Here at Storage ‘R’ Us, we’ve been providing self-storage in Oklahoma since 1972, when our first location opened on E. Gore Blvd. in Lawton. Over the decades, we’ve pretty much seen and heard it all. There are very few questions that you could possibly ask about how to use your Oklahoma self-storage unit that we haven’t encountered—or so we thought.
A recent search for some of the most unusual questions that self-storage facilities receive turned up some pretty strange requests, and some of them are ones that we’ve never heard ourselves. If any of our readers had similar questions and were afraid to ask, we thought we would go ahead and address some of the most unusual questions about using self-storage. Ready?
1. Can I keep my pet lizard in a self-storage unit? We’re sorry to tell you that this is not a good idea at all. In fact, it’s probably illegal. Animals, including reptiles, need sunlight to live, so keeping any pet (lizard or otherwise) in a dark, closed-up storage unit all day is just plain cruel. Storage units are great for lots of things, but they aren’t made for anyone to live in, whether they’re people or animals. Boarding pets, even temporarily, in your self-storage unit is not allowed at Storage ‘R’ Us.
2. Can I use a self-storage unit as a temporary living space? Sorry, no. For all the same reasons your pet lizard isn’t allowed to make a home here—and plenty more besides—you also can’t live in your storage unit, even temporarily. We’ve actually written a whole article about the reasons you wouldn’t want to live in a self-storage unit, so click the link and read up on the subject. A storage unit is really not a place you would want to live, and it’s against the law as well.
3. Can I store my wedding cake in a self-storage unit before the wedding? Not recommended. For one thing, baked goods are particularly susceptible to odor absorption. While we like to think that our Oklahoma self-storage units are pretty clean, we don’t think your wedding guests would appreciate a self-storage-flavored wedding cake. It’s probably best to leave your cake with the baker until your big day or find space in a commercial refrigerator somewhere until the wedding. Also, congratulations!
4. Can I store my wine collection in self-storage and use my unit as a wine cellar? Here’s the thing: Wine needs to be stored at a consistent temperature and humidity, and even a climate-controlled storage unit isn’t ideal for your wine collection. There are other reasons to keep your favorite wines out of self-storage, too. Sure, at Storage ‘R’ Us, you have 24/7 access to your storage unit, which is pretty convenient, but you probably won’t want to run out to your storage unit if you’re hosting a dinner party and need a couple more bottles of Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.
5. Can I use a self-storage unit as a recording studio? This isn’t a great idea for several reasons, but let’s start with the most obvious. A self-storage unit is a relatively small metal box that isn’t soundproofed, meaning that the acoustics are terrible for recording. Also, while your storage unit probably has electricity for lights and such, it isn’t exactly wired for the kind of equipment you’d want for a recording studio.
6. Can I store my collection of antique weapons in a self-storage unit? It depends a bit on the weapons, but in general the answer is no. Definitely nothing that goes “bang” should go into your self-storage unit. That includes firearms, fireworks, munitions, and explosives. If you have those kinds of things, it’s probably a better idea to buy a gun safe that you can keep in your home. If your weapons are even more antique and you’re talking swords, axes, or those spiky balls on the end of a chain, you might be able to put them into climate-controlled self-storage. Anything that old is probably susceptible to changes in temperature and humidity, after all.
7. Can I use a self-storage unit as a secret hideaway for my personal belongings? Sure, we suppose. Nix the “secret” and that’s kind of what all self-storage units are, right? It really depends on the type of belongings you’re wanting to store and why you want them to be secret. We wrote an article about the types of things you should never put in a self-storage unit, so you might want to click the link and read up on things you can’t legally keep there. If your “secret personal belongings” are on the list, it’s probably a good idea to keep those at home.
8. Can I use a self-storage unit to host a small event or party? Not unless we’re invited! No, seriously, a self-storage unit is not a good spot for a party. Even the biggest self-storage unit is not that spacious when you start packing it with a crowd of people, and as we mentioned above when discouraging its use as a recording studio, the acoustics are less than ideal. Plus, your self-storage unit is surrounded by other units, meaning other renters will be around, and it’s not polite to have a party without inviting the neighbors, is it?
9. Can I store my food products in a self-storage unit and use it as a commercial kitchen? Again, no. Food items and self-storage don’t go together. While you can successfully run plenty of small businesses from your self-storage unit, a commercial kitchen is not one of them. As we mentioned, the unit doesn’t have good wiring for a bunch of kitchen appliances and, more to the point, it doesn’t have any real ventilation or fire suppression systems of the kind you’d want in a kitchen.
