What Is Self Storage?

Between all the hustles and bustles of life, we often find ourselves with an extra helping of belongings that we cherish and can’t part with. Your living space may not always have enough room to accommodate everything without the threat of a mess breaking out. The solution? Self storage!

Let’s go over why people turn to self storage for their personal needs, what affects the cost of it, and how you can make the best use of it.

Definition of Self Storage

Self storage has a rich history that dates back centuries. From early storage facilities in ancient China and Egypt to modern-day adaptations, self storage has been used to declutter and simplify living spaces by storing and preserving excess items, either seasonally or full-time. It can also help businesses with inventory storage, protecting classified documents and streamlining day-to-day processes.

Why Do People Use Self Storage?

Using a self storage facility instead of upsizing your home has many perks:

• More flexible storage space: If you need more (or less) storage space at any time, you can change the size of your storage unit quite easily.
• Flexible contracts and transparent fees: Stay as little or as long as you like under one bill; no hidden rates or electric costs will be added.
• High-Level Security: Storage facilities offer more protection than your average household or business property. 24-Hour video surveillance, mobile security patrols from staff, perimeter gates with controlled access, and fire alarm systems are just a few perks you’ll enjoy.

What Determines the Cost of a Self Storage Unit?

Self storage units come in all shapes and sizes and serve various functions depending on the owner and their needs. How do we work out the rental cost of a storage unit? The following factors come into play when self storage experts calculate your monthly price:

• The duration: Longer stays will usually get discount offers to encourage longer-term contracts, but plenty of places also offer deals for new joiners’ first couple of months.
• The amount of space you require: Makes sense, right? From 16 to 500 ft. sq units, you’ll have many options to choose from, but the more space you need, the more it will cost you per month. Self storage facilities have flexible contracts that let you easily upsize or downsize, but this will change the monthly fee.
• The floor you choose and the access hours: Are you on the ground floor or a little higher up? Are you happy with the general access hours of the self storage facility, or do you need extra access due to your schedule or the nature of the items you’re storing away? These answers will impact the final cost of your bill.

What Are the Sizes of a Standard Self Storage Unit?

When you’re spoiled for choice, you can become overwhelmed and choose an option that might seem right, but can end up wasting your money. Each storage unit size accommodates for different space needs. Homeowners with a few excess possessions will have different needs than a large company with an excessively large amount of stock they need to store away. Here’s a breakdown of the sizes available:

Note; these are for personal size storage units. Business units and warehouses can come in much larger sizes (and are therefore more expensive). 

Our Locations 

At The Self Storage Centre, we offer premium self storage units at highly affordable prices in:

• Belfast: The capital city of Northern Ireland, which has been transformed from its industrial past to become a modern and culturally diverse city. Our facility is at 605 Antrim Road, Mallusk, 500 meters from the Sandyknowes Roundabout.
• Lisburn: Nestled comfortably in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, right on the edge of the picturesque Lagan Valley Regional Park. You can find our facility in Knockmore Industrial Estate on Moira Road.

What Extra Amenities Does The Self Storage Centre Offer?

You might believe all storage facilities are pretty similar, but The Self Storage Centre offers especially excellent service with clean and modern features. Here are some ways we stand out among the crowd:

• Easy accessibility: Monday to Thursday 8:30 AM to 6 PM, Friday 8:30 AM to 5 PM, Saturday 9 AM to 3 PM, Sunday Closed (extended opening times can be arranged outside these hours where possible).
• Delivery and dispatch: We can hold your stock in a loading bay or move it to your unit with help from our storage expert staff. This feature is a handy function for business owners.
• Free use of forklift and trolleys: No delivery is too big or too small to store away or move around.
• Waste handling: We can organize dump runs or skips if you need it.
• Box Shop: We have all the high-quality materials you need, available for order online  or for purchase at our facility.

At The Self Storage Centre, we’re happy to provide a wide range of storage solutions depending on your needs. If you’re still unsure of how self storage can help you, feel free to reach out to our family of storage experts with any queries, and we will happily assist you however we can. Give us a call on 028 9266 4444, or pop us an email at info@storagecentreni.co.uk.