12 Reasons You WOULDN’T Want to Live in a Self-Storage Unit

We know that the cost of housing, even for a single individual, can be pretty steep these days. In fact, roughly 50% of most people’s income goes to housing. Taking on a mortgage is a big expense that you often spend the next few decades paying off, and the upfront costs are still considerable. Even renting a small apartment can be a serious pinch to the monthly budget.

Because housing is so pricey, some people have legitimately considered moving into a self-storage unit. It can sound appealing when you consider the low monthly cost of renting a self-storage unit in Oklahoma or anywhere else for that matter. And while self-storage units are certainly affordable, living in one is not ideal for many reasons. In fact, doing so is actually prohibited by law.

However, since this is a topic that comes up from time to time, we thought it would be a good idea to remind you of some of the reasons why you don’t actually want to live in your self-storage unit—no matter how comfortable we make it.

1. It’s against the law. This is a big one. Simply put, self-storage units aren’t rated for habitation, which means that living in one is actually prohibited by law. Any storage facility is required to evict anyone they find living on the property or else face penalties themselves. Besides, life in one would not be particularly pleasant. Storage units don’t generally have running water or much in the way of air flow for living inhabitants.

2. You could lose custody of your children. Seriously, living in a self-storage unit in Oklahoma is illegal, and Child Protective Services (CPS) or the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS) may permanently remove children from your custody if you try to move into a self-storage unit with your kids.

3. You could lose your pets. The same goes for your four-legged kids. Self-storage units are great for lots of things, but they aren’t a good place for animals. Even if you’re not living there yourself, it’s against the law to keep pets in a self-storage unit, and trying to do so could result in the loss of that pet to the Animal Welfare department. Impound and boarding fees add up quickly if they take your pet into their care, too.

4. It violates your lease. There’s a reason tenant rental agreements at self-storage facilities stipulate that you can’t live in the unit. As we mentioned, it’s illegal. This means that not only will living in the unit subject you to eviction and other difficulties, it could also lead to you losing the unit.

5. It’s really not comfortable. Self-storage units are great for what they’re designed for, which is storage. But ultimately, a self-storage unit is nothing more than a metal box with a concrete floor. That’s not exactly an ideal living space. What’s more, while some storage units are climate-controlled, many are not, and conditions inside them can get seriously unhealthy during winter or summer months. Even a climate-controlled self-storage unit in Oklahoma is generally kept at around 80 degrees during the summer.

6. There’s no natural light. Did we mention that it isn’t comfortable? It also isn’t cheery. A self-storage unit has no windows, for obvious reasons, which means the only light will come from the bulb up above. Natural light is important to our health, both mentally and physically. Living in a windowless box is bad for both.

7. It’s noisy. Let’s face it, living in a metal box next to a bunch of other metal boxes in a building with a metal roof is not great if you want a quiet environment. You’ll also hear people coming and going at all hours to access their own storage units. Even if it was legal and permitted to live in a self-storage unit (which it is not) you would never get any sleep.

8. You’re on camera. One of the benefits of any modern self-storage facility is that security cameras are trained on pretty much every square foot of the property, both inside and out. This means that your stuff is safe if you store it there, but it would also mean that everybody in the office would be able to see you 24/7 if you tried to live there. So much for privacy!

9. Parking is limited. Sure, you can rent month-to-month storage for cars, boats, RVs, and all sorts of other vehicles, and outside storage units often have space to pull a car right up to the door for loading and unloading. If you need to park a vehicle day after day, however, you simply won’t have that option. Storage units aren’t designed for that.

10. You can’t feed yourself well. Storage units are incredibly convenient for what they were designed for, which is storing things. Were you to try to live in one, though, you’d find that it was missing a lot of the conveniences of home. Storage units have no running water, which means no sink and no way to clean your hands, your dishes, or your utensils. They also have limited access to electricity. In a lot of ways, trying to live in an Oklahoma self-storage unit would be like camping, but without access to the natural resources of the great outdoors.

11. You might get locked in! Unlike your home, which is designed to be locked and unlocked as easily from the inside as from the outside, most storage units boast roll-up metal doors that only lock from without. This might make for an uncomfortable night, and that’s compounded by the fact that good facility managers do regular walkthroughs to ensure that doors are closed and locked. This is great if you want to keep your belongings safe. It’s not so great if you’re trying to live inside a unit and find the door locked behind you.

12. It’s terrible for your social life. Your days of hosting dinner parties are certainly at an end if you move into a self-storage unit in Oklahoma. You can’t even have friends over to watch Netflix. And forget about bringing a date home. If you do, you’re unlikely to get a second date. Simply put, living in a self-storage unit isn’t comfortable for you, and it would be even more uncomfortable for anyone who tried to visit.

Where to Get Help: Sure, some of the reasons we’ve listed here are humorous, but there’s nothing funny about needing a place to live, and no one is very likely to try living in a storage unit if they’re not hard up. If you or someone you know needs a place to stay, we advise you to contact the storage facility staff. They’ll be able to help you find local resources such as food banks or shelters, and they may even help you keep your belongings safe while you find a place for yourself. They won’t let you live in the unit, however, because they can’t. It’s illegal. And hopefully by now, we’ve convinced you that you wouldn’t want to.

While we can’t provide affordable housing, we can provide a home away from home for your belongings. An Oklahoma self-storage unit from Storage ‘R’ Us may not be comfortable to live in, but it is perfect for storing all kinds of things, from antique furniture to specialty vehicles. Just visit one of our convenient locations today!