Prices of all things seem to skyrocket these days. If you could save a penny or two, that would bring to life the old adage, “A penny saved is a penny earned”. And in the storage facility business, this is all the more true. That’s because a lot of storage depot companies have vacant units for a large duration of time. Now the only way you’d get a good deal is if you could negotiate the prices as well as the terms well with them. As Carrie says, “Everything is negotiable. Whether or not the negotiation is easy is another thing.”

These are some of the tricks to getting a bargain:

• Optimize the size

Storage space owners would invariably want to sell you the larger piece of their unit. But a little bit of research generally reveals that other smaller units are available as well. If you are persistent, the facility manager will acquiesce to your demands.

• Go for a basic unit

Storage units near you come in all forms and amenities. A quick look around the facility will reveal the basic units without electrical outlets or climate controlled devices. If your needs can be met with such a unit, there is no need to for the other amenity-enriched units, just because they are more appealing (And generally they are kept well to sell more of these spaces).

• Don’t select a prime location

If the location of your storage establishment is situated right in the middle of the city, chances are that it will be priced more than a center in distant suburbs or on the outskirts. If you want to store your items for a large duration of time, it makes sense to select a unit in an establishment that is a bit away from the main city.

• Location of the Unit within the facility

If you choose a unit just at the entrance of the facility, chances are, it would be priced more. The more distant the location of the unit within the facility, lesser will be the price.

• Facilities with Low Occupancy levels

Some storage spaces have high demand and some low; for various reasons. Some are well-managed, some are relatively new, some are not known outside the community etc. It natural that storage depots where the occupancy level is more, is going to be priced more than the ones where it is low. If most of the units are unoccupied, then a better pricing can be negotiated.

• Never stop negotiating

This is the only way to keep getting a better bargain every time you want to avail service of a storage center. And by the way, this is applicable everywhere. Some owners won’t reduce the prices but will give you other freebies and perquisites, just explore and probe more.

Also, they might give you a discount if you refer a friend or business to them. This is also a good way to build rapport and long-term relationship.

Everybody today is so conscious about reusing and recycling boxes, paper and plastic. It is possibly the best thing that a responsible citizen could think of doing. In fact, it should be a voluntary effort that everyone undertakes to contribute to the greening of the planet. So, let’s think of doing something quite innovative with those cardboard boxes – can we turn them into operational storage units? Of course, we can – if we know how to go about the whole process.

Storing Cardboard Boxes

This is the first step that one takes while reusing cardboard boxes. Let us imagine that you have access to a whole lot of boxes from a friend who has discarded them. It is possible that your friend is a trader and hence gets a lot of these boxes as packing material. The first thing to do before you think of making a storage unit is to ensure that all the boxes are first flattened out, cleaned and kept away. When you have decided to make the unit to store your stuff, you can take the boxes out and fit them together in the best possible way.

Keeping The Storage Unit Clean

Since the storage units that you have put together are not very sturdy – remember they are made of cardboard – you need to ensure that they are always clean and free of moisture. Another problem that you are likely to face with such units is a mildew attack. You might find that the stuff that you have stored in these units get spoilt because the unit has become weak or mouldy. Please be careful when you use cardboard. Since you are trying to recycle a box, you could ensure that the same unit is not used for a great length of time; instead, keep changing the boxes that you use to make your storage unit. 

Stacking Of Units

This is sometimes an art – you need to stack your boxes so perfectly that nobody realizes that your storage units are just recycled material. In case you are not able to stack these boxes one upon another, you could think of using a metal or plastic frame. This is again a very inexpensive option that you could think of either at home or in the office. Also remember that if you are using boxes, the bathroom and kitchen might not be ideal places to house them.

I hope your storage unit becomes the envy of your friends and relatives. You are not only helping yourself and your family; you are helping the environment too. This is because you are using recycled material to its fullest possible advantage. Once you have finished assembling all these boxes, you could also think of painting your storage units or covering them up with some plasticky paper. This would give it a nice finish and make your living space very warm and welcoming.