Self Storage

Self-storage

Self-storage (also called mini-storage) businesses rent small (typically uninhabitable) storerooms in which customers can store personal or business affects that cannot be accommodated in the customer's usual space. Industry surveys indicate that 44% of clients are moving, 34% don't have enough space currently and 15% of clients are people with business needs.

In a typical self-storage facility, the customer locks his storeroom (unit, in industry jargon) with a padlock for which he holds the only key. Access to the facility is controlled either by staff or by electronic gates, for which the customer will have a key or code.

Units vary in size from a closet (5'x5'x5' -- 125 cubic feet) to enough for a large home in transition (10'x10'x20' or more). Facitilities vary greatly in age and services. Some sites have ground-level doors large enough to accomdate cars, RVs, smaller recreational vehicles, boats and skidoos. Some facilities are climate-controlled; others are not.

Public storage facilities

A facility to store clothing, bags, suitcases, or various belongings is often provided in train stations, theatres, schools, swimming pools, saunas, libraries, etc., and sometimes in shops.

It may be called left-luggage, cloakroom, locker room, etc.

For access control there may either be an attendant who provides a ticket, or a storage compartment can be locked with a key (a traditional key or a keycard), or it has a combination lock. Sometimes a fingerprint scanner is used.

The facility is sometimes compulsory for large bags and for coats in a museum or shop, to prevent theft.

The facility may be free of charge or require a fee; even if it is free of charge, one may have to pay a deposit for the key.

In swimming pools and saunas the key is attached to a strap, to be attached to a wrist or ankle.