1. Living Things

Storage units are not hospitable for living things, which is to say that people, animals (including pets), and plants don’t belong in storage units. It should go without saying, shouldn’t it? Living organisms need fresh air and sunshine. The small, dark conditions of a storage unit are neither safe nor healthy for living things.

2. Perishables

Food and perishable items have a shelf life and shouldn’t be put in a storage unit. Edible items are attractive to pests and could cause an insect or rodent problem in your unit, not to mention neighboring units. Perishable items are also susceptible to rotting or molding.

3. Strong Smells

Items that bear a strong smell can also be attractive to pests. Keep scented items in airtight containers or, better yet, out of your storage unit altogether. Take care of and protect your belongings by keeping your unit clean and dry to ward off infestations.

4. Cash or Currency

If you have some cash to stash or a bevvy of gold bullion bars, a storage unit is not the ideal location to store them. Keeping monetary items in a bank, a safe, or a safe deposit box is a much more secure option for storing money.

5. Nonoperational Vehicles

You are generally free to store a vehicle in your storage unit, but it must be registered, insured, and fully operational. So if fixing up your dad’s old coupe is on your to-do list, you’ll have to find somewhere else to store it in the meantime.

6. Radioactive Equipment

Pharmaceutical reps might find it useful to keep samples and supplies in storage units, where they can be organized and not cluttering up their offices. Most pharmaceutical equipment is fine to store, but anything radioactive cannot be legally kept in your unit.

7. Hazardous Materials

Any item that is considered corrosive, flammable, toxic, or explosive should be kept far from a storage unit. This includes everyday household items such as car batteries, weed killers, paint, and motor oil, as well as corrosives, fireworks, or biological waste. Such items require specific containment conditions and, at the very least, adequate ventilation.

8. Ammunition & Firearms

Firearms and ammunition may or may not be allowed in your storage unit – check the fine print of your contract. If allowed, you should strongly consider storing any firearms and ammunition at a local gun shop or shooting range.

9. Electronics

Electronic equipment, such as a TV, may be damaged if kept in a storage unit for a lengthy time period. Electronics don’t always do well in extreme temperatures, and storage units can be cold in winter and hot in the summer. If you do store electronics in your storage unit, be sure to remove any batteries first, and take precautions to protect your equipment from humidity. Climate-controlled storage units are great options if you’re looking to store electronics, as they keep your unit at a constant temperature and humidity level.

10. Illegal items

This seems like another obvious set of goods to not keep in your storage, but it’s worth stating. Don’t keep stolen goods in your storage unit. As a matter of fact, don’t have stolen goods in general.

Want to know more about what does and doesn’t belong in a storage unit? Give CitiWide Self Storage a call. We’re your Long Island storage connection.