Your ability to choose a storage unit usually rests on whether there's elevator access or climate control, as well as the price of the unit. However, if you just need a space to store your stuff and aren't worried about whether or not you have to have something near an elevator, that doesn't necessarily make the choice easy. Where your individual unit is located does affect how smoothly the move can go. If you want to rent a storage unit and you find there are several available throughout the facility, look at floor level, levels of access, and even your moving truck size to make a decision.

Top, Middle, or Ground Floor

If the facility has an elevator, it's not really going to matter which floor your unit is on in terms of avoiding stairs. However, a ground-floor unit may have less security, depending on whether the unit is inside another building or opens directly to the parking lot. (Of course, if you want to drive right up to the unit, a ground-floor unit is your only option.) An upstairs unit in a building that isn't climate-controlled could have an issue with summer heat in regions like Phoenix and Tucson. A middle unit, if the building is over two stories, could be protected both from heat and security issues, but it might also suffer if the unit above you holds something that springs a leak.

How Large Is Your Moving Truck?

Many storage facilities have wide driveways and alleys that allow larger trucks to turn easily and for other vehicles to move around them. Some, however, have rather narrow driveways where part of the driveway or alley is used for short-term vehicle storage. If you have a large truck that you can't easily move, you could end up blocking the alleyway and blocking other cars and trucks inside the facility. If you think your moving truck will be huge and you're not using a moving crew where a few people could make quick work of loading and unloading the storage unit, ask the facility to give you a unit that's in a portion of the property that does have a wider driveway or alleyway. Let them know that you'll have a large moving truck that will be parked for a while, and you don't want to block anyone inside the facility.

Does It Matter if You Can Drive Right Up to the Unit?

As mentioned, if you want to drive right up to the unit door and unload directly from your car or truck, a ground-floor, exterior unit is your only option. However, if that's not a concern, look at units that have their entryway inside the storage building. Drive-up units have doors that open up directly to the alley outside. Many facilities also have units that are inside another building, meaning you have to go through another locked door to reach the unit. This offers extra security.

These may seem like smaller issues, but they can affect how easily you can load and unload items into the unit or a moving truck. The storage facility should have a list of available units so that you can see where you might end up storing your belongings, and the staff will help you figure out which one to rent.

Contact a company like Abes Self Storage to learn more.