When looking for a Calgary self storage unit, you will want to make sure that the location is not in an area that will flood from time to time. Nothing would be worse than to open up the door to your unit and find water damage. That would really smell as well. You also want to make sure that the location is going to be safe and secure. Safety and security should be your number one priority. The location should have four basic security features. There should be a pin accessed controlled gate so that only current tenants are able to go in or out. The property should also be surrounded by security fencing. You should also ask about door alarms and video camera surveillance as they will deter theft and catch those in the act.

Even though the Calgary self storage property that you choose will have excellent safety and security, it may be wise to go ahead and get some extra coverage to ensure that you are compensated in the event of damage or loss of your belongings. If you ask the manager, they should be more than happy to go over a few plans so that you can have that extra peace of mind that you are looking for. Keep in mind that even if you have existing homeowners or renters insurance that you could pick up additional coverage at the site.

One last piece of advice for you as you are looking for the best that the Calgary self storage scene has to offer is to inquire about a special. A lot of places will offer a special and some will not. However, if you ask the manager you may be able to work out a deal so that you can get the first month free or at least a discount on the first month or two. Be careful when agreeing to a special so that you are not locked into any type of long term contract. You want to make sure that everything is month to month.

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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Do you have a lot of spare room in your basement and garage?  If so, then you can rent it out as self storage space.  For real, you may stand to make a killing if you are willing to surrender some of this space.  Sure, you are going to have to convince your customers that you are trustworthy.  If, however, you keep your house in great condition, and you are able build up some good rapport with them, then you are not going to run into any problems in these regards.  Your personal storage space can really earn you some money if you plan it out carefully.

Maybe you have an extra bedroom in your house that you are not using?  If so, then you can try renting that out as a miniature apartment.  When I was looking around for housing a few months ago, I found tons of these listings out there.  Typically speaking, they were just spare bedrooms in larger homes.  If I was lucky, I found a listing that came with its own bathroom, but not all of them were this way.  Even if you think that your spare room is too small, you might as well list it and see if you can pull anyone in.  Just be sure that you conduct a credit check and a background check before you agree to let them live in your house.  Likewise, be sure that you are interviewing your candidates before you make any promises.  The last thing that you are going to want, here, is to let a drug abuser or an overall bad person into your own home.

If you are still unsure of how you are going to make some side money, then you can head out to your local self storage facilities to attend a few auctions.  Over the years, I have found that these are a great way to make some extra money.  If you can manage to win a unit that has plenty of valuable stuff inside of it, then you are going to be able to resell all of it for a considerable profit.  If you have never attended a self storage auction before, then all you are going to have to do is check your local classified ads.

There are plenty of ways for you to make some extra money when you are a bit strapped for cash, and these are but a few of them.  Of course, if you it down and put your mind to it, you are going to be able to come up with plenty of additional ways to make some extra money.

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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The first thing that you have to realize, here, is that your self storage rental does not have to become a huge financial burden.  In fact, if you are careful when you are shopping around, then the thought of breaking the proverbial bank is never even going to enter your mind.  For starters, here, you are going to want to be sure that you are shopping around for a unit that comes with a great moving special.  If you can manage, be sure that you are not renting a unit that does not come with a special.  First month off or first couple of months at half off.  Either way, you know that you are going to be saving money, valuable money, for yourself.  As you are shopping around, be sure that you are keeping tabs on the specials that come your way, printing them out and writing them down along with the other notes that you are taking on your local stores.

Moving on, here, you should not become overly concerned when it comes to taking on some additional monthly expenses.  I mean, you simply have to sit down and ask yourself whether you care about having a clean home.  In most cases, you are going to find that you do, in fact, care about having a home that’s at least somewhat clean.  With this in mind, prevent yourself from freaking out when it comes to renting your unit.  It is important to you to have a nice, clean, relaxing home, and you quite simply need a self storage unit to make your home as nice as you would like it to be.  It is just that simple, really.

Finally, here, you are going to want to be sure that you are not forgetting about the internet when it comes to shopping around for the ideal self storage unit.  The very last thing that you are going to want to do, here, is skip over a facility that is going to have a great, cheap unit to offer.  By making use of the internet and online mapping services, you are going to be able to guarantee that you are not getting yourself into any trouble in these regards.

Renting a self storage unit is not that hard, and it is not going to break the bank if you are conducting your shopping in a careful, responsible manner.  At the end of the day, you just have to tell yourself that you need your self storage unit, and that you really do care about the cleanliness of your home.  Once you get yourself into the right mindset, you are going to be able to find that perfect unit in no time.

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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First and foremost, reader, you should know that you can find just about anything that you are looking for on the world wide web. Let us say that you are trying to figure out whether or not your local facility is going to be clean enough for your belongings. Well, reader, you are going to be able to use the internet to pull up a few pictures of said local facility, meaning that you are going to be able to judge its cleanliness before you even arrive on scene. If, on the internet, you should discover that one of your local facilities is far too dirty for your belongings, you are not even going to have to worry about visiting it. You are going to be able to cross it off of your list of options and continue on with your search.

Of course, there are many other things that you are going to be able to find on the internet as well. Let us say that you want to be sure that you are really keeping your belongings as safe as possible, here. Well, then you might want to use the internet to track down some good renters insurance policies. Indeed, by taking out a policy on the belongings that you are storing, you can rest assured that you are not going to be out of luck if something should happen to them. If your unit leaks, or if there is something awful like a fire, then you are not going to have to worry about what you are going to do to recover. You are going to know, firmly, here, that your belongings are going to be replaced, and quickly, at that. Of course, you are going to want to use the internet to look up the fine print on these policies, as you would hate to pay for one that is not going to offer the kind of protection that you are actually looking for.

