A Guide to Self Storage for Military Family Members

If you’re a member of the U.S. military or if a family member or loved one is stationed at or near Fort Sill, you might have questions about self storage. What is it? How does it work? And how can it help military service members and their families?

We’ve put together a two-part series for those wanting to learn more about Fort Sill self storage near the base. Part one will walk you through some of the basics of the self storage process, and part two will feature questions you should ask before renting a self storage unit.

What Military Families Should Know. First, the basics: What is self storage and how does it work? Essentially, self storage provides a space for you to keep your stuff so that it’s out of the way and yet fully accessible to you and totally under your control. Self storage units range from drive-up units to indoor, climate-controlled storage. To put it simply, you’ll rent a room with a door that you can lock. Once you rent a unit, you can access your stuff whenever you want. Many self storage facilities – including all the Storage ‘R’ Us locations in Lawton – also offer discounts for military service members and their families, so be sure to ask!

Getting Your Belongings Ready for Storage. Once you rent a self storage unit, you’re in charge of what goes into it and how. This means that you have total control over how you pack your storage unit. However, there are certainly better and worse ways to prep your stuff for going into storage. Planning how you’ll use your space and making sure that like items are staged in the same boxes will make it easier to find things in your unit when you need them. If you have any questions, the friendly staff at your local storage facility will be happy to offer tips on the best ways to store everything from clothing to furniture.

Know How to Maximize Your Storage Space. Just like there are better and worse ways to pack your belongings, there are better and worse ways to utilize your self storage unit. You’ll want everything to be easily accessible so that you don’t have to move a bunch of stuff to get whatever’s in the back. Of course, heavier and larger items should go on the bottoms of stacks. It might even be worth it to bring in some shelving so you can get to items on the bottom more easily. And it’s always a good idea to make an inventory of what you put into self storage so that it’s easy for you to find and keep track of.

Keep Your Belongings Safe and Secure. When you store your stuff in a self storage facility, you’ll be locking up your unit with your own lock, either a combination padlock or a padlock with a key. Both of these are typically available for purchase from the storage facility, so don’t hesitate to ask. Any good self storage facility offers other security measures, too, such as video surveillance, fenced or walled perimeters, and gated access to the facility.

Know What Storage Items Require Special Attention. Once you rent a self storage unit, you can store (almost) anything you want inside, but there are a few items that are either prohibited in self storage by law, simply aren’t suited to long-term storage, or require special accommodations, such as climate-controlled self storage. If you have any questions, just ask the friendly staff at Storage ‘R’ Us.

Be sure to stop back in for part two in our blog series as we discuss some questions you should ask before choosing and using self storage near Fort Sill!