimated 1,650 individual units that make up Ayer’s three facilities probably aren’t going to cut it. If you don’t mind the half hour drive to Worcester, there are 11 storage facilities there. Of course, if you’re not training at Fort Devens and you’d prefer to commute from Boston or one of its surrounding suburbs, you should look for storage in the greater Boston area. This includes Boston itself, which has 11 storage facilities, as well as neighborhoods and suburbs like Brighton (9 facilities), Brockton (17 facilities), Cambridge (7 facilities) and Medford (6 facilities). That’s 27,500 individual units in those places alone, which certainly gives us hope that there’s plenty of storage for everybody. If you’re commuting from Boston to Fort Devens, consider searching for storage in a neighborhood that you pass through on the drive.
Uncle Bob’s Self Storage is a great option if your normal route takes you through Somerville.
Military Housing and Storage
If you’re training at Fort Devens, you’ve already been warned of the spartan conditions that barracks afford, which is a great reason to consider self storage. There’s no way you can get away with sneaking extra clothes for that rare night out into your bunk. Once you’re through training, if your military career puts you in the Boston area, it’s smart to factor in self storage when you’re thinking about housing options. If you’re working at the
Boston Military Entrance Processing Station, which is one of 65 processing stations nationwide, you’ll be on your own, and the cost of an apartment or home is well above the national average. If the sticker shock gets you and you find yourself forced to choose a smaller apartment than you’d prefer, self storage can help make your cramped space feel a little less cluttered. If you’re working at
Coast Guard Base Boston, you’ll be required to live in government housing if it’s available. The “if” factor means that you might find yourself subject to a move, which is a great time to utilize self storage. As for Fort Devens, there’s not only no housing for officers, there’s no temporary lodging either. Housing is available at the nearby
Hanscom Air Force Base, so if you opt for this, you should look for storage in the town of Bedford. Keep in mind that this housing is only available to Fort Devens soldiers on a first come first serve basis and commute times and ranking play a role in the decision as well. We suggest self storage if your time on the waitlist forces you to temporarily live out of a hotel.
Why Military Storage is Different
Luckily, most storage leases run on a month-to-month basis, which is perfect for military members who travel regularly as a result of new assignments and deployment. As a military member, you should make sure to get the most flexible lease possible as well as the best military discount possible. In addition to this, you should make your storage facility based on your needs. Every soldier’s journey is different, and we think your storage unit should make your life easier. If you’re a drill sergeant who travels to facilitate basic training or you’re an active duty soldier facing deployment, consider a storage unit with great
security features. Gated access, on site management and security cameras should be up to the challenge of protecting your stuff while you’re protecting your country. If you’re looking to store guns,
know the facts about gun storage and find a facility that understands the unique needs that gun owners have. You don’t necessarily have to turn to a pawn shop or shooting range for gun storage (although these are both options) and you can’t legally leave a weapon with a friend, so finding a storage facility to do the job right, especially while you’re overseas and unable to check on the storage unit in person, is crucial.
