Self-storing a vehicle that’s only used seasonally or periodically is a smart idea.

Studies show that far more accidents occur in your driveway or out on the street than in a secure Columbus storage facility. And if you live in an urban area or apartment, finding space to park your vehicle for extended periods of time can be difficult or even impossible.

The advantages to renting vehicle storage space at Westbelt Storage are many:

• Rent the space for as long or as short as you need it. If you are storing a boat or classic car, for instance, you may wish to keep it at your home during the summer months, but need to store it for the other nine months of the year. You only need to rent the space for nine months, then.

• Westbelt Storage offers secure storage. Unlike your home property, there is a security fence surrounding the storage area, accessible only through a code-protected front gate. The grounds are well-lit at night and security cameras monitor and record activity on premises.

• Some insurance companies will offer reduced rates, if you store your vehicle in a secure off-site location.

• Westbelt Storage offers better protection from the elements and traffic than does storing your vehicle in your driveway or in front of your house, where other cars go by daily.

• Westbelt Storage offers both indoor and outdoor vehicle storage options.

• By storing your vehicle at our Hilliard Self Storage, you open up space at your home that you can either simply leave empty or use for some other purpose… like putting up a basketball hoop and backboard for your kids to play!

You can make best use of your storage space by defining the features you need. A large boat, for instance, does not need to be stored indoors, but a vintage car would be better protected inside a storage garage. A less expensive vehicle (a pontoon boat, for instance, as opposed to a yacht) is also a good candidate for outdoor storage.

Do you have a cover or tarp to wrap over your vehicle? This will help further protect it from sun, rain, snow and dust.

Make sure to measure the dimensions of your vehicle carefully. Bear in mind that the door may be narrower or lower than the dimensions of the self storage unit you rent. For example, if you are planning to store a zero-turn mower for the winter, the mower itself may fit through the entrance just fine, but the trailer you used to haul it may have too wide a bed.

If you need frequent access to your vehicle, consider renting space closer to the entrance. But if you’ll need only limited access, it might be a better idea to rent a unit further away from all the traffic near the entrance gate.

For liability purposes and for your protection, Westbelt Storage requires that

• Any wheeled vehicle be in drivable condition. You can store it securely on a trailer, but you may not place it on cinder blocks.

• Tires must be kept inflated and in good condition.

• Your vehicle must be registered and insured (you will need to provide proof of this).

• You may not use any storage unit as a workshop to repair your vehicle, since Columbus storage facilities are not set up to dispose of motor oil and other chemicals solvents.

Call Westbelt Storage today at 614-777-9511 and tell us about your vehicle storage needs. Our facility manager will help you to determine your best and most cost-effective options for storing your car, boat, truck, mower or van.

Because Hilliard’s Westbelt Storage offers units in five different sizes, we can meet all your self storage needs. It is important to calculate your current and future storage requirements carefully, so you rent the correct-sized unit or multiple storage units. You don’t want to pay for room you don’t use, yet you want to make sure you have a little extra space as a buffer in case you miscalculated or if your storage needs grow.

Here is a basic guide to help you determine your needs when you rent a unit at our Columbus storage facility.

10’ x 5’ (50 square feet): Smaller units are excellent for small and medium boxes, office supplies, hand or garden tools and excess business inventory. It can also hold the furnishings of one bedroom.

10’ x 10’ (100 square feet): This size unit can hold a living room or family room full of furniture. It can also hold the furnishings and contents of a typical home office, such as shelves, desk, lamps, equipment, chairs, etc.

10’ x 15’ (150 square feet): This mid-sized unit can comfortably accommodate the contents of up to three bedrooms, including not only the furnishings, but also the contents of a bedroom, like linens, clothing and personal items.

10’ x 20’ (200 square feet): This is our second to largest unit. It stores the contents of a typical 5-bedroom home. It can also hold several years’ worth of business files, making it perfect for professionals who must keep paper records, like lawyers, accountants and doctors.

10’ x 30’ (300 square feet): This is our largest unit and can store the contents of a large house, as well as a grand piano, a home office, etc. It is also large enough to hold a car and other items you may currently store in your garage.

