The Biggest Self Storage Companies Reviewed

Who Are The Self Storage Industry Leaders?

Are you going to be buying or selling a home and know you will have a need for self storage? When you’re looking for storage units, it isn’t a bad idea to check the biggest companies around. They should have a better reputation for service and reliability, and that could be the reason they’ve grown to become market leaders.

In order to find one, lots of folks will turn to Google and type in something like storage units near me in order to find a reputable company nearby. Doing this kind of search should give you quite a few options for storage companies to choose from.

Let’s review what the largest players in the self-storage industry have to offer. When it comes to finding a storage unit, doing your due diligence is certainly wise. The companies below are the largest in the storage industry and have sterling reputations.

Public Storage

When searching for storage units near me, you might find one of the largest operators. Public Storage has around 2,500 locations with the largest amount of rental space of any storage business. They have been in business since 1972, which should be plenty of time to learn what customers want from their storage unit.

You may be able to benefit from a $1 deal on your first month of storage. They have 12 different unit sizes to choose from to perfectly fit your storage requirements without renting more than you need.

Extra Space Storage

A slightly smaller storage business than Public, Extra Space Storage boasts around 1,700 locations across the country. They have pioneered many security measures that are now considered standard features of any storage facility. So you can expect a manager on-site, security cameras, and code access entry to protect your possessions.

If you need more security, they offer alarmed units for extra peace of mind. If you need to rent a truck, Extra Storage has partnered with Budget to give you a 20 percent discount on your rentals.

U-Haul

While U-Haul is well known for its moving trucks, they also offer customers storage facilities all over North America. If you are looking for a storage unit close by, they should have something available. They offer climate-controlled units as well as options to cover most types of items you might need to store. If you want to store an RV, boat, or possessions like artwork or wine, they can help with specialized storage.

One of the advantages of using U-Haul is the 24-hour access to storage units in most of their facilities. If this is something you are looking for from your storage provider, they could be a perfect choice.

To making storage easier, U-Haul has storage containers that they deliver for you to fill. When you have put all your items in the container, they will collect and take it to their secure facility until you ask them to bring it back.

Life Storage

The fourth-largest storage business in America, Life Storage, operates from around 850 locations. The company traces its history back to 1982 when it started out as Sovran Self Storage. Later, rebranding as Bob’s Self Storage, the business grew to hundreds of locations and rebranded again in 2016 as Life Storage.

There are many sizes of storage units available to suit your requirements, and they offer contracts on a month-by-month basis for flexibility. If you don’t know what size of the unit is right for your needs, they provide an online guide to make sure your needs are met.

CubeSmart

CubeSmart has been in business since 2006, with more than 500 locations offering storage in convenient locations around the country. They offer some rather enticing discounts for new customers. You can benefit from 15 percent off or your first month for free when you rent with them.

Cubesmart provides a discount on truck rentals, too, through their partnership with Penske offering 10 percent discounts. Some locations may even offer you free truck rental to help make using their storage units easier.

Simply Self Storage

Simply Self Storage operates in 23 states providing over 8 million square feet of storage for customers. Though they are smaller than the other operators on our list, they do offer some unique benefits. Users of this storage business benefit from automatic insurance coverage of up to $2,000 for the items kept in their units.

If you don’t have many items that you need to store, they have you covered with storage options available for only a few boxes.

Tips For Choosing a Storage Company

Obviously, you will want to pick the right storage company for your exact needs. There are some considerations to think about when choosing the right storage company. Here are some things you may want to check on:

• Does the company offer 24-hour access to your things? Some companies offer 24-hour service, and others don’t.
• Is there an option to have a climate-controlled unit? If you have valuables or things that can easily get spoiled, having the option of climate control will be critical.
• Can the facility store a car, boat, or other large items. Again, some storage companies can accommodate these things, while others can’t.
• Asking what size storage units are available will probably be a key consideration.

Other Storage Options to Consider

While getting a storage unit in a facility near your home is one of the most popular storage options, you might opt for something different. Another choice that people often make for their storage needs is renting a POD. The biggest advantage of renting a POD is having access to your things right from your own yard.

Sometimes it beats getting in your vehicle and driving miles away to access your things. Of course, you should compare all the pros and cons of going with a storage unit vs. a POD before making a final decision.

Who is Utilizing Self-Storage Facilities?

Without a doubt, the self-storage industry has exploded over the last decade. Storage companies are popping up all over the place in cities and towns across America. It has become a booming business, for sure. Much of the demand for self-storage has come from boomers, gen Xers and those who are relocating.

If you are going to be buying or selling a home, checking out a storage facility can certainly be worthwhile. For home sellers, it gets your place show-ready. Buyers are able to picture their possessions in your home far easier than they would otherwise. For those who are renting and hoping to become home buyers having storage can make things easier if you need to make an interim move.

Final Thoughts on Self Storage Companies

Large storage companies have a lot to offer customers. They’ve beaten many competitors to get to where they are and continue to provide good service and great offers to attract customers. If you live near a city, you should have a few options to choose from out of the companies we’ve looked at.

When looking for storage, compare what they offer and the costs involved to find the most suitable unit for you. Hopefully, you have found this review of the largest storage companies to be useful. Take your time and don’t rush into things when picking a storage facility.

Other Helpful Moving & Storage Resources

• How To Save Money When Moving
• Tips For Moving With Pets via Anita Clark
• Things To Know When Moving To Rochester NY
• Helpful Household Moving Tips via Paul Sian

About the author: The above article on “The Biggest Self Storage Companies Reviewed” was written by Bill Gassett. Bill has been working in the real estate industry for the past thirty-three years. He works for RE/MAX Executive Realty in Hopkinton Massachusetts. Bill loves providing trustworthy information to buyers, sellers, and fellow real estate agents to make the best possible decisions. His writing has been featured on RIS Media, National Association of Realtors, Inman News, Placester, Today.com, Credit Sesame, and others.

About Rochester’s Real Estate Blog: Rochester’s Real Estate Blog is owned and operated by Kyle Hiscock of the Hiscock Sold Team at RE/MAX Realty Group.  With over 40 years combined experience, if you’re thinking of selling or buying, we’d love to share our knowledge and expertise.

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