10. Can I store my collection of live venomous snakes in a self-storage unit? Seriously? No, absolutely not! For the same reason you can’t store your pet lizard in a self-storage unit, you definitely can’t store your collection of live venomous snakes. Although we can only speak for ourselves and not the other fine self-storage facilities around the great state of Oklahoma, we would honestly rather not have your collection of live venomous snakes anywhere near the property. Your snakes may be very nice, but we would prefer to admire them from afar. And another thing: What ever happened to collecting stamps or baseball cards or rare coins? Venomous, snakes? Just wow.
These unusual questions about self-storage in Oklahoma were pretty fun, but they also show that some folks may not quite understand the limits of a self-storage unit. Luckily, the staff and managers at any of the eight Storage ‘R’ Us locations in Oklahoma are happy to answer any questions you may have about how to get the most out of your storage unit. If you feel self-conscious about asking, remember that it’s almost certainly not the weirdest question we’ve ever gotten.
No matter how you want to use your Oklahoma self-storage unit, chances are Storage ‘R’ Us has the solution that’s perfect for you. We’re here to help you find it at any of our convenient self-storage locations.
Babies are tiny, but they need an enormous amount of stuff, and that amount only increases as they grow. As soon as kids join our families, the clothing begins to fill up the closets, the toys start to pile up, and our homes suddenly get awfully cluttered. And that’s just the stuff that’s indoors. We also need to find a way to store the bicycles, tricycles, sand boxes, summer swim gear, winter sports gear, and everything else that seems to be taking up space in the garage, the back yard, the basement, and anywhere else it can be stashed.
Let’s face it: All of that clutter can get to be a bit much for one home. At the same time, most of us are hesitant to do away with all of our kids’ toys, clothes, and other items, even when our kids have outgrown them. Sometimes we keep them around for sentimental value, or we may be saving them for a future child in the family. Fortunately, self storage in Oklahoma may be just the solution you need.
Self storage can help you safely store all that kid stuff.
That’s right! With a little help from Oklahoma self storage, you can find an out-of-the-way place for everything your kids no longer use, wear, or play with. To help you get started, we’ve scoured the web for some of the top tips for how to use self storage to help manage all those children’s toys, games, puzzles, arts-and-crafts supplies, outdoor play gear, stuffed animals, bikes, sporting equipment, unused clothes, and more!
Make a plan. This is honestly good advice before you put anything into storage. When it comes to your kids, chances are you have a lot of stuff to sort through and organize. By making a plan and writing it all out, you’ll know what steps to take in what order, and you’ll have a better shot at keeping things organized so that you can find the things you need when you need them.
Get them to choose for you. Whether your kids are indifferent to their old toys and other belongings or not yet sold on the idea of putting some of them into storage, you can get their buy-in and get a better idea of which items are ready for storage by having them choose which things they want to keep. While some kids may say they want to keep everything, you can usually get them to give you some definitive yes-and-no answers on what should go into storage and what should stay out, which will help them feel like they’re a part of the process.
Make an inventory. Again, this is good advice for any storage project. An inventory helps you know what you have in storage and where it’s located so that it can be easily retrieved at a later date. Apps and other devices can help, or you can simply make a written list or fill in a spreadsheet. However you do it, an inventory helps you to know what’s in every box in your storage unit. Then, when you need to find someone’s collection of Star Wars Lego sets, you’ll know exactly where to look.
Prepare everything for long-term storage. Whether you’re storing toys, games, or clothes, you can take certain steps before you put anything into a box or bin for long-term storage. The first step is to clean everything thoroughly. This not only makes the process of boxing it up more pleasant, but it can help to avoid mold growth on the items and prevent the presence of pests in your storage unit. Be especially vigilant about removing food residue. Then dry the toys—especially anything with fabrics—to avoid mold or mildew growth while they’re stored. Finally, remove batteries from any toys that have them. Batteries corrode over time, and besides, there’s no reason to store perfectly good batteries when you could be using them in something else.
Pack it up. Now you’re finally ready to start packing everything away! Before things go into storage, they should go into boxes or bins. Clear plastic bins are often the best option, especially for smaller things like toys, but small or medium-sized cardboard boxes also work. Wrap fragile items in bubble wrap and be sure that they’re packed in a way that makes them unlikely to shift. Whatever you pack, make sure to record it on your inventory and pack things such that lighter and more fragile items are on top of heavier items. It’s also a good idea to make use of vertical space in your storage unit. Bringing in some shelving can help keep more fragile or valuable items off the ground so they’ll be better protected.