When it comes to spending your money, reader, you do not have to worry about a thing at all. When it comes to renting a self storage unit, even, you do not have to worry about a thing. IF you have a computer and an internet connection, then you are going to be able to do most of your research from your very own home. Of course, you are still going to want to be sure that you are visiting your local options at some point, using your own two eyes to verify that they are, in fact, good enough for the belongings that you are going to be storing.

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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Are you going to be storing any temperature sensitive belongings?

By asking yourself this question, you are going to be able to find out whether or not you are going to want to rent a climate controlled self storage unit. These units, you should know, are going to be ideal for keeping your temperature sensitive belongings safe throughout the course of a normal year. Of course, throughout the year, and depending upon where you live, the temperature and humidity are going to change a great deal. Thus, if you are storing any wooden items, electronics, instruments, antiques, or clothes, you are going to want to be sure that you are renting one of these climate controlled self storage units. By doing so, you are going to be able to rest assured that no harm is going to come to your belongings.

Am I going to need a self storage unit in the near future?

Getting a grip on your time frame is very important, indeed. If you have no idea when you are going to need a self storage unit, then you have no business calling around for rates. The rates are going to change depending upon when you are going to need your unit. If, for example, you know that you are going to need a unit in the next couple of weeks, then you are going to want to be sure that you reserve a unit once you find one that is going to work well within your moving budget. Once you reserve a unit, you have a guarantee as to how much that unit is going to cost you when you rent it. If you do not reserve a unit, then you are not going to be able to rely on any pricing whatsoever. By getting a grip on your time frame, you can be sure that you are reserving a unit for the proper time and locking in a price that is going to work out well for you.

Am I going to need moving and packing supplies?

If you know that you are going to need some extra supplies to give your belongings that added level of protection, then you are going to have to be sure that you are renting your self storage unit from a facility that has a moving supplies store on site. The last thing that you are going to want to do, here, is rent a unit that is not going to give you access to all of the supplies that you are going to need, as this is going to mean that you are going to have to run all around town just to take care of your chores. Do yourself a really big favor, here, and be sure that you are not making things any more complicated or time consuming than they have to be. Truly, you will thank yourself for saving yourself all that time at the end of your shopping experience.

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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The first thing that you are going to want to do, here, is be sure that you are not forgetting about the many customer review sites that are on the internet. Indeed, if you want to be sure that you are avoiding all of the hyped up sales pitches as you are calling around, then you are going to have to be sure that you are seeking out the real, human opinions of current and past customers. By reading what real people have to say about your local properties, you are going to be able to rest assured that you are not pouring your money down the drain when it comes to your self storage unit.

Moving on, here, you are also going to want to look up your local property manager son the internet. If they are worth their salt, then they are going to have professional social networking accounts with details about their professional lives. If you can, you are going to want to be sure that you are using this information to guarantee that you are not renting a self storage unit from a person who does not have any experience dealing with them in the past.

Of course, once you have gotten all of this stuff out of the way, you are going to want to move along and begin crunching some numbers. Know, reader, that the internet is a fantastic place to figure out if you are going to be able to afford your local self storage options. When it comes to the larger companies, you are usually going to be able to get a few free quotes from their corporate site. After all, they do not stand to gain anything by hiding their prices from you. For the smaller guys, you can usually use customer review sites to get a fairly accurate idea of how much you are going to have to pay for their units.

Once you have gotten an idea of the prices that you are looking at, you are going to want to be sure that you begin to check around for the self storage coupons that pervade the internet. If you are not shopping around for great coupons, then you are, in effect, simply tossing your money down the drain. Be sure that you are saving yourself money if and when you can, and you are going to find that you are a lot happier at the end of the day.

As you can see, here, there is nothing bad about shopping around for a great self storage unit. Sure, you might want to kick back and relax on your day off, but at least shopping around for a self storage unit is not going to take up your entire day if you really know what you are doing. Just follow the advice put forth in this article, and you are going to have all of the time in the world when it comes to that lazy Sunday afternoon.

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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The first thing that you want to keep in mind, here, is that you are talking to real people about spending their hard earned money on your product. Thus, you have to be ready and willing to treat them with dignity and humanity. Central to treating a real human being like a real human being, of course, is honing your listening skills. The last thing that people are going to want to hear as you are giving your presentation, reader, is that you do not truly care about their needs. If you come across as too cold and calculating, then you are going to lose every potential sale that comes your way.

Moving on, here, you are also going to want to be sure that you are taking every possible opportunity to build trust with your potential tenants. This process, you should know, is referred to as building rapport, and it is a lot more simple than you might think at first. To start out, you are going to want to be sure that you sound happy. When you sound happy to help your customer, you are going to be able to lead them to believe that, well, you are happy to help them. And a happy employee is a person who we can trust. Moving on, you are going to want to be sure that you are giving them some auditory cues. You do not have to interrupt them, but you should let them know, in some way, that you are listening to the words that they are speaking. The last thing that you are going to want, here, is be sure that you are taking notes as they are talking. Later on in the conversation, you are going to want to be able to refer to their specific concerns and questions. By showing them that you care enough about their concerns to physically write them down, you are going to lead them towards trusting you, and buying your product or sales presentation.

