Hey there. So you’re about to rent a storage unit, huh? That’s great. It means you’re either decluttering, moving, or finally admitting you’ll never restore that vintage motorcycle in your garage. Been there.
But listen, before you start hauling boxes, we need to have a real talk. Not the corporate policy speech, but the straight-shooting advice I’d give my own sister. I’ve been on the other side of this counter for years, and I’ve seen the good, the bad, and the downright “what were you thinking?”
A storage unit isn’t a magic locker. Toss the wrong thing in there, and the best-case scenario is you ruin your own stuff. Worst case? You ruin your neighbor’s grandma’s quilt, start a pest problem, or honestly, create a real danger.
Let’s break down what should never, ever cross that roll-up door.
The “This is a Terrible Idea” List
These are the things that make managers like me break out in a cold sweat. Storing them isn’t just against the rules—it’s reckless.
- Anything that can go BOOM or WHOOSH. I’m looking at you, sir with the five gallon gas cans for your “lawnmower.” Gas, propane tanks, fireworks, even that old can of lacquer thinner in the back of your garage. These units get hot. Fumes build up. All it takes is one tiny spark from, say, a faulty bulb or someone’s metal cart scraping outside, and you’ve got a major problem. Just don’t. It’s not worth it.
- Things that are alive, or used to be alive. Sounds silly, but you’d be surprised. No, you cannot store your potted ficus for the winter. It will die. No, you cannot keep your aunt’s freezer full of last year’s venison in there “until you get a new house.” The power goes out once, and you now own a biological hazard. And obviously, no pets, no people. I shouldn’t have to say that, but the lease has a clause for it, so… someone, somewhere, tried it.
- Magnet-for-Mice Munchies. That big bag of birdseed? The case of fancy organic pasta? A box of Christmas cookies you forgot about? If a critter can eat it, they will find it. And they won’t stop at your unit. They’ll throw a party, invite their cousins, and chew through the wiring in the walls and your neighbor’s box of baby clothes. Please, just take it to the food bank.
- Wet Stuff. This one breaks my heart. A guy stored his late father’s leather-bound book collection. He packed them the day after a basement flood, thinking they were “mostly dry.” They were not. Six months later, it was a solid brick of green, fuzzy mold. If it’s damp when it goes in, it will be a science experiment when you come back. Dry it out completely. Then store it.
The “You’ll Regret This” List
These aren’t always illegal, but they’ll likely end in tears or a massive headache.
- The Truly Irreplaceable. Look, our place at High Point Storage is safe. We have great locks, cameras, and we care. But no facility on earth is a museum or a bank vault. Your great-grandma’s handwritten letters? Your kid’s ultrasound photos? The cash from your side hustle? Keep that stuff with you. A storage unit is for things. The priceless stuff belongs somewhere you have immediate, personal access to.
- Things That Leak… Slowly. That half-full bottle of laundry detergent. The gallon of windshield washer fluid. The fancy olive oil from your subscription box. Caps loosen. Plastic degrades. Temperature changes make liquids expand and contract. You’ll come back to a sticky, smelly lake on the floor that has soaked into every cardboard box bottom nearby. If it’s liquid, seal it in a plastic tub inside another plastic tub. Or just leave it at home.
- Unsecured Batteries. That old car battery you’re meaning to recycle? It’s quietly leaking sulfuric acid right now, eating a hole in the concrete and the bottom of your old trunk. It’s a slow-motion disaster.
- Scented Stuff. This is a weird one, but trust me. Potpourri, strongly scented candles, those wax melts. The scent doesn’t fade—it intensifies and seeps into everything around it. Your winter coats will smell like “Cinnamon Pumpkin Spice” forever. Your neighbor’s antique linen chest will, too. And they will not be happy about it.
How to Be a Storage Unit Rockstar?
So what should you do? Store the boring, bulky, seasonal, or sentimental-but-not-priceless stuff. Skis, holiday decorations, that sofa your teenager isn’t allowed to destroy yet, business inventory.
Pack like a pro: Plastic bins beat cardboard every time. Leave a walkway so you don’t have to excavate. Put the stuff you might need (like your winter coats) at the front. Put a few moisture-absorbing desiccant packs in with anything sensitive.
And here’s my biggest piece of advice: If you have to ask yourself “can I store this?” – just come ask us. Seriously. Walk up to the office and say, “Hey, I’ve got this old paint/oil drum/bag of fertilizer… what’s the deal?”
At High Point Storage, we’re not the storage police. We’re the people who want your experience to be simple and stress-free. We’d rather have a 2-minute chat now than a disastrous phone call later. Our goal is to give you a clean, dry, secure space you can forget about—in the good way. Knowing your stuff is just fine, exactly where you left it, so you can get on with your life.
That’s the whole point, isn’t it? Now, let’s get you the right size unit.
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