Storage units are an ideal solution to help clear out some living space in your home, or to serve as short term solutions for holding items when you're moving. However, there are three main types of storage units that you can choose to rent, each of which has a slightly different set of features despite providing similar functions. Understanding the differences between the available types of storage units can help you choose the one that best suits your self-storage needs.

Drive-Up Storage Units

Drive-up storage units are exactly what their name would suggest: storage units that you can drive right up to and load your things into. They are basically the same thing as garages, and are ideal for loading heavy and large items into as you can simply back a moving or pickup truck right to their door. The ease with which you can access drive-up storage units makes them ideal for short term storage, especially when moving houses, as they can hold your bulkier pieces of furniture. Drive-up storage units are also a good idea for long term storage of durable items, such as building materials or power tools.

Indoor Storage Units

Indoor storage units are ideal for those looking for a certain degree of security and protection for their items. Most indoor storage units are indoors because they are hooked up to a central heating and cooling system, which allows for you to maintain the temperature and humidity level within your unit. This provides an added layer of protection against rust, mold, and pests, all of which can cause significant damage for your items over the long term. Furthermore, maintaining a consistent temperature level within your storage unit can help reduce or prevent temperature fluctuation damage, which can cause a significant amount of damage to furniture, especially antiques. Indoor storage units are also ideal for collectibles and more fragile small items, like books and stamp collections.

Outdoor Storage Units

Outdoor storage units are exactly what you imagine what they are: spots in a large, secured outdoor lot or storage area that are ideal for storing large vehicles. Some types of outdoor storage comes with storage to protect your vehicles, especially boats and classic cars, from snow, but most are just simple empty lots. These are also ideal for RV owners, as many outdoor moving and storage units come with sewage and water hookups so that you don't have to drain your vehicle's plumbing for long term storage.