Reduce the Risk of Storage Unit Theft with These Tips
Storing your excess possessions at a self-storage facility a short distance from your home can help you feel relieved that you've reduced the clutter in your house. To fully experience feelings of relief, however, you need to feel confident that your items are safe. It's ideal to only rent a unit at a facility that clearly makes security a priority—you should see plenty of cameras, lots of lights used at night, and restricted access after hours. Even with these security precautions used, there are a number of different ways that you can reduce the risk of having any of your possessions taken from your unit, which is especially important if you're storing high-value items. Here are some tips.
Select a Visible Unit
When you're inquiring about renting a unit at the storage facility, ask if you can select your storage space out of all the available units. If so, look for something that's as visible as possible. A unit that faces a busy street and is directly beneath a light pole is theoretically less likely to be broken into than one that is out of sight at the back of the facility or in an area that's not overly lit.
Upgrade the Lock
An early priority upon moving your items into the storage space is to ensure that you have a lock that dissuades would-be thieves from attempting to make entry to your unit. Don't try to save money with a cheap, run-of-the-mill combination lock—these are easy to cut through with bolt cutters. Instead, pay a little more for a lock with a thick or a covered shackle. Each of these styles is more difficult to break and can be enough to make anyone with dubious intentions look for an easier target.
Position Your Possessions Carefully
In the event that someone breaks into your storage unit, you want to send a clear message that there's nothing of value inside. Given that many break-ins occur quickly, carefully hiding your higher-value possessions might be enough to keep them safe. Place lower-value or awkward-to-move items at the front of the unit. An old dresser, a couple of bookshelves, and stacked boxes of clothing won't entice any thief. Meanwhile, you can place your higher-value possessions at the back of the unit where they're more difficult to access. If you have small, high-value things, consider placing them in boxes and mislabeling them. Instead of labeling a box as "jewelry," for example, write "old baby clothes" or "family photos."
Look for a facility near you like J C Self Storage and keep these tips in mind.