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Why Would You Store in a Distant City?

Jon Fesmire | August 29, 2016 @ 10:00 AM

Right now, you’re probably asking yourself, “Why? Why would anyone want to store their things in another city?”

That is a great question. After all, wouldn’t you rather have your belongings close at hand? If you have to store things far away, will you ever really use them? However, there are several good reasons to consider this, so let’s get into it.

College Students

While some college students take summer classes, most do not stay at school year round. Summers off allow for a three-month change of pace. A student might do an internship or other job, pursue a hobby they have little time for during the school year, or stay with their parents. And what about study abroad? That means leaving the country altogether for a semester to a year! In the cases of going home for summer or studying abroad, no one wants to lug all their personal belongings with them. We’re not talking about things the students doesn’t need anymore, either, like old books or clothes they could donate or sell. We’re talking about the items they keep at home, and those need to be kept safe. Putting one’s personal items in self storage for such a period of time is a great idea, and naturally, they need to be stored near school. Most self storage facilities have month-to-month leases, so you don’t have to be locked in for a long time, and it’s worth asking if they have student specials. The thing here is that the student will be returning, making this temporary solution perfect.

Moving on a Budget

This applies to anyone on a budget who is moving for work, school, as a member of the military stationed at a new base, or for other reasons. Hiring a moving company for a long distance move can be expensive, especially when you factor in paying for mileage. For these people, temporarily renting a self storage unit is the best solution. Once they have enough to pay for a moving service, they can get the rest of their belongings shipped to them.

Long-Term Distance Storage

Having a long-term self storage unit in a distant city, or even in several cities, is more for businesspeople than anyone. A pharmaceuticals representative who does big business in a few different cities may need a unit in each to store the samples. Other sales representatives for big companies might do the same, keeping stock in various cities where they can easily retrieve it. Perhaps you have a business that participates in festivals in three cities and makes a lot of money at each. Having a self storage unit in each location means you can enjoy a quick flight from place to place instead of hauling a truck across country. Ask around and find out if any facilities have perks for businesses, which may include getting shipments directly to your storage unit.

Preparing Your Things for Storage

Preparing your items for storage is basically the same as if you’re storing locally. The general rules are to pack things dry, stack neatly, and get a unit with climate control if any of your things need it. That goes for medications, many musical instruments, and fine art especially. In cities with high humidity, which is most of the central United States, you’ll need climate control for just about everything, including antiques, books and files, and even makeup.

Paying Your Rent

The paradigm of mailing off a payment or going into a self storage facility to pay once per month needs to be retired. Sure, you can do those, but you can just as easily pay via your computer or smartphone from anywhere. Not all storage facilities have online bill pay yet, so ask around. You may simply have to call your payment in. As with all bills, the problem is remembering to pay. We suggest setting up automatic payments, or a monthly reminder in your scheduling software of choice. Depending on when you get paid, you may not want payments to come out automatically. Perhaps you rented your unit on the 12th of April, and now every month, your bill is due on the 12th. However, you always get paid on the 15th, and the facility gives you a week grace period. (This is all just an example, and the grace period may vary.) An automatic payment on the 12th might overdraw your account. So, you set up a reminder for the 15th to pay the bill online. If the need to store in a distant city doesn’t apply to you now, it may in the future. We hope these tips help you keep your things secure when the time comes.

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