Storing items with sentimental value. Not all the kids’ toys, clothes, and other items that you put into storage are created equal. Some of them are more valuable to you, personally, than others, regardless of their value overall. From favorite stuffed animals to first clothes, some items just have greater sentimental value. These items should be stored with even greater care, probably using climate-controlled self storage. Climate-controlled storage protects items from extremes of temperature and humidity, and it’s ideal for fragile pieces or things that might otherwise decay over time.
Label everything. Your inventory is only half the battle. Knowing that the Pokémon plushies are in the same box isn’t much help if you don’t know which box that is. You can label bins with what’s in them, such as “dolls” or “Legos,” or you can use a number or other key to help reference your inventory. However you do it, you should be able to tell what’s in each box at a glance. And then, of course, make sure that, if things come out of that box (or new things go in), you adjust your inventory accordingly.
Store it all. After all that, it’s finally time to put those toys, clothes, games, bikes, and whatever else into secure self storage! You can get the most out of your storage unit in a variety of ways, including using pallets or shelves to keep things off the floor, giving items room to “breathe,” and never stacking heavier boxes on top of lighter ones. A helpful self storage professional will be able to answer any questions you have and help you pick the storage unit that’s right for your needs.
Ready for self storage in Oklahoma to take some of that clutter off your hands? Whether you’ve gone through all these steps and are ready to put things into storage or you’re stuck with questions somewhere in the process, Storage ‘R’ Us is here to help!
Big or small, serving a broad audience or a niche interest, every business can benefit from improved organization. Whether you need additional office space, a place to store inventory, a temporary workshop to fill seasonal orders, or space for tools and equipment that you’re not using right now, self storage in Oklahoma may be the perfect way to help your business reach its organizational goals this year. Let’s take a look at a few of the things that self storage can do for your business! Counting down!
#10. Self storage in Oklahoma offers your business convenience and flexibility! You can rent as much or as little space as you need for your business, and many self storage facilities offer month-to-month leasing, so you’re not locked into a long-term contract. This means that you can adjust your self storage usage as your business needs change, getting more space when you need it and less when you don’t!
#9. Self storage for businesses can be a lifesaver if you’re renovating your office. It’s best to keep things out of the way while work is being done. You’ll help protect office equipment from becoming filled with dust, furniture from getting scratched up or otherwise damaged, and just about everything from being lost. When the work is done, all of your valuable equipment and furniture will be right where you need it and ready to go!
#8. Self storage can help you save money on supplies. That’s right. With a little help from your self storage unit, you can buy in bulk and shift the excess into storage until it’s needed. This is helpful for businesses of all types, but it can be particularly handy for restaurants and other businesses that use a lot of non-perishable items such as paper goods in large quantities. Buying in bulk helps you get more for your dollar!
#7. Anyone who has ever used self storage in Oklahoma to help them plan a move to a new home can tell you that self storage can help when you’re between offices or locations. Whether you’re planning a move or in the middle of one, moving to a smaller location or a larger office, self storage can give you a place to stage equipment, furniture, and everything else as you transition from one space to the next.
#6. Not every type of business stores heavy equipment or vehicles, but many do, such as businesses that provide lawn and garden services, contractors, and even food truck owners. Self storage can provide a safe, convenient space to put tools, heavy equipment, and even vehicles when they’re not in use. Even restaurant owners may benefit from the ability to store large kitchen appliances, especially ones that are only used for certain dishes or only needed for part of the year.
#5. Removing clutter around the office helps employees to be more productive and makes the workplace safer. What’s more, studies have shown that open, uncluttered workspaces help to make workers happier, and employees who come to work in a clean and uncluttered office typically report a higher rate of satisfaction with their job. Plus, you might even have enough extra space freed up to put in that espresso machine everyone’s been asking for. That’ll make everybody happier!
#4. Self storage can actually help you improve security! How? Think of a secure self storage facility as a sort of external vault. It’s someplace to keep assets, equipment, and documents that need to be retained but that also shouldn’t be left where someone could get at them. Self storage units should be locked and secured by you, and they’ll also be watched 24/7 by the self storage facility itself. Most top-tier facilities offer security measures such as video monitoring, fenced and gated perimeters, and staff on hand, to name a few. To keep items safe from the ravages of temperature fluctuations and humidity, you can also opt for climate controlled self storage.
#3. Self storage can even help you expand and grow your business, especially when you’re hiring new employees. As your business grows, it may experience growing pains, including not having enough space for everything from an expanding inventory to a growing workforce. Self storage in Oklahoma can help with all of that! Sure, you can’t put the new employees in your storage unit, but you can open up space in the office to add more desks, cubicles, or other workspaces by moving other things into self storage. If your business is growing, before you rent out a bigger office space, consider whether self storage can address your needs instead! You can put the money you save back into your business!