Maximize your storage space by utilizing the vertical height of your unit. Although the door is only 8 ft high, the ceiling height of the interior is around 10 ft. Pack items in extra-sturdy storage boxes so they can be stacked one on top of another.

You can also make use of the vertical space with heavy-duty storage shelves inside the unit. This will help to insure that you also have space in the unit to move around once your items are stored, and it provides easy access to items stored at the back of the unit.

As your storage needs grow, you can always add additional units.

Call your Hilliard Self Storage today at (614) 777-9511 to discuss your specific needs.

When you choose to use a self storage facility you should expect that your personal property will be safe.  You should insist that the self storage facility offer you certain areas of protection.  Without such protection you are putting your personal property at risk for theft, vandalism or other damage.

You have to be aware that in some instances security requires a small inconvenience to you.  For example, you may have to enter a code at the gate to get into the facility instead of just being able to drive in.  You should be prepared to sacrifice quick access to your personal property if it means that the self storage facility has implemented security features that ensure the security of your personal property.

There are five specific security features that you need to look for in a self storage facility.  These top five security features will help you to know that your property is well protected and in good hands.  You can relax about leaving your property in the storage unit because you will know that nobody, but you will have access to it.

The first security feature to look for is that your unit is protected by either a lock or has code access only.  You do not want open units, even if there is a locked gate.  Your individual unit must have its own locking system in place to ensure that there is no way to access it without a key or code.

The second security feature you want your self storage unit facility to have is a locked gate.  The gate should feature a key code entry.  This helps ensure that nobody can get into the facility without the key code.  Unlocked gates leave the units open for vandalism or break ins.  It is much easier for someone to break into individual units if there is no locked gate around the whole facility.

The third security feature you need is strong overall fencing and good lighting.  A strong fence keeps people out and prevents jumping over the fence to access the units.  Lighting is a good deterrent for would be thieves.  A well lit area is less likely to suffer from vandals or thefts than an area that is not well lit.  You should make sure to visit your unit after dark to ensure that your particular unit is well lit and that lighting is not limited to just the front of the facility.

The fourth security feature that will help keep your property safe is video camera surveillance.  It is important that the facility has real, operating security cameras and not just dummy cameras.  If something would happen, video evidence can help you get your property back quickly.  Video surveillance is a great deterrent for crime, also.

The last thing you should expect from a good self storage facility is an onsite manager and security guards.  The presence of an actual person will be the best way to keep your property safe.  Having someone onsite at all times means that someone is always watching over the units and that anyone gaining access to the facility illegally will be caught and prevented from doing harm to any of the units or personal property.

Security at self storage facilities is of the greatest importance.  Storage units left open, without strict security are a prime target for thieves and vandals.  Usually when you sign the storage contract you also limit the liability of the storage facility owner, so if something would happen to your personal property you may not even be able to get compensated for it.  Choosing a facility with strong security measures in place will just help you to ensure your personal property is safe.

Have you outgrown your home or apartment and just don’t have anymore room to store things? You’re not alone. Thousands of people have faced the same dilemma and have chosen a Columbus self-storage facility as the solution to their problem.

Self-storage is so popular now that a competitive industry has developed all over the country in order to provide top-notch storage services and facilities.

So what is self-storage? Very simply, it’s renting one or more specific sized rooms that allow you to store items you want to hold on to but can’t (or don’t want to) keep at home. These storage rooms resemble garages.  They are clean, dry and secure. Some are even temperature and humidity controlled.

Most Columbus storage facilities offer different sized units ranging from fairly small (5’ by 5’) to fairly large (10’ by 30’). This means you can rent just the space you actually need. And if you need more space over time, you can move to a larger unit or add additional units.

Self-storage units are rented on a month-to-month basis, so you only pay for as long as you need it. This is great, because it doesn’t lock you into a long rental period. On the other hand, if you need storage space for an extended period of time, you can usually get a discount if you prepay or make a long term commitment. This is also the case if you need to rent multiple units.

Columbus storage facilities make paying your monthly rent easy. They accept cash, check and all major credit cards. Payments are due at the beginning of each month. Many facilities also offer the convenience of automatic monthly transaction.

