Every once in a while, we will be required to undertake a task that involves either moving away for some time, renovating a home, or simply moving to a smaller abode. Whatever the situation might be, you’re likely going to need some amount of external storage to store some of your belongings either on an ongoing basis or for a short amount of time until you get more settled into a new situation. While this can be perfectly straightforward for items like white goods and furniture, things become a little murkier if you plan on storing valuable belongings for any amount of time. So what is one to do when they are in a position where they need to store many valuable items but are worried about how secure and well-protected they’ll be?
The Right Container For the Right Valuables
To ensure total safety for the inanimate things you most value in life, you need to consider how they are going to be stored. For instance, there are different requirements for choosing the correct Wine storage units for your vintage vino compared with jewelry. This is true for almost anything of any value, including important documents, classic motorcycles, artwork, or indeed anything else that has a high value attached to it. The key is ensuring that everything is stored not only in the right container to keep it safe from damage and spoiling (if that’s a concern), but also in the actual unit you’re going to pay for. When it comes to packaging and containers specifically, you can use the following as a reference (but make sure you do your own due diligence to be 100% sure of how to pack your stuff appropriately)
| Valuables type | Recommended container | Why it helps |
| Artwork, documentation | Archival/Acid-free boxes | Prevents the damaging yellowing effects that can age paper and will preserve the quality for longer |
| Electronics | Original packaging if available, otherwise, thick cardboard with foam inserts | Thick packaging with foam inserts creates a rugged container that can absorb most bangs and impacts |
| Wine, foods | Dedicated wine racks, sealed, insulated crates | Maintains constant temperature/humidity and protects from light and vibration |
| Textiles | Breathable garment bags, vacuum-sealed bags (short-term only) | Special bags will ensure your clothing remains safe from pests and rodents gnawing it away into oblivion |
| Jewerly | Small, labeled plastic containers within a larger locked box | Helps to keep smaller items organized and keeps them safe from damage and wandering hands |
Choosing the Right Storage Facility
However, all of this is somewhat redundant if you end up selecting the wrong storage facility. When you choose wisely, though, you’ll find that you can keep your things stored for longer, safe in the knowledge that you’ll be able to collect your things hassle-free and be sure they’re still in good order. But how does one go about choosing a facility that will meet the rigorous requirements involved in keeping things perfectly secure?
Evaluate Security Features
For many, their first and foremost thought will be just how safe the place is and what security measures they have in place. While most are adequately secure in that they seldom see breaches, not all are created equally, and some are better prepared than others. Some of the minimum security features you should check for include:
- 24/7 surveillance cameras
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Controlled access gates with PIN or card entry
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On-site security personnel
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Adequate lighting throughout the facility
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Figure suppression systems
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Intrusion alerts
Compare Facility Policies
Even if you have stumbled upon what you believe to be the perfect storage installation, it pays dividends to consider their policies and how they operate the place. For instance, a highly secure facility is great until you’re unable to retrieve your items when you want them because they have woeful operating hours. So before you choose to store anything, let alone high net worth items, take some time to read the fine print and understand their policies surrounding insurance, access hours, and prohibited items that could invalidate any contract you sign.
Check the Various Options Available At Each Facility
Most larger facilities will be able to cater to a relatively diverse range of needs. Obviously, this is going to be location-dependent, as a small town self-storage warehouse probably won’t have the capability to store vintage wines or classic cars as well as one in a larger urban area. Nevertheless, take some time to research a few options and check what they can offer that will suit your particular circumstance.
Meticulous Preparation And Inventory
Once you’ve finally settled on a facility and understand what’s involved with packaging and securing your important possessions, you will need to move on to the actual job of preparing and inventorying everything. At this stage, you might also want to get everything appraised so that you can take out insurance on them, especially if they are of financial rather than sentimental value (of course, sentimental value matters, but you probably won’t get an insurance provider to see the worth of it).
- Clean and inspect everything: Before you pack everything away for the foreseeable future, take some time inspecting and documenting them for any damage you might want to repair before (or at least document it so that you can avoid an embarrassing interaction with the storage facility later down the line).
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Pack appropriately: As we have already discussed, using the correct packing materials will go a very long way in keeping things safe from all manner of things, from rodents and pests to the environment and human error.
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Use detailed labeling: This might not be totally necessary if you’re only storing a few things, but it will help immensely when you decide to retrieve them. It also helps with making sure that nothing is missing if they’ve been stored for some time.
Keeping your belongings safe during an extended period of storage is not as difficult or complex as many people believe it to be. As long as you know the specifications for how to pack and store your valuables, and select a facility that can cater to your needs, you should find that everything falls into place nicely, and everything remains as the day when you packed them when you finally come to pack them up.
