You don't necessarily have to rent a self storage unit for long. Many facilities offer short term rentals. In fact, 36% of self storage unit renters only keep their unit for anywhere from 3 to 12 months. These short term rentals are perfect for people who are seeking some extra space temporarily while they are in between moves. If you can't move everything you own from your old house to your new one just yet, you might benefit from renting one of these storage units. It'll help streamline the moving process and keep everything as organized as possible. If this seems like a good idea to you, take a look at the following 3 tips.

Choose a Storage Facility that Offers Flexible Rental Terms

All self storage facilities are privately owned and will have unique rental agreements and terms. While some self storage facilities cater to long-term renters, others are more than willing to accommodate short term renters without adding on any extra fees or charges. Shop around and visit several self storage facilities to get a good idea of the type of rental plans that each facility can offer. Look for ones that are more flexible than others if you know you'll only need the storage unit temporarily.

There's a good chance that the moving process will not happen exactly as planned. Your movers and contractors might run into delays and you'll need the storage unit for a longer amount of time. On the other hand, things might go better than planned and you might be ready to move all of your stuff into your new home sooner than expected. Make sure that the self storage facility will allow you to terminate the contract early without charging you any additional fines or will allow you to extend the rental term easily.

Lean Towards Units Accessible from the Outdoors That Can Be Driven Up To for Convenience

If you're busy moving things in and out of the storage unit, then convenience should be of utmost concern. While there are many different self storage facility layouts available, you should choose a unit that is accessible from the outdoors. Ideally, you should be able to drive the moving truck up to the unit with ease. This reduces the distance between the unit and the vehicle, so that you can move things in and out of the unit much more easily. You'll save a lot of time and manpower. It'll also help reduce the risk of injuries if you're constantly moving heavy furniture and appliances into and out of the unit.

Just because a self storage unit is accessible from outside, it doesn't necessarily mean that the facility permits vehicles on their property. You'll want to check with the facility regarding whether they have any restrictions or limitations before you sign the rental contract.

Find a Facility that Can Accommodates Flexible Access

The hustle and bustle of a move is simply chaotic. It's difficult to gauge how long the move might take or when you might need to access your storage unit. Look for a facility that can accommodate flexible access times, which means that you'll be able to access your unit at all times throughout the day. With this in mind, confirm that the self storage facility has adequate security measures in place to protect your belongings. For example, having a security guard patrol the property at all times will greatly reduce the risk of theft and burglaries.

It's also important to consider whether the self storage facility limits the amount of people that can access the unit. Most facilities will want to limit the amount of traffic on their property to deter thefts and burglaries. You'll likely have to provide the identification information of everyone who is helping you move to the facility. Only those authorized will be allowed to enter the facility. Find a facility that offers a simple and convenient authorization procedure.

Conclusion

A short term self storage unit rental might be perfect for you if you are currently in between moving from your old place to a new one. It's much more convenient to stash all of your miscellaneous belongings in one place while you sort everything out. It'll help streamline the moving process.