With most things in life, there are certain rules, regulations, and exceptions. And sometimes, there are the grey areas that sit in between. The same principle applies to storage units. From your old childhood toys to Christmas decorations during the summer, a storage unit can accommodate it all. If you’re moving from Washington to California, a storage unit is a perfect place to temporarily put your furniture in. And even though their purpose is to store things you aren’t using at the moment, there are still rules. With that in mind, there are certain things you can and can’t keep in your storage unit. Thanks to common sense, we can easily figure out which items these are. You can store clothes and books without issues while storing explosives and chemicals should never cross your mind. Let’s look into the topic further and see if there can be certain exceptions.
Items that you can keep in your storage unit
Regardless if you need to put away your fishing gear during the winter, or keep outgrown baby clothes until your youngest child can wear them, a storage locker is the best place for this. The items we just mentioned are perfectly normal and safe to store away. In this section, we’ll focus on similar items, however, you should still get familiar with the storage facility’s rules and regulations ahead of time, just to be safe.
Household goods are among the most commonly stored items
If you took a peek inside a few random units, the most common items you’d see in there are pieces of furniture. Furniture movers Seattle very frequently take furniture to a storage unit rather than the new home. However, you shouldn’t just place your items randomly in the unit without protection. Cover your furniture with sheets or tarps to protect them, and keep them off the ground on pallets to boost airflow. If you’re storing delicate wood furnishings, consider renting a climate-controlled unit. Right next to the furniture, you will see boxes of seasonal items. Where else are you going to put away your Christmas or Halloween decorations until they’re needed again? Similarly, you will find plenty of books in there as well. But since they’re made of paper, remember to be extra careful when storing them. To avoid humidity damage, wrap them neatly and place them in airtight boxes.
Cars and alcohol aren’t as common, but still equally allowed
When it comes to placing vehicles in a storage unit, certain policies apply. Registered and operable vehicles are fine for storing, although certain facilities require that they have valid insurance as well. In case you have a vintage classic that looks good but doesn’t run, contact your chosen facility in advance. They might have a special policy on storing non-operating vehicles. Since a vehicle can’t function without wheels, storing tires is also fine. You can stash your winter tires in storage during the summer periods. Just remember that storage units Dupont WA don’t allow more than four tires in a unit at a time. This is because recycling tires is expensive, and they don’t want to risk you bailing on them. Lastly, certain storage units specialize in wine storage and have special shelves and cooling systems. If you want to protect your special wine collection, this is the perfect place.
Items that can’t be kept in a storage unit
After we’ve discussed the allowed items, let’s take a look at the polar opposite. The following section will consist of items that shouldn’t be placed in storage units under any circumstances. Some of these restrictions are based on the storage facilities policy, while others come straight from your state’s laws. Before moving to LA from Seattle and storing your items, we recommend contacting your chosen facility and checking up on their rules and regulations.
Volatile and flammable materials are a constant safety hazard
Unless you rent a special type of storage unit, you will most likely be faced with a small, enclosed space with little to no ventilation. Given this fact, you want to avoid storing anything that can release fumes, or start a temperature-based reaction. Any item which is possibly flammable is a fire hazard waiting to happen. All it takes is a single spark or a rise in temperature, and these commonly prohibited items can cause a big problem. Because of this, avoid storing propane tanks, kerosene lamps, or fireworks. Weapons and firearms get a pass in some places, so long as they are inoperable and come with a valid ownership license. Some construction materials are also a risk, so roofing tar and paint thinners are also illegal.
Never place foods, animals, plants, and yourself in a storage unit
Lastly, when discussing things you can and can’t keep in your storage unit, we reach the organic items. This includes both living and processed organic organisms. So let’s start with the latter, which is basically food items. Meat, cereal, and other food items can easily go bad. The first thing you will notice if this happens is the smell, and maybe rodents, neither of which you want. Now, remember how we said storage lockers are closed stuffy places with no ventilation? This means anything living won’t last long there. Plants will wilt, and it’s simply unethical to keep animals in storage. Lastly, the one thing that shouldn’t be in storage is, well, you. Even though Los Angeles Transfer and Storage has good and spacious units, they won’t allow you to set up an office or a room there. Unfortunately, you’ll have to set up your remote office somewhere else.