#2. A self storage unit can act as the warehouse you’ve always needed. Warehouse space can be pricy and subject to a lot of variation in quality and availability. Self storage from a reputable storage facility gives you all the benefits of a warehouse plus the knowledge that you can always access your merchandise, samples, raw materials, spare parts, and so on day or night. You can even use self storage as a central location for your packing and shipping efforts.
#1. The number-one way that self storage in Oklahoma can benefit your business is simply by providing more space. It doesn’t really matter what you need the space for. Whether you’re storing boxes of files, putting unused office furniture out of the way, expanding your packing and shipping operations, finding a place to park work vehicles during the off-season, adding more office space for new employees, or decluttering the office, every business needs space, from the biggest corporation to the smallest food truck. Any business can benefit from self storage in Oklahoma.
No matter what kind of business you run—or what kind of storage needs your business is facing—we can help you out with the storage solution that’s perfect for you! With locations in Lawton, Duncan, Chickasha, Moore, Newcastle, and Norman, Storage ‘R’ Us has been serving Oklahoma businesses and residents since 1972, and we can help you find the perfect place for all your stuff today!
The holiday season is officially upon us, which means that we’re scrambling to decorate the house, clean and declutter for guests, store (or even hide) packages and gifts, clean out guest rooms, and make space for parties. It’s no small effort, and sometimes there’s just not enough room for everything. That’s where self storage in Oklahoma can be a real miracle for homeowners. It’ll help you to find extra space and make your home look merry and bright this holiday season!
How can Oklahoma self storage help? We’ve been making a list (and checking it twice) of some of the reasons you’ll want self storage on your Christmas list this winter.
Make Space Around the House. The holidays are a busy time, and they’re filled with stuff. Whether you need extra room for presents, holiday décor, meals, or big family gatherings, space is at a premium this time of year. If you’re thinking of moving a bookcase or old sofa out of the way to make room for that new seven-foot, pre-lit tree or freeing up some extra space to put the leaf into the dining room table, you can get things out of the way with a little help from self storage in Oklahoma.
Keep Things Tidy Over the Holidays. You probably already know that self storage can be a lifesaver when it comes to decluttering the home, which is perfect if you’re preparing to have a bunch of company over the holiday season. But it goes beyond that, too. If you have family coming in from out of town, you’re all certain to generate a lot of mess with all the detritus of people living, eating, and enjoying the season. Self storage can help you find places for all of it.
Organize Your Christmas Decorations. No more sticking the tree in the attic, the inflatable Santa in the garage, and all the Christmas lights in a closet somewhere. It’ll be much easier to manage all your decorations this year and in the years to come if you’ve got a space to house them all in one area. They’ll be easy to pull out when you need them and easy to put away when the season is over! Self storage is perfect for seasonal items, and you can switch out summer and winter items as the seasons change!
Create a Holiday Crafting Space. Your home can get pretty crowded around the holidays, and it can be a real joy to give yourself a little oasis of peace and quiet where you can get things done, whether that’s some holiday crafting projects that you’ve been planning for gifts or decorations or simply a place to wrap presents away from prying eyes. Not only can self storage help open up space around the house, you can actually use your unit for crafting projects and wrapping and storing presents, too!
Prepare for Holiday Guests. As we already mentioned, many of us have family come in from out of town for the holidays, and it’s always a nice feeling to be able to offer them a place to stay. Many of us use our guest bedrooms as home offices, workout spaces, crafting rooms, or simply for extra storage space during most of the year, but if you’re expecting guests, you can clear that space out with a little help from Oklahoma self storage and give them a nice, comfortable place to stay right in your own home!
Hide Those Gifts. Look, we know that kids are experts at finding hidden gifts. No matter how well you tuck presents away, prying eyes are bound to search them out. Fortunately, the kids won’t be able to find their gifts in your self storage unit! Plus, self storage is perfect for storing bigger gifts like bikes, skis, or one of those giant teddy bears that you can buy at Costco. Don’t put the pony in self storage, though. That would end badly.
Seasonal Storage for the Side Gig, Too! Sure, thousands of homeowners rely on self storage in Oklahoma for all sorts of things, but did you know that countless businesses do, too? Self storage is great for gigs of all kinds, including your side gig! Whether you’re plowing driveways this winter (in which case vehicle storage may be just what you need) or moving a lot of products as people finish their holiday shopping, self storage for your small business can give you inventory space, provide a spot to store needed supplies, or simply give you an out-of-the-way place to work some of the time.
