Do you want to cut down on costs and rent out a storage space together with your friends or colleagues? In theory that is such a great concept, but you need to bear in mind that it also has some disadvantages. Using a communal storage facility can sometimes cost you more money in the end, than renting one on your own. You can learn more about shared storage’s benefits and drawbacks in this article! So you can judge whether you should be sharing storage with friends or not! And if your moving date is coming up, there’s no need to panic! If you want your move to go as smoothly as possible, our New Orleans moving and storage experts are here for you. Without further ado, let’s start with the pros.
The pros of sharing storage with friends
To help you determine if sharing storage with friends is the right option for you, take a look at some of these pros and cons and decide for yourself. The pros certainly do look very appealing!
1. Shared storage facilities allow you to split the expenses and save money
Many people opt to store their belongings in communal storage facilities because it allows them to save up more money and have a larger space for their belongings. This may sound confusing now, but we’ll explain it in the next paragraph. If you can’t afford to rent a storage space on your own, consider doing it with some of your friends or family. At Lousianna storage what often happens is that a group of friends decides to travel abroad together for a period of time and they get a shared storage unit because it’s far cheaper than paying rent back home. If you’ve agreed to divide the expense with your friends, you may also do so on a pro-rata basis. Which is not an option for single self-storage units. If you’re on a limited budget, we’re sure you’ll appreciate the convenience and low cost of this option.
2. Shared units are much larger and you could actually store more of your stuff
Communal storage facilities are huge. The price is of course higher, but if you split it with friends, you’ll get actually get much more space for less money. If you’re looking to cut down on costs for your next move, this is an excellent chance. You’ll be able to store all of your possessions in this type of unit. Getting them out of the unit won’t be an issue, either. The only difference is that for big storage containers, standard measuring tapes fall short. And a laser tape would be the ideal choice. But don’t worry, you can get detailed laser tape instructions on the web.
3. You can store more large household goods
Big communal storage units may be a great way for you to keep your furniture or other larger household goods like carpets or gardening equipment. If you and your friends get along well, you will all be able to store most of your stuff while also saving money. But before you store your furniture, you need to prep it the right way. Many people are unfamiliar with how to properly store their furniture. If you don’t want the hassle, New Orleans local movers can prep and box your furniture for you and deliver them to your unit.
The cons of sharing storage with friends
Sharing is caring, right? Yes, but you need to be very careful who you are sharing with. Make sure you know all the rules of communal storage servicing before you get yourself into it.
1. Your friends can bail out on you
While it’s great that you and your friends can share the cost of the shared storage unit, remember that you’ll all get into trouble if one doesn’t pay on time. You may not expect future financial uncertainty, but in this day and age, nothing is for sure. So it’s better to be safe. If one of your friends doesn’t pay for his part for a long period of time, it could become a major problem. But we assume that you’ll only choose to store with people you know and trust. And only choose storage facilities that are recognized by the Better Business Bureau. This means that they are fully licensed and insured.
2. Sometimes, only one person can be in charge
It’s true that only one person oversees the storage facility. Because of this, for some people sharing storage with friends is out of the question. Some storage companies don’t allow it, but it’s always better if you sign the form together with your buddies. It’s best if you’re all responsible for the storage unit’s upkeep. This way, you’ll also be better prepared to maintain your trust in the future. There have been some recent reports of people stealing from their friends and getting away, so please be careful. They were only held accountable because their name was on the contract. Don’t share storage units with people you don’t know well. These things happen more often than you think.
3. You have to obey the communal storage rules
Because you share the place with others and are bound by certain rules, you can’t just do anything you want while you’re there. You must always be mindful of your own limitations. Don’t exploit the trust your friends put in you and expect the same from them. You also need to beware that even if you use the least amount of space in the storage unit, you’ll all have to split the cost. When you rent a storage space, it’s critical that everyone agrees on how much space everyone has. Make sure you and your friends are all on the same page. If you think that sharing storage with friends is not a good option for you and you don’t need much space, so you don’t want to rent out a whole storage unit, portable storage might be a better option for you. Look into that as a way of saving money instead of sharing.