When you really sit down and think about it, being a good sales person amounts to little more than being a good person. Really, it is just that simple. And when you think about the experiences that you, personally, have had over the years, this point should seem all the more obvious. You, as a consumer, have shied away from pushy, unfriendly sales positions. You have not purchased products from sales reps who do not sound like they are trustworthy, and you have shied away from sales reps who sound much more interested in making the sale than actually helping you find the service or product that you need. Thus, by keeping all of these things in mind as you are shopping around, you can virtually guarantee that you are going to close a lot more sales.

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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The first thing that you are going to want to do, here, is buy yourself a few boxes and begin to pack your belongings. Let us say that you are trying to get your basement clean. When you are standing at the top of your stairs, it is very hard for you to get an actual, accurate idea of how much stuff you are going to be storing. When its all there in a giant heap, it is hard to imagine the size of the storage unit that you are going to need for all of it. By boxing all of it up, though, you are going to be able to develop an understanding of the size that you are going to need to keep it nice and spread out.

If you are trying to sell your home, then you are going to want to be sure that you do all of these chores before you even think about putting it on the market. If your basement and attic are stuffed to the ceiling, or if your garage looks like an explosion went off inside of it, then you are going to have to be sure that you are renting a self storage unit and getting some of that extra clutter out of the way. No one is going to rent or buy your house if they cannot even imagine their own belongings in it. Any real estate agent is going to tell you the same thing.

And of course, if you are going to remodel your home, then you are going to want to be sure that you are getting a self storage unit for that as well. The last thing that you are going to want to do, here, is trying to work around all of your furniture when it comes to remodeling your home. Likewise, you are not going to want to clog up all of your free space with your furniture. That is never going to work out well for you, as you are going to have to dodge all of your belongings just to make your way around your own home.

There are a ton of ways for you to make use of the self storage unit that you rent. If you are trying to clear out a basement, then you are going to want to be sure that you buy all of the boxes that you are going to need, and that you begin calling around for the self storage unit that is going to help you get that basement clean once and for all. And if you are going to remodel your home, then you are going to want to be sure that you have a nice, clean, safe place for your belongings that does not compromise all of your personal space. Just begin calling around, reader, and you are going to be able to see why self storage is such a great thing.

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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When it comes down to cleaning your home, you are, quite simply, going to have to be sure that you give yourself enough time to do a good job.  Where most people fail, here, is in waiting until the very last minute to start tackling their chores.  Thinking that they are only going to need a day or so to get everything nice and clean, they only give themselves a day or so to tackle all of their chores.  Know, though, that a day is NOT going to be enough time to get your home as clean as it is going to need to be.  When you begin to clean, you are going to notice that there are a lot more things to do than you might have thought.  Be sure that you are not selling your chores short, here.  You are never going to enjoy the hasty, last minute cleaning sessions that are going to result from poor planning.

Of course, you also have to be sure that you are packing your belongings in a reasonable, safe fashion.  While you are going to have to take some time to be sure that you are packing correctly, you are going to find that it is well worth it.  A few weeks before your move, you are going to want to head out to your local moving supplies store to buy some boxes and packing supplies.  Be sure that you are purchasing boxes that are going to hold your items in place.  If you buy boxes that are too large, then you might just as well toss all of your belongings into the back of your truck without a care in the world.  By buying appropriately sized boxes, and the packing paper and bubble wrap that you are going to need along with them, you can rest assured that none of your smaller, fragile items are going to break when you are moving them to your new home.  It may cost you a little bit of extra money to get your hands on all of the supplies that you are going to need, but you are going to find that this cost hardly compares to the value of your items.

There is not much that goes into keeping your belongings safe when you are moving.  Likewise, there is not much that goes into making sure that your home is nice and clean when you move out.  The key ingredient to success, here, is time.  Just be sure that you are giving yourself enough time, and you are not going to have to worry about a thing when it comes down to enacting a quick, efficient, and successful move.

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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The first thing that you are going to want to do, here, is learn how to use a spreadsheet program.  A spreadsheet program is going to give you a nice and easy way to keep track of the quotes that you are getting from all of your local facilities.  At the end of the day, you are not going to have to worry about reading your own hurried handwriting.  Likewise, you are not going to have to worry about losing track of the information that you have gathered.  You are going to have all of your self storage quotes and information gathered in one, nice, easy-to-read place.  No stress here.

The second thing that you are going to want to do is enlist a friend to help you shop around.  Needless to say, you are going to be able to cover a lot more ground when you have a little bit of help.  And no, you are not going to have to force your friend to drive all around town looking at the properties in person for you.  You can simply enlist them to help you make your first round of phone calls so that you do not have to waste a ton of time on the phone.  Once they have helped you narrow down your list of options, you are going to be able to call around much more quickly.

Finally, as you are shopping around, you are going to want to be sure that you are not forgetting to take other services into account.  If, for example, you know that you are not going to have enough help when your moving day arrives, then youa re going to want to be sure that you are hiring a moving crew to help you out.  Of course, you are also going to want to be sure that you are renting a moving truck, as you are not going to want to bother with the hassle of packing all of your belongings into a standard vehicle.  Finally, here, you are going to want to be sure that you are buying all of the moving supplies that you are going to need to keep your belongings as safe as possible while you are moving them to your new home.  Once you take care of all of these things, you are going to feel a whole heck of a lot better about your upcoming move.

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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The first thing that you are going to want to do is make a few preliminary rounds of phone calls.  Do not stress out, here, because these are not the calls that you are making to make up your mind.  These are just calls to weed out the facilities that are not going to be able to fit your needs and priorities.  During these calls, it would not hurt to get an idea of the quotes that you are looking at, but you are going to want to focus on security and features before you begin to concern yourself too much with pricing.  If you see that a facility is not going to be able to meet your needs, then you are going to want to cross them off of your list and continue calling around.