Self-storage puts you in control of how you use the space you rent. You’re the one who moves items in and out of the unit, unless you hire movers to do it for you. Otherwise, though, it’s the same as a storage room in your house, only it’s offsite. You are the only one with access to the unit. During the rental period, you can access the space 24/7 without any additional charges.

Your items are secure because the entire storage facility is surrounded by tall perimeter fencing. The only way to enter the compound is through a security gate which can only be opened with a computerized access code. Storage facilities also provide bright security lights at night and surveillance cameras that record all activity.

Most Columbus storage facilities have concrete aprons surrounding the storage buildings and paved driveways, so you can drive your vehicle right up to your unit’s door. Even when it rains you don’t have to worry about getting muddy. Best of all, your storage unit is private: it’s your space and you don’t share it with anyone else. No one, not even the facility’s owner, has access to your unit.

So why would you want to rent a self storage room? Maybe you have children off to college, but they aren’t ready to take all their possessions with them yet. Or perhaps you are moving to a smaller home and need a secure place to keep items you know you’ll need sometime in the future. Maybe your garage is overflowing, and you want some extra room during the winter to store lawn furniture and garden equipment. There are hundreds of reasons why renting self-storage units is a smart move.

With so many people living lives of increased mobility, it’s comforting to know that services like self-storage are available to help you through transitional periods. Columbus storage units can be found all over town – most likely a facility is located near your home or apartment.

A self storage facility is an option that can help small businesses save money, and provides an added measure of convenience.  Self storage facilities are more affordable than offices, and can provide a relatively inexpensive way to store inventory and supplies.  This saves you space, and can keep your home office or business site from looking more like a warehouse than a place of business.

Why Businesses Rent Storage

One of the principal reasons that small businesses rent storage space is to save money.  If you rent an office of your own, you should realize that office rental costs about twice as much as storage space rental per square foot.  It’s a far more cost effective option to lease a small office, and rent space for long term storage.

Office based businesses aren’t the only ones that benefit from storage space rental.  Renting storage space can be an attractive option for any type of small operation with a need to store supplies or equipment offsite, or who want to have a secure location separate from the main work area.

What Kinds of Businesses Benefit from Self Storage?

There are many types of businesses that benefit from self storage.  Home based businesses that carry inventory or store records are one example.  Those who are in direct sales with products that take up too much room to store at home, or who regularly make presentations at a nearby site, may benefit from a self storage unit.  Home based businesses that must archive documents, like freelance paralegals and bookkeepers, can also save space and safely and securely store these documents offsite.

Contractors and landscapers can also benefit from self storage.  A self storage until is a great place to store equipment if you don’t have room at home or the main office site.  If you work out of a truck, a storage unit is a great place to store your equipment and meet potential clients in a secure location with parking available.

Where to Find Storage

When looking for a self storage unit, consider the convenience of the location.  Start by looking online for self storage companies in your area.  Chances are there are several companies nearby, and most larger companies will detail the locations on their websites.  This will also give you a chance to check out any special deals that may be available.

Getting the Best Deal

Because self storage businesses are highly competitive, they’re always looking for ways to attract new customers.  To get the best deal, make sure you ask the representative about any deals or specials; don’t wait for them to offer this information.  Many times the terms are negotiable, so be prepared with a counteroffer and make sure to let the sales representative know if you’ve found a better deal elsewhere.  This will give you leverage to negotiate to get cheaper storage at your ideal site.

Another thing to remember is that some companies pay you for referrals.  So, if you have associates with a similar type of business who could also benefit from self storage, it may pay to recommend the storage company you use.  Looking online is another simple way to find deals, since many companies try to attract Internet shoppers with special online-only deals and discounts.

A self storage unit is a cost cutting and space saving measure that can benefit many kinds of small or home based businesses.  With a little homework, you’ll be able to find the least expensive and most convenient storage space for your small business needs.

Home business entrepreneurs know that drawing a boundary between work and play is a challenge. It’s one thing to have a home office where you can shut the door to the rest of the house, but it’s quite another, if you need to keep inventory on hand for daily shipping.

Smart home business owners realize that renting a unit in a Columbus self storage facility is convenient and inexpensive. But it’s also scaleable with the growth of your business and can help you separate your home life from business ventures.

