2 Questions You Shouldn't Ask When You Rent A Storage Unit

After you find a storage facility that you love, you might head to the front office to talk with management and fill out move-in paperwork. If you are like most people, you probably have a couple of questions before you get started. Here are a few questions you shouldn't ask, however, when you rent a storage unit, and why.  

1: "What will fit into a 10x10?"

As you contact different storage facilities like Arrow Moving & Storage Co. Inc., you will most likely hear a list of unit sizes and prices. Unfortunately, unless you have rented a storage unit before, it can be hard to gauge exactly which size you need. To figure out which spot would work best, you might be tempted to ask what will fit into each size of unit. Unfortunately, this question is completely subjective, and it might frustrate the storage clerk helping you.

Although storage managers might be able to give you a rough idea of storage sizes, the amount you can fit into a unit completely depends on the size of your stuff. Couches, tables, and chairs can vary significantly from style to style, so the unit that works for your neighbor might be too small for your things. Instead of getting frustrated with your storage clerk when he or she can't adequately describe what will fit into the unit, consider driving down to the facility and looking at units in person. Seeing the units in real life will help you to get a better spatial idea of what you will be working with in a fraction of the time.

2: "Is it okay to put more than one person on the contract?"

Storage managers cringe when tenants ask to put more than one name on the contract, simply because it is a recipe for disaster. If you put your roommate or sibling's name on the contract along with your own, what will happen to your unit if they fail to pay their portion of the rent?

If your friend/roommate/brother doesn't pay his rent, you could get locked out of your unit or fined. Because storage facilities regularly sell abandoned or unpaid units at public auction, you might risk losing all of your stuff. To make matters worse, your name could be sent to collections and your credit could be dinged. When you rent a storage unit, do yourself a favor and go at it alone.

Knowing how to choose a size and fill out paperwork might help you to streamline your moving and storage experience.