A Parking Spot! Just like space inside the house, parking often comes at a premium as guests arrive for the holidays. If you need some extra space, why not move that boat, RV, camper, or project car into vehicle storage for the season? It’s a great way to keep vehicles out of the way (especially since you probably won’t be using them during the winter anyway) and free up parking for everyone who’ll be home for the holidays.
Bonus! Year-Round Storage! We’ve been talking so far about how Oklahoma self storage can be a lifesaver during the holidays, but if we’re honest, it really is the gift that keeps giving all year round. All of the benefits of self storage last beyond the holidays and apply all year long, whether that’s giving you an out-of-the-way spot for seasonal items or a place to put all the stuff that’s been piling up in nooks and crannies around the house. From giving you back your home office space to helping you organize your small business, self storage is there for you all through the year!
If you want to make a little extra space around the house this holiday season (and all year long), don’t you owe it to yourself to check out self storage in Oklahoma from Storage ‘R’ Us? We’d love to see you this holiday season—and the rest of the year, as well!
At the time of this writing, summer is not technically here quite yet, but you wouldn’t know it by stepping outside in Oklahoma right now. The weather is already hot and humid, and much of the country is in the grips of an unseasonable heat wave. We thought it would be a good idea to tackle what you can do to protect your belongings in self storage during the hot and humid summer months. We’ll explain all of the benefits of climate-controlled self storage, and we’ll let you know what to store and how.
Think about what you’re storing. There are a surprising number of items that can be damaged by extremes of heat, cold, humidity, you name it—and we’ve got all of those things in Oklahoma! Photographs, wood or leather furniture, electronics, books, artwork, even some clothing items can be affected. If you’re worried about the value and condition of the items you put into storage, it’s a good idea to do some research before you store them, and consider investing in climate-controlled self storage for those items that need special care.
Shift the seasonal items. This is less about the wear and tear of the items themselves than it is about getting the most out of your Oklahoma self storage unit—not to mention the stuff you keep in it. When the seasons change, it’s a good idea to move the seasonal items that you’ll need for the summer out of storage, and put the winter items in. This way, the stuff you need is always where you need it to be, and the stuff you won’t need until next January is out of the way.
Wrap it up! Lots of things can be protected from extremes of humidity and other perils by wrapping them in plastic. This includes mattresses, clothing, and furniture items of all kinds. Garment bags can help protect clothing, and you can find special furniture covers and mattress protectors for just this purpose. If you’ve got items that are particularly likely to be affected by extreme heat, consider either moving them into climate-controlled self storage or at least double-wrapping them.
Switch to a climate-controlled self storage unit. We’ve already mentioned this a couple of times, but that’s because climate-controlled self storage is simply the best way to protect your most valuable—and most vulnerable—items from the perils of heat and cold throughout the year. Temperature remains even inside a climate-controlled self storage unit, the way they would inside a home with a HVAC system. A climate-controlled unit isn’t cozy enough that you’d want to live in it (even if that were legal or feasible), but it’s more than enough to help protect many of your most vulnerable belongings.
Visit your belongings from time to time. They miss you! No, seriously, while one of the key benefits of self storage in Oklahoma is being able to keep things in a convenient spot while also keeping them out of sight and out of mind, it’s a good idea to stop by your self storage unit regularly. This way, if there are any problems developing, you’ll catch them before they get too serious.
Protect your stuff from the heat. Ultimately, that’s what a lot of this advice boils down to, but we thought it was important to touch on it again. After all, it can get really hot in Oklahoma in the summertime. The bestway to insulate your belongings against extreme temperatures is to invest in climate-controlled self storage, but if you’ve got questions about how to protect anything you store, ask a helpful self storage specialist!
Employ a little pest control. The summer heat can drive bugs and others pests indoors just as surely as an icy winter, so it’s a good idea to follow a few best practices to help keep pests out of your storage unit and out of your stuff.
Consider plastic and pallets. Much of the time, simple cardboard boxes work great for storing items. But if you’re planning to keep things in self storage for a long time—especially if you’re not investing in climate-controlled storage—then plastic bins might be a better option. After all, cardboard can be susceptible to moisture and other perils. Whatever you’re using to store your belongings, you should keep them off the floor using shelves or wooden pallets. This gives the boxes or bins room to “breathe” and helps to prevent damage from moisture and mildew.
