Space is funny as it creates more stuff than life. You are having a good day then the next thing you find yourself crawling around the cardboard boxes that are taller than you are, just to get to the kitchen kettle. Sound familiar?

Self storage units have been sneaking up to become a savior to millions not only to the hoarders or those in the middle of a move but to the entrepreneurs, the collectors, the grieving families clearing out the estate and all in between. The demand is real. The possibilities are daunting. And the errors that men commit? Surprisingly consistent.

The greatest myth is that there is equality in facilities. They are not at all.

Enter a facility that is not well maintained and you have flickering lights, sticky floors and a security gate that opens when you look at it sideways. Enter one that is properly done and it is nearly… comforting. It is a big difference when your possessions are lying there unattended months.

One thing that people never get right is temperature. Humidity by itself can spoil furniture, bend guitars, rust electronics and ruin documents. Storage is a little more expensive each month due to climate control. However, weigh that price against the expense of replacing a collection of old records or the photos of family damaged by water – all of a sudden it seems like the no-brainer.

The puzzle of getting the unit size is in itself. Go too small, you do weekend gymnastics to get anything out of the back. Get too big and you pay to air out empty space. A useful tip: write down all the things you are going to store, find a simple sizing guide on the Internet, and increase it by a size. Buffer space is not lost, it is sanity that is kept.

Do not omit security audit. Point-blank question: Do we have cameras being monitored in real-time or are they just recorded? Do units have individual alarms? What occurs during the time of night? An establishment that answers simple questions with cagey answers is likely to have something to hide – or simply something to be ashamed about.

Contracts are to be read slowly and gradually. Bait, that is, promotional rates. The actual expense usually comes to light in the second or third month when rate changes come into play. Always enquire on the frequency of reviewing and the amount by which prices are reviewed.

Accessibility is a stumbling block to business owners. Drive-up access is not an option when you are loading product three times a week, it is a must.

See before you sign. In person. Professionally styled fiction constitutes half of the time on the Web site photos. Appear, get on the floor, open a unit door and follow your gut.

Storage well is breathing room. Moved in a haphazard manner, it only moves the mess about.