Confessions of a Storage Unit

What is one of the fastest growing segments of the US commercial real estate market? a. Luxury Homes b. Smart Homes c. Tiny Homes d. Self-Storage Facilities The surprising answer is “self-storage facilities!”

And www.selfstorage.org reports the annual revenue at $36,000,000,000 — 36 billion dollars! That happens to be more than the revenue of the NFL & MLB combined — yikes! There are approximately 48,500 storage units in the US — more than all the McDonalds & Starbucks! All of this is absolutely C-R-A-Z-Y! Which leads me to the following observations: CONFESSIONS OF AN ORDINARY SELF-STORAGE UNIT:

1. I am not your friend.

2. I take your peace of mind.

3. I cannot make your stuff more valuable.

4. I cannot prevent your stuff from deteriorating.

5. I cannot guarantee that your stuff won’t be stolen.

6. I cannot protect your stuff from critters and rodents.

7. I cannot protect your stuff from extreme weather conditions.

8. I cannot guarantee that you will eventually still want your stuff.

9. I do not solve clutter problems.

10. I actually create more problems for you.

There may be temporary situations where renting a self-storage unit for your personal items is the only option. However, in many situations, another option would be first to eliminate the excess by selling it, donating to a local charity, sharing with a friend, or even setting it at your curb for free pick-up. You will feel a tremendous sense of relief when you finally close the door on an empty storage unit. Delaying making a decision doesn’t really serve your best interest. Living with less and living with limits can be a very good thing!