Get insurance. A good self storage company does everything they can to keep your belongings safe and secure. But there’s only so much that anyone can do in the event of a flood, tornado, or other natural disaster. That’s why it’s always a good idea to get some insurance on anything valuable that you’re putting into self storage. Got questions? Just ask one of the friendly self storage experts at Storage ‘R’ Us!
Whatever you do, do it now! Summer heat has already begun here in Oklahoma. Whether you’re planning to upgrade to a climate-controlled Oklahoma self storage unit, are wondering about the stuff you’ve already got in storage, or are thinking about storing items for the first time, now is the time to act. That doesn’t just go for folks who already use self storage in Oklahoma, either. Summer is a peak season for moving to a new home, and self storage can be an awful lot of help in that situation, too!
Whatever you want to store, and however you want to store it, chances are we have a solution for you at Storage ‘R’ Us! We can’t do much about the weather, but with eight convenient locations offering climate-controlled self storage, we can help make your self storage project easy and successful, no matter what the weather does. Be sure to ask us about other options such as DampRid moisture absorber and odor eliminator disks available for sale! If you’re looking for self storage in Oklahoma, look no further than Storage ‘R’ Us!
Whether you’re about to embark upon your first year of college or you just got your degree and are about the join the workforce, it seems there’s never enough space for all your stuff.
When you’re in college or newly graduated, things tend to get scattered between the dorm or your apartment and your parents’ place. Maybe your family wants to use the space you left behind for other pursuits. Meanwhile, you’re probably living in somewhat cramped quarters as you work your way through college or start your first job after graduation. Fortunately, self storage in Oklahoma can find a home away from home for everything that you don’t have room for, and we have some great summer self storage tips that can help!
Tips for Summer Self Storage in Oklahoma!
Have a Plan – Don’t go putting things into self storage willy-nilly. Know what you want to store and how best to store it. You can find plenty of tips online, or you can ask someone at your friendly Oklahoma self storage location. Once you have this figured out, you can find a unit that matches your needs. It also helps to have the stuff you need for proper storage, such as cardboard boxes or plastic totes, tape, markers, and so on.
Keep Only What You Want – Self storage in Oklahoma is an affordable alternative for your stuff, but there’s still no reason to pay to store things you don’t want to keep. Before you put anything into storage, go through it and throw out, sell, or donate anything that you don’t need or want anymore.
Use a Storage Calculator – Not sure how much space you’ll need? Not to worry! Most self storage locations offer online storage calculators that can give you a quick estimate of how much space you’ll need based on what you’re planning to store! Just input what you’ve got, and it’ll calculate what size unit you need.
Reserve Early – Once you’ve figured out how much space you need and where you want to store your belongings, don’t hesitate to reserve your spot, even if you’re not yet ready to move in. Summer is a busy time for a lot of industries, and self storage is no exception. Once you know what you want, lock it down so that it’s ready and waiting when you’re ready to move in.
Share the Load – In some ways, renting a storage unit can be a lot like renting an apartment or any other space. You shouldn’t try to live in your self storage unit, however. That’s illegal, not to mention uncomfortable. But like an apartment, self storage is cheaper if you have a “roommate.” In this case, that means someone to split costs with you and share the use of the space. In fact, many storage facilities will actually allow you to share the rental agreement, so that one of you doesn’t get stuck with the other’s portion if the worst should happen. Like a roommate, though, you should only split a self storage unit with someone you trust.
Keep it Cool – If you’re storing your stuff over the summer, keep in mind that it can get pretty hot and humid here in Oklahoma. The heat can do a number on certain kinds of belongings, including books, papers, artwork, clothes, wood furniture, electronics, and more. If you’re storing anything that can be damaged by extremes of temperature or humidity, it’s worth investing in climate controlled self storage. If you aren’t sure if your stuff needs protection from the heat, you can ask one of the helpful storage experts at Storage ‘R’ Us for advice.
How Much Self Storage Space Does a College Student Need?
Of course, like anything else in life, the answer varies from college student to college student.
Your average self storage facility in Oklahoma offers a variety of unit sizes to accommodate just about any need, from units around the size of a walk-in closet to specialty vehicle storage and more.
If you’re a college student, odds are you’re dealing with stuff that came out of your dorm room or your bedroom back home, which means you’ll probably be looking at smaller units such as 5 x 10 or 10 x 10 units, both of which are among the more common storage unit sizes. These are available at just about any storage facility.
The smaller of these is roughly the size of a large closet, while the larger can probably hold the full contents of an average dorm room. Again, when in doubt, check with the experts at your Oklahoma self storage facility to see what size unit they recommend, or try out a storage calculator to figure out how much space you’ll need.