Once you have narrowed your list down to the facilities that are going to be able to help you out the most, you are going to want to focus on pricing.  Of course, you have to take these prices in with a grain of salt, as you may feel the desire to submit to your knee jerk impulses, here.  Even if you think that the prices that you are getting are too high, you are going to want to take a step back for a moment and truly consider what you are paying for.  Sure, the facilities that are left on your list might seem a little bit pricey, but that is simply because you have already eliminated all of the facilities that are not going to work out well for you.  When it comes to self storage units, the price is merely a product of security, cleanliness, and convenience.  Thus, a slightly higher price is not something that should make you panic.

Finally, here, you are going to want to be sure that you are giving yourself enough time to take a few site tours.  The last thing that you are going to want to do, here, is rent a unit blindly.  While you may get lucky, you are really going to want to be sure that you are seeing your future unit with your own two eyes before you commit to it in writing.  The last thing on earth that you are going to want to do is rent a unit without seeing it first.

At the end of the day, you are not going to have much trouble when it comes down to renting a unit that is going to work out well for you.  All that you are going to have to do is make sure that you understand the process of finding a safe unit and you are going to do just fine.  There is really nothing to it.

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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First of all, you are going to want to be sure that you are buying boxes that are actually appropriate for what you are looking to store.  Many, many people make the mistake of buying boxes that are not actually going to be all that helpful.  They either buy really large boxes, thinking that they can simply stuff them to the brim, or they buy cheap, flimsy boxes that are not going to stack well.  What you have to do, here, is take a brief inventory of your belongings and move along from there.  You want to be sure that the boxes that you buy are going to be able to stack easily, and that they are not going to break open when they slide around in the back of your moving truck.  Any less than that, and you are not going to be happy with the outcome of your moving experience.

Of course, you are also going to have to be sure that you are not forgetting to pick up some packing supplies as well.  This should not be a problem, because most of your local facilities are going to carry them.  The boxes that you buy are not going to do you all that much good if you are not taking extra steps to make sure that your belongings do not break.  Typically speaking, here, you are going to be able to get away with buying some very basic items.  If you have some particularly fragile items, then you are going to want to be sure that you buy some packing peanuts and bubble wrap for them, as these packing supplies are going to keep them from clashing up against each other too much.  Of course, you are also going to want to be sure that you buy some packing paper as well, because you can really never have too much protection when it comes to your packing supplies.

At the end of the day, you are not going to have any trouble with moving if you buy all of the right supplies.  So long as you are following the advice above, you are not going to wind up with a truck full of broken belongings when you finally get to your self storage facility.  And of course, when you are looking for a unit, you are going to want to be sure that you find a facility that can actually offer you all of these products, as you are truly going to enjoy the time that you save when you consolidate all of your chores.  And really, when it comes down to moving hassle free, you have to consolidate your chores whenever you can.

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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Whether you are going through a divorce, being made to leave your home or just need to find a place to put your car for the winter, having a place to store can be very helpful to your situation. The information is out there if you can see it. It is never easy to reach out your hand for help when you are splitting up with your spouse. You want to curl up within yourself and not want to deal with the situation. The best thing you can do is pick yourself up and get on with your life. It is not going to be easy but finding the right place to store could make a small part of your situation livable.

Some people just see self storage as an area of land that has a bunch of empty rooms. Some people cannot get past that they are just paying for an empty room, but they are actually paying for a way to bring peace to a part of their life. If you take a moment to think about it, not having some key belongings in your house, can cause a calming sensation in your mind. Your mind may tend to go off a tangent bringing all that unnecessary stress in your life but finding the right place to store can help alleviate some if not all of that stress.

When you do not know how to proceed with finding the right place to store starting out online or in the phone book can help. Getting in touch with a storage professional on site will help you the most. They will take you from step one all the way to you moving your personal belongings into their facility.  The trust factor has to come back into play with the facility manager. You are dealing with enough stress to have to add the stress of trusting another person with your belongings.

Managers at the facilities open their doors and their arms in order to help people in the situation they are in. The managers listen intently what you are going through and at the very least, they will help you fill the empty space of a storage unit with the belongings that you held close to you for some time. They will assist you in finding the right size, feeling comfortable with the security features, getting the access hours you need, and also set you up with the lease that will fit your situation.

Not every situation that finds you has to complicate your life. You have the power and the resources in order to smile again, breathe easy and go on with your day. Instead of you worrying about where your belongings are, you feel good that the tight security of the self storage facility and the well managed staff will ensure your belongings stay the same way you left it.

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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John works in a call center that takes calls for multiple different companies in which people need to store their belongings. In his current role in the center, he is in charge of his shift and ensures that the people that work under him are taking care of each of people that call. He wants toe ensure they are providing great customer service .

Sometimes in this role, John has to be a great sales person in order to make ends meet for him. When people call into talk to him about storing, he has to try to find a way for him to get the caller to reserve a space to rent. If he does not he does not make enough to pay his rent. There are times in which customer service is awesome, but he knows that he might need to push harder that normal to get the caller to reserve a space. Being nice to customers is a part of good service, but there are some customers who just want to talk about random things in their life, where John has to answer as many calls as he can to make money. He always has to decide when to cut the caller off in order to get to the next potential reservation.

There was a time recently where John took a call and he had to decide whether or not to provide excellent service or to not care as much and let the caller go. The caller called in to talk to the manager of the facility he was answering for because they were way behind on their rent. The caller had been in an out of the hospital due to his illness and also events beyond his control like, he was mugged, stabbed and he had three deaths in the family all within the last two months. During his recovery time in the hospital, the facility saw that he was late on his rent so they decided to put his belonging up for auction.

