Advice on renting a storage unit?

[arced]

I searched the archive, but I didn't come up with anything so here goes. Does anyone have any advice about renting storage units? I'll be out of the country for a year so I'm planning to put my stuff in storage (about 3 bedrooms worth).

 

[willpower]

Do the math first and see if the cost of storage for that much furniture will exceed the value of the furniture itself. If the numbers are close, you might want to consider just selling your stuff instead, and/or storing only the small sentimental items. Your tastes are going to change, you'll be a different person when you come back. Travel will do that.

 

[arced]

I plan to get rid of a lot of my cheaper furniture, but is there some general advice on storing nicer stuff? My understanding that there's the regular storage units and 'climate controlled'. Some of the stuff I need to store is valuable and somewhat fragile. Should I be taking out insurance? I don't want to end up like Sampras. I'd get rid of more, but I'm moving my whole family so it's more than just my sentimentality to deal with.

 

[mossberg]

Great point above. Most storage units require that you have some sort of insurance, but I would still make sure to document what is going in there beforehand. The insurance policies that you're going to get are most likely going to be junk and the company will fight you tooth and nail not to pay your claim. Me personally if the things are very nice I would feel much safer having a trusted friend/relative keep it. Storage units are notorious for leaking water and having rodent problems.