Who May Benefit from Oklahoma Self Storage?
Not sure if self storage is right for you? Ask yourself these questions: Are you sick of a cramped dorm room? Do you have a bunch of books or other off-season supplies that you’ve accumulated throughout the year? Are you planning to travel or even take a year off to study abroad? Are you pursuing a short-term internship or something else that’ll take you away from home this summer? Do you need someplace secure and close to campus to keep your belongings rather than storing them back home? If you answered “yes” to any of those questions, then self storage in Oklahoma might be just what you’re looking for!
Plus, with eight self storage locations across Oklahoma, there’s bound to be a Storage ‘R’ Us not only near you but right where you need it to be! We’re located close to the campuses of several local colleges, and college students are always welcome at any of our convenient facilities, whether they’re storing stuff for one summer or the next few years, and whether they’re just embarking on a college career or watching it draw to a close. We’re here to help, every step of the way!
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!
Remodeling some or all of your home or business is no small project. If nothing else, it’s disruptive, to say the least. In order to remodel a room, you pretty much have to clear it out entirely. During a home remodel, that means you’ll have to clear out furniture, anything hanging on the walls, rugs, window treatments, you name it. For a business, you could have to empty part of the retail floor, the back office, storerooms, or warehouse space.
In either case, everything has to go somewhere else before the remodel can begin. It probably comes as no surprise that self storage in Oklahoma has become a convenient resource for both home and business remodelers, but you may be surprised at some of the reasons why. Let’s take a look.
You Can Stash Your Stuff in Self Storage. The most obvious way to make use of self storage in Oklahoma during your remodeling project is simply to use it as a place to keep all that furniture, art, and other things that need to be moved out of the way until the project is done. Odds are, you don’t have space in the other rooms of your house for all the stuff that was in this one, and you don’t want your guest room, living room, or bedroom stacked to the rafters with all kinds of extra furniture, boxes, or who knows what. Self storage is easy, it’s convenient, and it’ll keep everything out of sight and out of mind while you do the work that needs to be done.
It’s a Place for Bulky Remodeling Supplies. Of course, self storage isn’t just the perfect out-of-the-way spot for all the furniture and other belongings that had to be moved out of the room you’re working on. It’s also an ideal place to store some of the building materials and supplies that go with a typical remodel project. From stacks of sheetrock or new flooring material to bundles of crown molding, gallons of paint, buckets of nails, and all the tools you need to the job, there’s a lot that goes into a typical remodel, and you may not have room for all of it in your house or garage. Self storage lets you stage everything just how you’ll need it so that it’s easy to get when you’re ready for it.
It Holds Everything That’s Going into the Finished Room. We already mentioned things like sheetrock, lumber, tools, and paint, but you probably have even more items that you’ll need toward the end of your remodel! When you’re finished, you’ll probably be putting some stuff in the room that wasn’t there before. If you’re remodeling the kitchen, that may mean new kitchen appliances or cabinets. If you’re working elsewhere, you might be hanging new light fixtures or replacing windows and doors. Just like the stuff that was already in the room, all that stuff needs to stay out of the way during the remodel, but it can take up an awful lot of space. Fortunately, you can stage it all in self storage until you’re ready for it, so that it’s organized, easy to access, and out of the way until the day finally comes.
Self Storage Helps Avoid Property Damage. A good remodel will leave your home or business looking better than when you started, but the process isn’t exactly quiet or clean. The typical remodel project involves a lot of people, a lot of power tools, and a lot of dust. All that can be hard on your furniture and other belongings—even stuff that isn’t in the room that you’re working on. If you’ve got furniture, artwork, or other things that you’d rather not see damaged, it’s best to get them out of harm’s way and into someplace safe like climate controlled self storage in Oklahoma, at least until the job is done.
It Can Even Help You Meet Your Deadlines! Believe it or not, self storage can actually help make your remodel more efficient so that you meet whatever deadline you’ve set. Think about it. You can save so much time and energy by not constantly shifting things from one side of the room to the other or otherwise trying to work around them. Whether you’re dealing with furniture or remodeling materials and tools, putting them all into self storage can help keep your workspace clean and efficient so that all you have to focus on is the project in front of you.
Other Remodeling Tips. Now you know some of the perhaps less-obvious benefits that self storage in Oklahoma can offer during a home or business remodel. But you should keep a few more tips in mind to get the most of your self storage unit, regardless of what you’re using it for. You’re going to want to keep your storage unit well-organized, label all of the boxes correctly so that you know what’s where, and stage it so that the items you’ll need first are closest to the front. Keep like items together so that all the flooring for the kitchen is in the same spot, for example. All of this will help ensure that your self storage unit is as efficient as possible. That will translate into a faster, smoother, and more successful remodel, so that your home or business will be looking better than new in no time!