The customer was obviously upset because they had some valuables in that space and they did not want it auctioned off. No one at the facility would answer his calls and he was in the hospital and had no one to go down to the facility to talk to the managers. John could tell that the caller was shaking on the phone with anger and also because he was so upset at the situation.

John was trying to think to himself what he should do. So far just to get to this point the caller had been explaining the series of events to john for almost ten minutes now. In this industry ten minutes could have been another two calls that he could have taken to get a reservation. John knew that this was not his situation to take care of but he knew if he just tried to pass this call on to the voicemail of the on site manager, nothing would happen and the customer would not be taken care of. So he decided to provide as much customer service to this caller as he could.

Luckily for this customer and John, this company had a customer service line to handle situations like this especially when the manager on site does not return phone calls. John wrote out a long synopsis of the situation and gave as much detail as he could to assist the caller and their situation. The caller thanked John over and over again and wished that John worked for that company because they have not treated him well over the past six years of renting there.

John got off of the phone with that customer feeling really good. At first he was telling himself he could have taken three other calls in that time to feed money to his bank account, but instead he helped a person in need and just maybe the situation of that customer will be turned around because of the level of customer service John provided.

RV Storage in Kansas City

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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The Secret Caller
There are companies that are paid to provide a secret shopping service for many self storage facilities because the industry demands each business stay on top of any changes. High levels of competition contribute to each facility striving to provide the best level of service possible, give the most appealing specials, and provide a location that is clean, secure, and easy to use. It is true that managers must first be able to take a basic telephone inquiry and turn it into a visit by the consumer to the desired location. It can be difficult when there are so many options and facilities for the consumer to choose from. The telephone call is the first impression that the facility can give the customer. This is where a good secret shopping service can be an asset to storage managers. It gives each manager a chance to unknowingly practice their customer skills on a basic inquiry call and to receive an evaluation by someone whose job it is to call the facility and secretly inquire as if they were a real customer. This evaluation can show the manager any areas to improve upon. Once managers begin to show improvements in the desired area, another shop may be completed in order to see if the changes the manager made are effective. The secret shopping service provides a way for managers and personnel to continually improve in any area of the call which can help the manager improve in other areas such as giving a great site tour of the location and bringing more consumers to the actual location.

The Known Caller
A good secret shopping service can truly define one facility from another. Those facilities that choose not to hire a service such as this may not provide an enjoyable level of service to consumers that they would like. The managers at these other locations may have some experience that can help with telephone inquiries. However, they may not have the skills necessary to help that consumer understand the importance of physically visiting their facility. Storage managers, with the right training, can help most to understand the value in a site tour and the value of storing at their facility. For many new customers, a manager with these characteristics can be a knight in shinning armor. There have been many times a customer has been in a bind and needed storage. They have called around just to find that many places are sold out or that storage can be a costly adventure. Self storage managers are good at helping the customer determine their exact need, the right size and helping them with a special they will really benefit from. No, one does not have to have a good secret shopping service in order to provide this exceptional level of service, but it is crucial to providing the same on-going level of service to all those who inquire about storage. If the customer chooses not to store at that time, they are more likely to keep the facility in mind that made the best impression.

The Service
Telephone sales can be difficult because one does not know who is on the other end of the call. It does not matter to storage managers if the caller is a person conducting a secret shopping service or if they are a first time inquirer. They caller will be treated the same. Self storage managers provide great service, attempt to meet the consumers needs, and invite the consumer to come and see the facility for themselves. This has proven to be the best course of action. Nine times out of ten, the consumer will store at a location that makes them feel secure and at ease. What would be better than storing at a location where the management is great, the deals are even better and the experience is second to none. Those companies who invest in a shopping service can truly benefit which will result in higher profits and more customers coming into their facility to store.

Waldorf Car Storage

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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As more and more RV owners are losing their right to park vehicles on their properties, sore RV owners seek other solutions for RV storage . Many towns across the country are banning RV storage in residential areas. Though some towns have adopted a grandfather law to allow current RV owners the right to park their RV in their driveways, not all towns are as generous. The RV storage issue has a two pronged affect; RV owners have to find another placed to store their RV and there are not many available RV storage centers. Some call this the price of owning luxury items whether it is monetary or psychological. Most of us enjoy luxury items like RVs; however, they have a Jekyll and Hyde affect. They look nice on the road, but change to an evil face when parked in front of a home.

RV storage is a safe and secure solution to the new property ordinances. RV storage can be covered and uncovered. RVs are parked behind a fenced gate that only provides access to other storage customers with an access code. Most RV storage properties have convenient wash and dump stations, and air stations. Electrical services are available as well.

The problem with RV Storage is the need for more RV storage properties and the infrequent turnover at existing properties. Now that more RV owners are searching for storage due to the new property ordinances, storage customers are finding it hard to find storage space available. Current RV storage customers rarely give up their storage space. Usually after long trips they return the RV to the storage space. And now that word is out about the lack of storage space available, they are not likely to give up their RV storage parking space.

Unfortunately for RV owners, city governments are not sensitive to the RV storage space issue at hand. With more residents complaining about RVs as an eyesore than RV owners, city officials are unlikely to reverse their decision. Though some city governments have grandfathered existing RV owners the right to park their RV at their homes, if they do not have adequate parking such as a paved driveway, they need to find other RV storage solutions. Those who do not have a choice but to seek RV storage do have a grace period to find another storage space.