Columbus storage units are simply a clean and dry space that you can access 24/7. If your business is cyclical, you can rent more or less space as you need it during the year. You have access to your storage unit day or night, and you won’t have to pay any access fees. Most importantly, you don’t share your space with anyone else.

If you use your storage units for your home business, there’s an extra benefit you get to enjoy: you can deduct the monthly rental fee from your taxes as a business expense.

You can set up the storage unit not only as a mini-warehouse, but also as a packing facility. Shippers like UPS and FedEx are happy to schedule pickups at a Columbus storage facility. So rather than showing up at your home, they come to you and your inventory. Some Columbus storage facilities make office space available to their customers, so you can use a computer and fax on site to print labels and invoices.

Your inventory and equipment is very secure in a Columbus storage facility. Most self storages are enclosed within a tall perimeter fence and have computerized entry gates for access. When you rent a unit you get a unique entry code. The facilities are well-lit at night and have security cameras monitoring all activity on the premises. Every tenant has their own lock and the self storage operator does not have a master key to your unit.

Better storage facilities have paved aprons around the units that make dropping off or picking up items convenient and clean. Some storage room are temperature and humidity controlled. Larger public storage facilities are staffed during regular business hours, which helps when you want something dropped off or picked up and you can’t be there.

You can pay the monthly fee with cash, check or credit card. Many facilities offer convenient automatic payment options. You will need to provide your own insurance for your inventory, but most Columbus storage facilities offer storage insurance plans.

When you select a Columbus storage facility for your home business, ask the following eight questions:

1.Is the facility close to where I live?
2.Does it offer 24/7 access?
3.Are there any “hidden” charges beyond the monthly rent?
4.Is the facility clean and is the management professional?
5.Can shippers pick up or drop off shipments?
6.Are there various size units available?
7.Does management offer discounts for long term rental or for multiple units?
8.What security measures are in place?

If you own a business that’s bursting at the seams and you just can’t keep up with inventory levels at your current location, then renting a Columbus storage unit may be the answer you’ve been looking for.

Self storage facilities provide a secure and clean space that you can access day and night. It’s scaleable with the growth of your business. Whenever you need more space, you simply rent an additional unit. Should you have to down size, you can cancel a storage unit. Most rental contracts for Columbus storage facilities are month to month.

You have access to your storage unit whenever you want, and you won’t have to pay any access fees. Of course, you don’t share the space with anyone else.

Self storage is an affordable alternative for many commercial operation. If you’re a contractor or landscaper, you can use a facility to store your equipment overnight, and you can keep supplies in storage so they’re readily available when you need them.

If you’re an accountant or attorney, you might have years worth of papers and files that have to be stored securely for a long time. And if you’re a retailer, you may need a place to store your holiday inventory, even though it’s only May.

Whatever you keep at Columbus storage is secure. Most storage buildings are within tall perimeter fencing, and have computerized entry gates that track who is coming in and out. Facilities are usually well lit at night and have security cameras monitoring all activity on the premises.

Modern storage facilities offer paved parking spaces between the storage buildings. Some buildings come with climate and humidity control. Urban storage facilities are typically staffed during regular business hours, which helps if someone wants to drop off or pick up a package.

Although Columbus storage facilities offer separate renters insurance, I recommend you have your own insurance for your expensive business equipment. Just like with parking, self storage operators are not liable for damage to your parked vehicles or the equipment you store on site.

As a commercial storage customer you can usually negotiate a discount when you rent a self storage unit for a long time. Most businesses remain permanent tenants and rent for more than a year. In that case the owner of the self storage facility will be glad to quote a special rate, if you pre-pay for 6 months or if you have your monthly payment automatically drawn from your credit card or business account.

Columbus storage facilities offer plenty of room at very affordable rates for commercial business owners to save money, if they need additional or off-site space to store their inventory or documents.

INTERNET SPECIAL

Rent a 10 x 15 storage unit for only $79 per month, if you reserve online.

Only a limited number of units are available!

Click on the RENT NOW button to see all our everyday low rates.

Reserve today! Call 777-9511!

Westbelt Storage is conveniently located at the Roberts Road Exit of I-270, at 4445 Old Roberts Road, Columbus, OH 43228.

Click here for directions!