Real Estate Marketing & Beyond
When most people think of self-storage, they think of it as a place to toss junk that they don’t really want to use anymore but can’t or don’t want to get rid of for whatever reason. But storage units are more than that. Plenty of self-storage users are stepping outside the box (pun intended) to use self-storage in creative, fun, and unique ways. Many self-storage units are climate controlled, too, which gives you even more options beyond just storage. From home gym space to workshops and more, here are some of the ways self-storage unit renters are using their spaces.
If there’s one thing that the COVID-19 pandemic has made clear to everyone, it’s that having some emergency food and supplies on hand isn’t really a bad idea. Global pandemics may not happen that often, but hurricanes, tornados, earthquakes, and other calamities are more common. Just about every year in the United States, some region is affected by a natural disaster that leaves many wishing they’d stocked up on emergency basics.
Storing your stash of bottled water, canned food, and bathroom paper products in a climate controlled storage unit frees up space at home that you might not have for storing a cache of emergency supplies. Plus, experts recommend keeping emergency supplies in different spaces, anyway, so having emergency supplies in a storage unit will be a big help if you’re not able to get home. Think you might have to flee your home in the event of a natural disaster and want a place to safely store sentimental or valuable items? Leave some space in your storage unit to drop them off on your way to higher ground.
When you have your own gym, you’ll never have to wait for equipment, deal with creeps, or wipe up someone else’s sweat. But you don’t need a dedicated space in your home for a home gym setup when you could put the equipment in climate controlled storage units. A 5’X5’ unit will fit an elliptical, bike, or treadmill, as well as a yoga mat and some free weights. A 10’X10’ unit will fit all that and a weight bench, while a 10’X20’ unit will fit all that, plus an additional cardio machine and a stability ball.
You don’t need a massive garage or finished basement in order to find room for a maker space so you can work on your woodworking or metalworking hobby. You can build a workshop in a self-storage unit. A self-storage unit provides a secure space where you can work on hobby projects or start a small business, and you’ll be able to safely store your tools, equipment, and finished works or works in progress there when you’re not working.
If you’re planning to rent storage units in Tulsa or elsewhere for this purpose, make sure to check with the owners of the unit to verify that your use of the unit will be safe. Many storage facilities have rules against storing flammable materials, like gasoline. You’ll also want to verify that you’ll be able to open your unit while working in it, for ventilation, if your work will produce fumes or fine particulate matter.
4) Use It as a “Home” Office
One of the biggest drawbacks of working from home is, well, being at home. Plenty of people don’t have an extra room in their home for office space. Even if you do, there are distractions at home, like kids, a spouse who thinks you’re available to chat or help with chores just because you’re home, and, of course, your refrigerator full of yummy snacks. With a WiFi hotspot, a power strip, and some office furniture, you can solve those problems by setting up your business space in a self-storage unit.
Lots of bands get their start in a member’s garage, but if no one has a garage, what then? A storage unit may be the answer. You won’t have to worry about disturbing neighbors with the noise, and you can leave your music equipment in the secure unit, so nobody will have to lug heavy amps and instruments back and forth. As with setting up a workshop space in your storage unit, you should check with the owner of the storage complex before setting up a band rehearsal space in one – there are numerous reasons why some owners wouldn’t want a band practicing in a storage unit, but many self-storage complexes are band-friendly.
Can renting a self-storage unit really improve your quality of life? It can! You just need to get creative with how you use the space, and you'll soon be enjoying your new workshop, home gym, or other supplemental space.
