How to Choose the Best Self Storage Provider in Los Angeles: An Overview

 

According to one recent study, the self storage industry in the United States generates an enormous $39.5 billion in revenue every single year. There are currently more than 49,000 of these locations in operation across the country, amounting to about 1.9 billion square feet in available space.

Believe it or not, it's also an industry that is actively on the rise. Another study revealed that in 2015, about 90% of all self storage units in the U.S. were fully occupied - a trend that shows absolutely no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

But at the same time, it's important to understand that not all self storage Los Angeles options are created equally. If you truly want to make sure that you're choosing a location that will meet your needs and protect your valuable belongings, there are a few key things you'll want to keep in mind.

Choosing Self Storage Los Angeles Partners: An Overview

By far, the most important step to take when choosing self storage Los Angeles options involves carefully considering what you'll be storing and for how long before you go looking for a service provider at all.

Exactly what you'll be storing will dictate everything that you need to be looking for - with climate control being chief among them. Climate control locations will offer specially designed ventilation and air conditioning systems to maintain a specific temperature at all times. The temperature range will be dictated in the contract you sign for the unit, and there will be certain measures in place to maintain that range even in the event of a power outage.

However, not all self storage Los Angeles locations offer this option - which is why, if you need it, this is something you'll want to ask about up front.

You'll also want to be careful in regard to getting the right size storage unit to meet your needs. If you don't give this the proper thought and you end up getting a unit that is too small, you'll obviously need to pay more money for additional storage. Conversely, if you end up investing in a unit that is too big for your items, you'll waste precious money that way as well.

Unused space in a storage unit is a problem in other areas, too. Depending on the facility it may make the conditions ideal for pests, or even additional issues like the growth of mold. To avoid this, gather all your items together and measure them in cubic feet. Based on that, you should know exactly what size of a unit you need to be looking for.

Safety is also an important consideration to make when choosing any type of self storage Los Angeles facility. Any location you choose should offer certain physical safety features that will keep your belongings safe at all times. In addition to basic features like perimeter fences around the building itself, they should employ closed circuit surveillance cameras to help make sure people aren't accessing areas they shouldn't be. There should be some type of computerized access controls to guarantee that only people who have units (or employees) are allowed to enter the building, and they should always let you use your own lock on the door to the storage unit itself.

You'll also want to pay close attention to the physical layout of the building to make sure you can easily get your items in and out. If you only have a few boxes that you need to store, this likely isn't that much of a deciding factor. But if you're going to be storing a significant volume, you'll want to make sure that certain environmental assistance features are available to make the job as easy as possible. The facility should offer dollies and hand trucks, for example, to help you get your items from your car or truck and into the unit. If you're going to be unloading your items from a larger vehicle like a moving truck, there should also be access points that are similar to a loading dock to help this process go as smoothly as possible.

In the end, it's always important to remember that so much more goes into choosing a self storage Los Angeles facility than just looking at the price. Whether you're planning to store items for your home ahead of a move or for your business, you need to carefully consider the situation from all angles to make sure you're selecting an option that can meet your needs. The features and amenities may vary wildly from one location to the next - but you may not even need something like temperature control. Therefore, doing your due diligence is a great way to save a tremendous amount of time and effort.