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Not all RV owners had the adequate RV storage space to begin with. Many condo associations and home owner associations have preexisting rules regarding the ban of RV parking. Most of these people already have RV storage at a self storage property. However, new adopted property ordinances could affect the RV industry that is already suffering from the high fuel prices. People will think twice before they purchase a RV; on the other hand, others will fail to consider city ordinances or HOA rules before they purchase a RV.

For anyone interested in buying an RV, it might be wise to find out your HOA rules and town ordinances before your sign on the dotted line. Also, call a self storage business to find out rates and availability.

Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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I spent my holiday vacation at my grandparent in laws house in southern California. Though I was looking forward to catching many good nights of deep sleep in a comfy bed without any thoughts of self storage units, my actual experience was far from my expectations. My wife and I were assigned to a pull out sofa that met all the stereotypical requirements, hard as a rock and a bar in the back. We also suffered from my wife’s grandfather’s lack of internal body climate control. As he continuously made adjustments to the thermostat, we would go to sleep shivering from the cold and wake up in the middle of the night in hot sweat. So instead of blocking self storage units from my mind, I thought of better reasons to rent self storage units rather than staying at the grandparent in laws. Here are a few good reasons to sleep in a storage unit rather than your grandparent in law’s house.

First, self storage units are clean, safe, and secure. People who are moving or relocating to a new area trust self storage for furniture storage and car storage, so you can trust self storage units for yourself. Be worried free and catch up on some zzzzs under 24 hour video surveillance. You will be more at ease within a fenced and well lighted storage property. The alternative, my grandparent in laws’ house, doesn’t have an alarm and is exposed on busy corner lot. Anytime in the middle of the night my body is subject to being snatched by some unexpected visitor; in self storage units, body snatchers are locked out.

You won’t have to worry about waking up the grandparent in laws when you come back in from a late night on the town. Many self storage units have 24 hour access. Just type in your access code and wait for the gait to let you in. It’s like living in a gated community. Also, do not to worry about waking up in the middle of the night from rowdy neighbors. Self storage properties are quiet at night as well as during the day. 

Rent a climate controlled storage unit if you are worried about extreme temperatures during the night. Self storage units with climate control stay at a consistent 70 degrees; therefore, you won’t have to worry about waking up in the middle of the night in hot sweats.

Parking at my grandparent in laws’ street also is a huge risk. Where they live many houses lack driveways and garages for parking; therefore, car storage is on the street. Here cars are in harms way from thieves. Self storage units have parking available inside a self storage unit.

Seriously, I do not recommend that anybody should sleep inside self storage units, but the point is self storage units guard your furniture storage, boat storage, car storage, or whatever your storage needs as if it is guarding your life. The only people who have access to the storage property are other self storage customers like you who want to protect their cars, boats, furniture, and other personal items.

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Storage rooms can be different sizes and shapes depending on where you choose to have self storage. Self storage rooms that have been made from an existing building can have odd sizes compared to regular self storage. Storage rooms that are in a building that was built as a self storage facility, will have a more universal size range. The self storage market is studied to find the best amount of units and what sizes would most appeal to that area. College towns will have more smaller sizes for dorm and apartment storage. Larger cities will offer a wide range of storage from self storage to car storage to business storage. The larger cities have a strong market because many apartments, townhouses and condos offer little or no storage room in the dwelling. Some markets can even rent out many locker sized units. Locker sized units are units that your cannot walk into unless you are less than four feet tall. 

Rooms for storage can also be a space that you have in your home. Attic space, basements and extra rooms can be converted for storage. Storage in these areas can be utilized with shelving, racks, hooks, pallets and other hand items that help you pack away your items. If you have the space in your home you will save some money by not renting a storage room at a self storage facility. Storage rooms are a handy way to declutter, store away, organize and free yourself from the extra stuff you have laying around. 

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Jeff Foxworthy entertains us with his you might be a redneck jokes. They are funny to everyone even if you do not label yourself as a redneck because we can all relate to them some way or another. Similarly, there are lots of reason self storage customers need storage. So, in my sad Jeff Foxworthy style, I’ll attempt to write, you may need to rent a self storage unit if…list. Hopefully, at least one of these will make you laugh, or rent a self storage unit. Let’s see.

You may need to rent a self storage unit if…

• You run a business out of your home or apartment and you’re using storage boxes as furniture
• You run an online auction business selling extra furniture that is in your home
• You invested in thousands of Beanie Babies and now they are Beanie Men
• You use the trunk of you car in the winter for beer and food storage
• The classic car you planned on restoring 15 years ago turned into a weed planter
• You keep college text books, like Business Ethnics and Economics 101, on your office shelf storage
• You keep holiday decoration out all year long because you have no storage room to stow them in attic storage since the ghost had taken it over
• You’re selling your home and you can’t leave the house because you packed yourself into a corner
• Your relocating and the seller of your new home can’t leave because they have packed themselves into a corner
• You’re relocating and your new house sunk into a Florida swamp and it has become a protected habitat for alligators 

Your may need to rent a self storage unit if…

• You have a ham radio hobby and you find that you’ve been talking to yourself a lot lately
• You have an art collection and no walls
• You’re an athlete, or at least you think you are one, with a dusky sporting equipment storage collection
• You’re closet is prone to avalanches from the excessive shoe storage and clothe storage
• Your 11th bike has been stolen from your porch and you bought a new one
• The home improvement project you started two years ago is going to take a little more time to complete
• You’re 80 years old and still have a hula hoop
• You can use the boat stored in your driveway as a ladder to get on your roof
• You use your front yard as boat storage and your boat leaves a fossil imprint behind during spring and summer.

