When renovating, relocating, or decluttering, one of the smartest steps you can take is to rent out a personal storage unit. Having one readily available gives you both the time and space to properly clean up and organize. However, there are restrictions on what’s allowed inside; certain items are dangerous or unsuitable to have at a storage facility. For both safety and legal liability, never attempt to put the following in a unit.

What to Keep Out of a Storage Unit

1. Perishables

Whether it’s dehydrated meat, dry grains, or kibble for your pet, food should never be placed in a storage unit. If any part of the container is even the slightest bit open, the scent will attract pests and critters who will wreak havoc on the other items you have in the unit.

Mold growth is also another possibility, as spores could grow on food. If that happens, the food could give off a strong smell that could attract more pests or create an uncomfortable breathing space for you when you retrieve items. For the same reasons, plants should also be omitted from the unit.

2. Hazardous Materials

To prevent an accident from occurring, you must keep flammable and toxic materials out of your unit. This list includes items like wood stains, paint, cleaning solutions, propane tanks, and gasoline. They all require considerable ventilation and controlled temperature settings. Even if you have a heat-controlled unit, it’s still too confining for all these items at once.

Gardening materials like fertilizers, herbicides, and insecticides, are also often flammable and require specific safety measures to store them away safely. 

3. Weapons & Explosives

As mentioned in the previous point, anything that can cause physical property damage isn’t permissible. Weapons and explosives certainly fall into this category, as well as ammunition and fireworks. These items are simply too dangerous to be kept in a storage unit and pose a risk to the facility as a whole.

For everything else that is safe to store, including clothes, furniture, and sports equipment, Publix Storage has the storage unit for you. Based in Anchorage, AK, they have five safe and secure storage facilities throughout the area, each with a variety of climate-controlled units. You can see what they have available on their website. To discuss unit sizes, call (907) 563-3636.