Information

• What will fit in my unit?
• Heated or unheated?
• Preparing goods for storage
• Moving and Storage Tips
• Answering Your Questions
• Do’s and Don’ts

What will fit in my unit?

What will fit depends upon several variables:

• How much large furniture you’re storing with your boxes. The more large pieces you have the fewer boxes you can store, of course.
• How uniform your boxes are. If you have many odd sizes, they fit into the unit less efficiently.
• How well the boxes are packed. Obviously, the more you put in each box, the more you store overall.
• How tightly you pack the unit. The units are 8 feet tall, and can be packed to the ceiling for best use of the space. However, if you need to access your goods, you will want to leave aisles for better access to items in back.

Size Chart

Unit Size	Square Feet	How to Visualize	What could fit
5×5	25	About the size of a 1/2 Bath, or large Linen Closet	Small furniture, a chest of drawers, or about 1 – 2 Pickup loads of boxes.
5 x 10	50	Walk in Closet	Furniture, mattress set, boxes. 1 bedroom home / apartment. Approximately the contents of a 12ft U-Haul type truck.
10×10	100	Small Bedroom	The contents of a 1 – 3 bedroom house with appliances. Or two Snow machines and many boxes. Approximately the contents of a 15 ft U-Haul type truck.
10 x 20	200	One Car Garage	The contents of a 3 – 4 bedroom home with appliances. Will hold the contents of a 24 ft U-Haul type truck.
RV Storage	About 300		Storage spaces are outdoors, and allow approximately 3 feet on all sides of the motor home. Snow removal is the responsibility of the owner. RV insurance should remain in force during storage period.
Cars, pickups and trailers	About 200		Storage spaces are outdoors, and allow approximately 3 feet on all sides of the car or truck. Snow removal is the responsibility of the owner. Car insurance should remain in force during storage period.

back to the top

Heated or Unheated — that is the question

(Please note: American Mini  Storage does not encourage or allow the storage of one-of-a-kind, valuable or irreplaceable items.

Please consult with a curator regarding the effect of extreme temperatures on antiques or other keepsakes.)

Item Description	Cold	Heated
Appliances (Allow to return to room temp before plugging in.)	X
Bedroom Mattresses & bedding	X
Books, magazines, etc.	X
Clothing	X
Food Items (containing water) (Not allowed in storage)
Food storage Items (dry) (Not allowed in storage)
Fuels  (Not allowed in storage)
Keepsakes, antiques, high value, consult a curator.		X
Kitchen dishes, pans etc	X
Lamps	X
Modern Electronics, computers (Allow to warm up before using)	X
Musical Instruments		X
Old Electronics or fine cabinets		X
Paint, Thinners, Fuels (Not allowed in storage)
Piano (of any type)		X
Sofa and Love Seat	X
Sports Equipment	X
Water		X

back to the top

Preparing goods for storage

• Blankets, draperies and clothing – have blankets, draperies and out-of-season clothing cleaned, then pack them inside a plastic bag, inside the box. Hanger boxes should have a plastic liner to keep out dust and moisture.
• Books– pack them flat, not standing on end (which may cause damage to the spines). Books are extremely heavy, so don’t pack too many in one box or mix them with fragile items.
• Electronics/Computers: pack in original boxes if possible, cover, and consider climate controlled units to protect components.
• Mirrors and pictures– large works should be stored in appropriate boxes. Smaller pictures can be wrapped in paper or bubble wrap and stored in boxes with clothing or linens.
• Mattresses– protect them and your furniture with designed plastic covers.
• Furniture and tables– remove legs and disassemble to conserve storage space. Wrap with furniture pads to protect from soil and scratches. Wrap the legs together with packing paper and, if possible, tape them to the protective wrap placed around the corresponding item.
• Photos– old photographs tend to curl over time. To keep them flat, place them between two pieces of cardboard and tape them together. Do not store irreplaceable photos. Negatives take up little space. Consider keeping them with you.
• Documents should probably not be stored– such as birth certificates, family bibles, genealogy, baby books, photo albums, graduation, military service records, legal documents, court records, adoption papers and divorce papers. We suggest keeping them in your possession, or leaving them with a friend who will safeguard them indefinitely. It occasionally happens that someone falls on hard times and has to abandon their storage unit. Don’t take a chance.

back to the top

Moving and Storage Tips

• Place items you may need toward the front of the unit
• Use shelving for efficient use of space
• Use your boxes efficiently, but do not over pack them
• Wrap all mirrors and pictures, do not lay flat
• Clean all appliances before storing
• Use pallets under furniture and boxes for air circulation
• Label your boxes
• For additional safety place valuable items towards the rear of the unit
• Most couches can be stored on end
• Documents should probably not be stored- such as birth certificates, family bibles, genealogy, baby books, photo albums, graduation, military service records, legal documents, court records, adoption papers and divorce papers. We suggest keeping them in your possession, or leaving them with a friend who will safeguard them indefinitely. It occasionally happens that someone falls on hard times and has to abandon their storage unit. Don’t take a chance.

back to the top

Answering Your Questions

Do I have to sign a lengthy contract?

• No. You are only required to sign a month-to-month occupancy agreement that automatically renews each month until you vacate. Discounts are available for prepaid contracts and leases.

Are there any restrictions to the length of stay?

• No. Most customers are long term.

When do I have access to my storage unit?

• Access is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for unheated units only. If you have a heated unit access is only available during office hours. Office hours are found HERE.

How is my unit secured?

• Each storage unit is secured with your own lock to ensure access to only you! We do not have a copy of your key. The yard is fenced and lighted, with video surveillance.

Do I need insurance?

• Please read this important information about insurance.

Do you have boxes I can purchase?

• Yes, they are available next door at Dee’s Rentals during their business hours.
• Dee’s Rentals also sells padlocks, packing supplies, bubble wrap, paper and tape, etc.

back to the top

Do’s and Don’ts

Do:

Don’t:

Use Pallets, 2 x 4’s, plywood, anything that will keep your items off the floor of the storage unit. Utilize all the space in your unit. Make a plan as how you are going to arrange your items. A good plan will save you the time of having to rearrange your unit. Leave an aisle in the center of your unit so that you have a walk way to the back of the unit. Label the boxes on all sides and keep a list for easy reference. This will save you time if you have to look for something in particular. When packing fill them without making them too heavy to lift. Always put the heavier boxes on the bottom and the lighter ones on the top of the heavier ones. This will prevent boxes from being crushed. Be sure to store frequently used items at the front of the unit to avoid having to search for them. To protect your items cover them with moving pads, sheets or light blankets. Store mirrors and paintings on end, not flat If it is possible store couches on end. Stack chairs seat to seat. When stacking furniture use paper pads in between the items to avoid scratching.

Do not use plastic to tightly cover your belongings. It retains moisture. A dust cover is advisable. Do not store food items. Do not pack boxes so that they are too heavy to carry, especially when you are packing books. Do not assume that your home owners or renters insurance will cover your belongings while they are in storage. Do not give out your password, gate code or any information to any one that is not listed as having “access”. Do not use printed newspaper. The ink may smudge and get on your items. Do not forget to clean appliances before storing them. Do not store any toxins or flammable materials, such as paint, oil or gasoline. Do not store Documents– such as birth certificates, family bibles, genealogy, baby books, photo albums, graduation, military service records, legal documents, court records, adoption papers and divorce papers. We suggest keeping them in your possession, or leaving them with a friend who will safeguard them indefinitely. It occasionally happens that someone falls on hard times and has to abandon their storage unit. Don’t take a chance.

back to the top