You may need to rent a self storage unit if…

• You still own a pair of parachute pants and leg warmers
• Your bedroom is a storage room because you couldn’t get your friends and relatives to buy Amway products
• You drove pass a self storage business wondering where to stash the dead body in your trunk

Well, I hope these ideas were worth reading and pushed you to rent a self storage unit of your own near you. 

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Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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There are many types of boats, each one designed for a specific activity. There are fishing boats, speed boats, sailboats, paddle boats, power boats, canoes, and rafts. Fishing boats come in many different sizes. Some are as large as houses; others are small as a piece of lumber. The size you need depends on the size of the fish you are fishing for. A speed boat has a water skier attached to the back of it. If not, speed boats are just on a leisurely cruise. Sailors love being one with nature cutting through the choppy seas under wind power. Canoes and rafts are common on lakes and rivers. Canoes and rafts are the camper’s choice for a floatation device on a waterway.

Whichever is your boat preference, seek proper boat storage in the off season. Before the temperature falls below freezing, it is important to prepare your boat properly so it can withstand the wintery climate. For power boats, if there is water inside your engine or gear case, the result can be a cracked block and an expensive repair bill. Water left in a boat, canoe, or raft will freeze and crack the haul and may cause severe permanent damage.

Once contracted, rust spreads like an incurable disease. Corrosion can establish a foothold on you boat’s metal components if the boat is not stored properly. Use corrosion inhibitors on both internal and external metal parts before you craft goes into boat storage.

If your power boat or speed boat has an outboard motor, prepare the engine before it goes into boat storage for the winter. Always refer to the owner’s manual, but here are a few universal steps from my owner’s manual:

• Flush outboard motors with freshwater
• Empty fuel lines and carburetors
• Fog the carburetor intake
• Drain cooling passage
• Fog the cylinders
• Lubricate linkages and the electric starter motor
• Drain and refill gear case
• Touch up damaged paint
• Stabilize the fuel
• Clean and liberally lubricate propeller shaft
• Put away in boat storage

You don’t have to be a certified boat mechanic to winterize a boat. Usually owner’s manuals provide step by step information. Of course, the internet has many website focused on boat storage and boat care. They are easy to find.

Boat storage is not limited to boat protection; your neighbors will love you for it. If you store your huge fishing boat in your front yard or driveway, the neighbor is forced to look at it for about 7 months. Boats are pretty in the water, on land they are an eyesore. Plus, many home owner associations ban boat owners for home boat storage, so plan on storing your boat at a storage unit . 

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Do you know anyone like this, who over food shops and needs more food storage? Well this is not just a domestic issue. Many food venders lack the food storage space in their own homes, or they refuse to use their own homes for food storage. Food venders seek relief in storage units for food storage. If a storage unit is granted, food venders are limited to package and canned goods for using storage units as food storage. Freezer and refrigerator food usually is prohibited.

Someone might be storing food for charity reasons. A social worker might be collecting food donations to help feed the hungry. In this case, storage units serve as temporary food storage until the food is shipped to its destination. 

If you are planning on using a storage unit for food storage, take some precautions to insure that your storage unit doesn’t become infested with bugs and rats. Put bagged food items in sealed storage bins. This will prevent bugs and rats from smelling food in your storage unit. Storage bins also keep them from penetrating the bags of food. Store all the food goods off the ground. Use a shelf or table to elevate the food from the floor. Double bag and seal airtight all food items. Check the food for broken or damaged packaging. If packaging is broken get rid of the food by throwing it away or eating it. Leaving it in food storage is an invitation for mice and rats. Taking these precautions could save you and your storage neighbors from infestation. Your storage neighbor is already nervous about renting a storage unit next to food storage, so don’t give him any grief.

Food storage is best when kept in a climate control unit. Climate control will insure that your food items be kept at a constant 70 degrees. Your stored food won’t spoil from extreme temperature conditions. Preserved food doesn’t last forever; however, you don’t have to shorten foods live by letting it cook in 100 degree weather. Can drinks and bottle drinks are ultra sensitive to temperature variations. A can of seasoned can of soda will become stale from climate change. So, to insure the best quality from your product, keep food in a climate control unit.

Storing food in a storage unit can be a pleasurable experience if it is done right. Otherwise you may cause a nightmare for yourself and your storage unit neighbors.

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Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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Now that you have finished you Christmas shopping, its time to focus on yourself. Thats right. New Years follows just after Christmas, and you know what that means? Start creating your New Years resolutions. This is the time of the year people begin a new start in their life. Get into shape, lose weight, quit smoking, and stop cursing are just some the most popular ones.  But how about getting more organized and clean around the house? Clean out the garage so you can park your car inside. Remodel the kitchen, or remodel the bathroom. Do what you think is best for you. That’s what New Years resolutions are for, you.

Though many New Years Resolutions are good ones, less than half are carried out by June. This is why renting storage units is the best New Years Resolution; once you start you can’t give it up. This is why finding storage units should be your first step. Because once you get your needless furniture, boxes and clutter into a storage unit, you have had made your New Years resolution successful. Your house is clean and organized. New Years resolutions lose esteem within the second month. Gyms and fitness centers are most crowded in January and least crowded in February. There may be many causes to the dwindling down effect, but the most popular reason for fitness resolutions is the delayed or lack of  quick results. However, with cleaning and organizing your home with storage units, the results are instant. Maintenance is important, but you don’t have to keep at it.

Remember, the most important part of your New Years resolution is to rent storage units to clean out the clutter in your home. Do this as fast as you can. You can organize your storage unit later. Your first priority is to get the furniture, files, and other clutter that you don’t need out of the house. Once your house is organized, go back to the storage unit and organize that too.

