Choosing a Self Storage (or mini storage) facility in Colorado
Factors to Consider

When you need self storage or mini storage in Colorado, there are a few things that are important to consider:

  • Convenience
  • Quality
  • Security
  • Suitability - Location and Size

1) Is the facility convenient? If you need access to your stored 'stuff'', you probably want it near your office, shop, or residence. Say, for example, you are a contractor with tools and materials you work with regularly, or you need to get to active office files frequently, or you want to get to your skiis, snowmobile, boat, hunting and fishing gear or other 'toys' often, then you probably want a storage facility as close as possible to where you use them. On the other hand, if you don't need to get to your stored goods regularly, as is true for most of our self-storage or mini-storage customers, then you might prefer to go to a facility further away where prices are probably considerably cheaper. If, for example, you are storing the contents of your home while you are waiting to get into another one that you are buying or renting, then you probably will put your things in storage when you move in, and then take them out when your new place is ready, perhaps in a month or two or even considerably longer. In a span of more than 25 years in small communities throughout Colorado we've seen some of our customers put their belongings in our facilities once, shut the door, and the next time they open it, they are moving out of the self-storage or mini-storage facility. Importantly, prices are 25%-50% cheaper in small communities that are outside metropolitan areas, especially along the front range.

2) Is the self-storage or mini-storage facility of sufficient quality? Clearly, everyone want a quality self-storage or mini-storage facility. But what does that mean to you, relative to what you are storing and for how long you intend to store it? Colorado, virtually everywhere, is a very dry climate. Many facilities, especially in Front Range urban and suburban areas are 'climate-controlled' and, typically rents for units in these buildings are 20%-30% higher than those that are not (even if they are in the same building). Because Colorado has a dry climate virtually everywhere, very few of our possessions suffer 'humidity damage,' warping and the like. None of our facilities are climate controlled, and we've never heard of anyone having any damage done to the contents of their units by the elements.

3) Is the facility secure, typically with a gated perimeter, security fence with barbed or razor wire? Does it have security cameras? Night lighting? A full-time agent on the premisis? Etc.? Again, sometimes this is needed if, for example, you're storing precious gems or jewelry, furs (where you'd want temperature control), delicate electronics, etc. For most things customers place in self-storage or mini-storage, however, this is unnecessary (and costly). In only one instance in over 25 years, where a customer who was losing his possessions because he didn't pay his bills, did we have theft of the contents of a unit; and that was after we locked our customer out of his rented unit, and he himself broke into his own unit! Especially in small towns with owner operated self-storage or mini-storage facilities, security is based on common decency and people looking out for each other.

4) Lastly, is self-storage or mini-storage available where and in the size you want it? Colorado now has almost 5 million people living here. It is projected that in the next 35 years or so, the population will double to 10 million. Self-storage or mini-storage is already scarce. One recent customer, who was selling a home and waiting for a new one to be ready, told me that he could not find a 10' x 20' unit (he sold his 1600 sq.ft. home) within a half-hour drive from where he was going to live. The storage he could find, that might have met his needs was made up of three smaller units that totaled less than 200 sq. ft.. Fortunately, we had a larger unit available, and he moved in. Now he just has to have his new house completed.



StorageOne - Convenient Self Storage Locations in Colorado: