What can (and cannot) I store in a storage room?

Storage companies have strict rules about what you can store in a storage room. Generally, you can store anything that is not on a list of prohibited items, but these things can vary from company to company. Obviously, you can’t use these storage rooms to hide stolen money or deceased pets, but not all prohibited items are so clear-cut. Check your contract and, if in doubt, contact the salesperson at the centre. You should bear in mind that storing products that are not allowed can put the centre at risk and that insurance may not cover possible damage to a storage room.

Before opting for long-term storage due to a move or temporary storage during a refurbishment, be sure to check the list of prohibited items as outlined below:

• Firearms
• Food
• Leather clothing
• Hazardous materials
• Living (and dead) things
• Money
• Invaluable and irreplaceable items
• Stolen property
• Tyres

What can be stored in a storage room?

A wide variety of objects can be stored in storage units, as long as they fit the space available and comply with established standards. The most common items commonly found in these units are:

• Furniture
• Electronics
• Home decorations
• Tools and equipment
• Clothing and accessories
• Seasonal items (e.g. gardening, Christmas decorations)
• Personal documents and files
• Sporting and recreational goods
• Toys and games
• Books and collectibles

What is not allowed in a storage room

Firearms

Generally, storing firearms in storage rooms is generally considered illegal for a number of reasons. In addition to the liability issues that can arise if the weapons are not handled safely, it can also cause legal problems if the storage space is auctioned off. Storage companies have to deal with the intervention of the authorities and worry about the possibility of selling weapons to individuals with criminal records. In general, it is not beneficial for storage companies to allow weapons to be stored on their premises.

Food

Storage rooms often do not allow perishable items such as meat, poultry, fish, milk, eggs, and raw fruits and vegetables. They also sometimes prohibit containers that once held food. If your belongings will attract mould, mildew, fungus or unwanted pests, you probably can’t put them in a storage unit.

Leather clothing

Some self-storage companies have rules against skins. You should check with the storage company to be sure. Some companies say that fur clothing is not allowed, while others ask you to keep your items temperature-controlled (fur is more likely to move at high temperatures).

Hazardous materials

Self-storage companies prohibit almost any hazardous substance you can think of. Check your storage room rules to be sure, but you probably can’t put any of these items in a storage room:

• Acid
• Compressed gas
• Fertiliser
• Fireworks
• Petrol
• Grease
• Paraffin
• Narcotics
• Painting
• Propane tanks

Living (and dead) things

The rules of the storage companies do not allow you to put living creatures in your space. Whether it is a small plant or a real life zombie, if it is alive, or used to be, it is not allowed. You can safely assume that it is illegal to store any of these items in a storage room:

• Animals
• Ashes (human or animal)
• Dead organisms
• Flowers
• Persons
• Plants

Money

Many self-storage companies do not allow cash to be stored. TV criminals love to hide cash in storage units, but it’s not a realistic option for the rest of us.

Priceless and irreplaceable objects.

Certain items cannot be stored under contract, although a storage room seems an ideal place to keep old family photos and great-grandmother’s crockery, but not all self-storage facilities allow items that you would find painful to lose. It may have to do with the likelihood of the items being sold at auction (and how upset you would be if you lost these precious mementos), or how difficult it is to assess an insurance value for things you consider priceless.

At the same time, some storage companies take the opposite approach and encourage you to store these valuables. It can be confusing, but there is a simple way to find the answers.

We recommend contacting your storage rental company if you wish to store any of these items:

• Priceless antiques
• Family heirlooms
• Jewellery

In other articles we will discuss how important it is that all these items are well stored.

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