The greatest thing about renting storage units and getting organized is that it is contagious. You might find more ways to get organized around the house and your family may find ways to get organized too. Once you have cleaned out the garage, your spouse thinks it’s a great idea to clean out the basement too. If you have space in your storage unit why not use it? Fill it up. Other project will evolve from this simple New Years resolution. You may want to remodel the kitchen and need a place for furniture storage. You may want to change the kid’s bedroom into an office. Put the bedroom furniture in the storage unit. Whatever projects get triggered from this New Years resolution, you will know that storage units are there to help.

Happy New Years to all and good luck with your New Years resolution. If it is getting your home clean and organized, call your local self storage property or self storage business today, so you can have it ready by January 1.

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The beach wasn’t crowded that day and I was able to park my Jeep close to the beach access. Since lockers were not available I left shirt and smelly shoes in the back of my jeep. I wasn’t worried about anyone running off with my shirt and smelly shoes, because, first of all it was just a shirt and smelly shoes; second, we were in a safe richy town. Plus, its not like the shirt and shoes were in plain view. My Jeep had a small compartment in the back that was great for shoe storage.

We had a great time on the beach that day. The surf was rolling in and the sun was hot. If we got too hot, we’d just jump into the ocean with our surfboards and cool off on some waves.

When we were done with the beach scene we walked back to the Jeep. I opened the shoe storage compartment to retrieve my shirt and smelly shoes. But to my surprise, they were missing. I was baffled. I couldn’t understand where they went. It didn’t even cross my mind until later that they were stolen, because I couldn’t understand why anyone would want to take my used pair of smelly shoes and my used shirt. The only thing that was left behind was the remains of smelly shoe order in the shoe storage.

The adventure doesn’t stop here. We stop at a convenience store to pickup our daily slurpies, only I was not allowed in with my bare feet. So I sent in my friend in to get my slurpy. That did not work out too well; he thought it would be funny to mix up my slurpy with coffee and root beer.

Next we went back to my parent’s storage unit to drop off my surfboard. I did not realize it until then that they had shoe storage in the storage unit. Unfortunately, the only men’s shoes that fit my feet were an old pair of my dad’s white loafers. I really wanted to go back to the convenience store and get an uncontaminated slurpy, so I put them on.

When I walked into the convenience store, the clerk recognized me as a bare footer and looked down to check my feet. He began laughing and the laughter became contagious to the other customers in the store. I walked out, slurpiless and drove home.

From that day forward, I locked my shoe storage compartment in my jeep every time I went to the beach. I don’t want to be caught bare footed again. 

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Whether they are moving into the state or across town, it is nice to know they can find a place to store their belongings until their new place is ready. Frequent visitors appreciate the convenience of the being able to leave some of their items in a safe and secure storage facility between trips into Kansas City, Missouri and in zip code 64114 there are numerous facilities offering many different options to meet everyone’s storage needs.

Sometimes it is just for a few day while work is done on their house or for a few weeks while they live in temporary housing. Space available include small 25-square-feet spots and range to larger facilities up to 200-square feet, enough to hold most household items. Some of the facilities even offer a pick up service, where customers pack their own belongings and the company picks it up and takes it to their storage units. These services can be especially useful for those who do not have access to a vehicle large enough to make it all in one trip. It also saves them on the cost of renting a truck or making several trips to the unit. Having safe 24-hour access to their belongings is also appreciated by those who choose to use storage facilities as their schedule may not always allow them to pick up or drop off items at the convenience of the storage site owners.

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Disclamer: This entry is intended to promote our partner StorageMart and some or all participants received compensation.

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Renting a self storage unit in Key West, FL makes sense for frequent visitors as well as those who routinely rent out their homes to tourists. Yet those that benefit the most are the owners of local time shares. Consider the fact that a time share in Key West, FL will permit you access to one of the most coveted vacation destinations in the nation. Consider further that – depending on the number of people traveling with your – you may have to spend a lot of time either driving cross country with your luggage or waiting endless hours at the airport terminal to retrieve your goods.

How much more sense does it make to rent a Key West, FL self storage unit and keep your vacation duds and equipment right there! No need to strap your mountain bike to the top of the car – it is right there! No need to load up your water skiing, diving, snorkeling and fishing gear which will do you no good for the rest of the year in Arizona – instead, keep it in a climate controlled self storage unit in Key West, FL and when your two or four weeks of time share time arrive, all you need to pack is your overnight bag with toothbrush and razor!

Imagine how quick you and your family of five will breeze in and out of the airport! Looking for Self Storage? Self Storage

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Self Storage Owner Customer Page
at http://www.selfstorageowner.com/documents/self_storage_customer.html

Self Storage Owner Location Page
at http://www.selfstorageowner.com/documents/locations.html

Self Storage Owner Blog
at http://www.selfstorageowner.com/blog/blog.php

Self Storage Owner Podcast
at http://www.selfstorageowner.com/podcast/podcast.php

Self Storage Owner Link Page
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Welcome to the Phone Smart blog an insider view of the secret shopping industry

But I’m not there

…Or the boxes.

…Also I have no idea what side of the street it’s on.

…And no, I can’t look at your bill and tell you how much you owe.

…But I can tell you how much a 10×10 costs! And isn’t that why you called me in the first place?

Self Storage Blog A diary of the self storage industry

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Self Storage Search Engine Self Storage in Utah

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Welcome to our Phone Smart call center blog and insider diary of the self-storage industry

Self Storage Blog A diary of the self storage industry

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