Discussing Storage Options: Basic, Temperature-Controlled, Or Climate-Controlled

When it comes to moving and storage it’s worth considering placing your items into a storage unit during your move. If you store your items with a moving company then it makes the move a lot easier, and potentially cheaper. Storing your items with the moving company of your choice means that when you’re ready to move, you don’t have to worry about repacking items because everything is already ready to go.

When it comes to storage your options are usually basic storage, temperature-controlled, or climate-controlled. Basic storage is great if you’re on a budget, and don’t have sensitive items that need to be protected from heat or humidity. Temperature-controlled storage is more affordable than climate-controlled storage and is perfect for items that just need protection from extreme temperatures. Climate-controlled storage is the most expensive form of storage but can protect your items from heat and humidity.

Join us as we explore these 3 options and see which one would suit your needs the best.

1) Basic Storage: What You Need to Know for Your Moving and Storage

Basic storage is what it sounds like, a space where you can store your belongings without anything else. Basic storage is a great option if you need to save money, are only storing your items for a short period, or if you’re storing items that don’t need temperature or climate-control. Basic storage is also a good option if you need to regularly access your items while they are in storage. If you’re uncertain about what kind of items that don’t need climate-control or temperature-control, here are some of the following:

• Non-perishable food items.
• Metal objects or furniture.
• Wooden furniture.
• Glass and ceramics

While you can store all of these items in basic storage, it’s important to know during moving and storage that certain items will need to be stored in specific ways to avoid damage. If you’re storing furniture or objects made of metal, you will need to be mindful of the humidity of where you’re storing them.

Storing metal objects in a humid environment can lead to rust. To prevent your items from gaining rust, there are ways you can take care of your metal. For starters you can treat them with oil, however you may need to reapply the oil if you’re storing them for a long period. If your metal objects are painted then you should not have to worry about rust, unless there are some exposed elements.

If you’re storing wooden items then humidity and temperature can also be a problem. If you’re not careful the wood can warp, or grow mold and mildew, leading to your items being damaged. It’s important to ensure your wooden items are cleaned thoroughly before storage. This prevents mold and mildew from growing on your wooden items. To prevent warping, you must ensure that you treat your wood with oil before storing it in basic storage. If you’re storing your wooden items long term, it’s important to visit and regularly reapply the oil as necessary.

While temperature and climate are not concerns for glass or ceramic items, you must ensure that these items are packed carefully and that the box holding the items is marked as fragile. This will ensure that they are treated with the necessary care when moving, and will also prevent other boxes from being packed on top of them. Make sure you wrap your glass and ceramics in protective packaging like bubble wrap.

Basic storage is a convenient and cost-effective way of storing your items before you move, however, you do need to be mindful of the items you’re storing and if they are suitable for the conditions of basic storage. Another thing to consider is how your items are being placed, consider getting wooden pallets to place your items on top of to avoid them getting water damage.

2) Managing the Heat with Temperature-Controlled Storage

Temperature-controlled storage involves keeping items in an air-controlled environment that maintains a consistent temperature over time. This means you can store items without needing to worry about heat or cold damage. Temperature-controlled storage is useful because you can store more delicate items, but can be more expensive than basic storage, however, it’s usually more affordable than climate-controlled storage. One thing to be mindful of for temperature-controlled storage is that you will not be able to access it as easily as basic storage, as the temperature needs to be maintained within the container, and so access is limited. If you’re uncertain about what items would need temperature-controlled storage, here are some options below:

• Kitchenware
• Regular clothing
• DVDs and vinyl records

Most kitchenware, particularly stainless steel kitchen items, don’t need much climate control, however, they can be damaged by extreme temperatures, and so storing them in a temperature-controlled environment is incredibly beneficial.

For moving and storage of regular clothing, you can be confident in storing them in temperature-controlled environments as opposed, to humidity is less of a factor, unlike leather or fine fabrics which can be damaged by humidity or, in the case of leather, cracked by a too dry environment. Just make sure your clothing is protected from pests by using mothballs when you store them.

For DVDs and vinyl records heat can warp the plastic that these items are made out of. It’s still important to note that you should pack your DVDs and vinyls carefully, with protective materials like bubble wrap, and mark the box they are in as fragile, to avoid them being damaged or broken during storage.

3) The Secret to Stress-Free Moving: Climate-Controlled Storage

Climate-controlled storage manages both the temperature and the humidity of your storage unit, ensuring that none of your items can be damaged in those ways. However, because of the large amount of energy needed to maintain the right temperature and climate. You also can’t access your items while they are being stored as that can hamper the efforts to maintain a climate-controlled environment. Climate-controlled storage is a great option for moving and storage, as usually, these containers are airtight, meaning pests can’t gain access to your items and therefore they will remain free from damage. If you’re wondering what items you would need to store in climate-controlled storage, here is a list below:

• Electronics
• Leather and fine fabrics
• Musical instruments
• Wine
• Important documents
• Artwork

Each of these items is susceptible to warping from extreme temperature or damage from humidity, particularly regarding electronics which are incredibly susceptible to moisture and damage from extreme temperatures.

Store Your Items With Allegiance Van Lines

Now that you know all your moving and storage options and can decide on what kind of storage you need, the next step is to reach out to a moving company that has storage facilities that you can use.

At Allegiance Van Lines we take pride in having over 10 years of experience with local and long-distance moves. We offer our clients a variety of moving services, including storage. To find out more about our services, call us today at 561-210-5120 or request a free moving quote online.