Whether you’re looking for a place to stage the contents of a room while you do a remodel, you’re in need of a climate-controlled space for items that might be damaged by heat, cold, or humidity, or you’re just wanting a safe and secure spot to keep your belongings while you move, Storage ‘R’ Us in Oklahoma has you covered. With convenient locations in Lawton, Chickasha, Duncan, Moore, Newcastle, and Norman, there’s bound to be a Storage ‘R’ Us near you, ready to provide you with the very best self storage in Oklahoma!
The “digital nomad” lifestyle has been generating a lot of buzz recently, especially since many of us spent the pandemic coming to realize that we didn’t have to go into the office every day in order to earn a living. As more people take advantage of the ability to work from anywhere, they’re embracing a lifestyle that lets them travel, see the world, and do all the things that they’ve always wanted to do. Whether they’re working from a hotel room, a short-term apartment, an RV, a co-working space, a coffee shop, or a public library, these digital nomads often don’t have a set place to call home.
And yet most of us have things that we can’t necessarily take with us on these kinds of adventures, but we don’t want to let go of them, either. Maybe they have sentimental value, maybe they’re collections or investments that have monetary value, or maybe we just know that one day we’ll tire of life on the road and want to settle back down, and we want our comfy stuff waiting for us when we do.
Whatever the case, you’ll need a place to put everything that you can’t take with you. Maybe you have relatives who don’t mind holding onto it, but odds are they need that space themselves. Your best bet might just be Oklahoma self storage. Considering exploring the lifestyle of a digital nomad? We’ve got some tips that can help.
Here are our top self storage tips for digital nomads:
If you’re planning to hit the road and enjoy the life of the digital nomad, we wish you all the best on your adventures! If you have any questions about how to get ready, contact Storage ‘R’ Us, your friendly local Oklahoma self storage facility, and we’ll be happy to help with everything, from the best ways to store clothing to how to protect furniture if it’s being stored long-term.
Every college student knows that it’s best to pack light when you head off to college at the end of the summer. You’re going to accumulate a lot of stuff over the course of the year—textbooks and keepsakes and clothing items and more—and it’s not easy to store everything in small dorm rooms or in rooms at the frat or sorority house. Even if you get into an apartment or other off-campus housing, you probably won’t have a lot of space. That’s where self storage in Oklahoma comes in. Here are the top six reasons college students in Oklahoma and across the country use self storage near campus:
1. You accumulate stuff. Whether we mean to or not, we end up with stuff as we live our lives. Some of that stuff can get pretty bulky. A T-shirt with your team colors may not take up much space, but that ping pong table your fraternity brother gave you is definitely not going to fit in your room.
2. You need a place to park. It may not even have occurred to you, but if there’s limited parking on campus or you just don’t need your car or bike to get around very often, you can actually put it in vehicle storage to keep it safe, secure, and out of the way.
3. You want to offload the extras. During our college years, most of us spend at least some of the time with a roommate. That often means having doubles of everything. Some stuff you want to keep two of, like toothbrushes and clothes, but other things don’t require doubling up. You probably don’t need two toasters, two TVs, and so on. Put the extra one into Oklahoma self storage!
4. You need space for seasonal items. Most of us don’t do a lot of holiday decorating during our college years, but we may engage in seasonal activities like camping, hunting, skiing, and so on. Unfortunately, the gear for that can get pretty bulky, so why not put it someplace out of the way?
5. You aren’t always in the same spot. When we first arrive as freshmen, we’re usually in one of the dorms, but most of us don’t end our college careers in the same place we started out. We may move to a different dorm, we may pledge a sorority or fraternity, we may get an off-campus apartment, or we may even change schools. Even when we do stay in the same place, we often go home for the holidays or for summer break, and having our stuff in a self storage unit near the campus makes moving back in a whole lot easier.
6. You have things you don’t want to leave behind. Whether that’s mementos and keepsakes that mean a lot to you, collections or hobby supplies, or more valuable items like TVs, consoles, and other electronics, you can keep them safe and accessible with a nearby self storage unit.
If you’re a student at the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Cameron University in Lawton, Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma in Chickasha, Mid-America Christian University in OKC, or anywhere else in the state, you can find self storage near you. In fact, Storage ‘R’ Us has eight convenient Oklahoma self storage locations, many of them near the universities we just mentioned, and we’re always happy to help you store your stuff!
