Cardinal Self Storage Blog

Back when we first opened in 2001, all contracts for moving into one of our storage units was done in person with hard copy paper leases. Now, almost contracts are completed over the phone with the Lease being signed electronically. Our process for renting a unit over the phone is detailed below. Initial contact is done over the phone when the customer calls to inquire about the availability of a storage unit of a particular size. If the customer has already visited our web site, unit availability can be checked by clicking the 'Unit Availability' button in the Main Menu Bar. We take all relevant personal information from the customer and enter it into our database; name, address, phone number, email address, etc. We notify the customer that we send out invoices approximately 10 days prior to the end of each month, that the Lease will come to them by email and that a Welcome Letter will also be sent to them by email. The Welcome Letter contains: Page 1 has a general welcome to Cardinal Self Storage with a thank you for renting with us. Page 2 has all of the instructions that will be needed to use the physical storage site and our web site. Rental payments can be made through the web site including setting up Autopay to make monthly automatic rent payments. Page 3 is a map of the Cardinal Self Storage site so that the customer can locate the unit or outside storage space that they just rented. Page 4 is a picture of the Entry Keypad for the site so that the customer can see what to look for to gain entry to the site. A Gate Code is used to enter and exit the site. Page 5 is a picture of the Exit Keypad for the site so that the customer can see what to look for to exit the site when ready. Page 6 is a screen capture showing the sample email that the customer will receive with the link to the rental lease that needs to be electronically signed. Page 7 shows a sample of Page One of the Lease showing the blue 'Sign' button that is clicked to go to the signature page. Page 8 shows a sample electronic Signature page with instructions on how to use it. Page 9 show the Congratulations page that shows that the signature was accepted and the process is complete. During the phone call we request that the customer take a picture of the front of their Driver's License or ID card and text it the Cardinal Self Storage business phone number. This can be done during or after the phone call. Also, we give the customer a Gate Code for them to use to access the site. After all customer information has been entered into the database, we take the initial Move In monthly payment. We prorate the first month's rent so that customer only pays for the part of the Move In month that is left. We don't prorate the Move Out month...the rental period at Cardinal is monthly. Payment can be made by debit or credit card. We take Discover, American Express, Visa and MasterCard. A receipt is sent to the customer by email. Once all of this is complete, the only thing that is left to do is for the customer to open the Lease email, click on the link to open the Lease and then electronically sign it. After the Lease is signed, Cardinal Self Storage and the customer received a copy of the signed Lease by email. This sounds like a lot, but the whole process only takes about 10 to 15 minutes. All of this can be accomplished on a home computer, a tablet or a cell phone.

Access to your stored items: Store items you'll need most often at the front of the unit. When you pack your storage unit, create a center aisle for access to all items. Space saving and keeping things fresh: Do not place boxes directly on concrete floors, but use pallets or skids to allow air flow around and under items. If you're storing tables and other furniture, remove legs and store tabletops and sofas on end to save space (as long as standing the sofa on end will not mash flat the end of the arm; depends on the style of the sofa). Or if you cannot remove the table legs, at least you can then stack boxes and other items on top of the table and below it on the floor. However, be careful not to overload the table. Storage caution and photo suggestion: Never store a love seat upside down on top of your sofa. The weight of the love seat will mash down the arms of the love seat and the cushions and the back of the sofa. The smashed cushions will rebound to their original shape. Both the sofa and the love seat will be ruined. Old photographs tend to curl over time. To keep them flat, place them between two pieces of cardboard and tape them together. What not to store in your unit for best safety practices: Drain gasoline and oil from lawn mowers and other items with small engines. Common sense and state law determines what may be stored. You alone control access to your storage space therefore never store firearms, illicit drugs or drug paraphernalia, live animals, perishables, liquids, explosives, flammable liquids and fuels, toxic materials, or other items that need a controlled environment.

PROTECTION PADDING AND WRAPS Wrap furniture legs with protective bubble wrap, furniture covers or pads to prevent scratching. Leave slipcovers on upholstered chairs and cover them with plastic chair covers. Tape or tie bed rails together. Mark the pieces for easier assembly later. Place covers or plastic bags on mattresses to keep them clean during storage. TAKE ADVANTAGE of USEFUL SPACE Use valuable space inside dresser drawers and larger appliances, such as stoves and refrigerators, to store small items such as towels, linens and small, fragile items. Secure items in drawer by filling empty spaces with towels or packing paper. PACKING BOXES AND PACKING Pack as much as you can in the same size boxes. Fill boxes tightly, but take care to neither over pack nor under pack. (Bulging cartons tip when stacked, while half full boxes tend to collapse). Use wadded up newsprint, bubble wrap, rags, towels, or blankets to fill in empty spaces. For maximum protection seal cartons with tape. Use lots of paper to pack dishes and glassware. Place a layer of packing paper inside the bottom and top of cartons. Wrap each dish and glass separately and cushion them with crumpled paper. Plates are best stacked on edge. LABELING Label boxes on all sides for easy identification. Keep a list (as well as pictures and descriptions) at your home or office for reference. Mark clearly all boxes containing fragile items. Make sure fragile boxes are placed on top of heavier, less delicate boxes.

THE DECISION THAT ALWAYS EXISTS To stuff or not to stuff your storage unit up to the ceiling and front to back...That is the question? Sorry about the Shakespeare reference. This is the question that every storage customer has to ask themselves when trying to decide what size unit would be best suited for them. It all stems from the concept of having access to your "stuff" during the rental period. GOING TO NEED ACCESS If you are going to need access to some of your stored items during the rental period then you will have to have a unit that is large enough to allow you to leave a pathway throughout the unit. This pathway will allow you to gain access to most everything in the unit without having to perform a major unpack of the unit to get to the one item that you seek. Usually this method is needed for a long term stay. DON’T NEED ACCESS However, if you don't need access to your stored items until you vacate the unit, then you will be free to pack the unit from floor to ceiling and wall to wall. An example of a reason for using this method is if you are remodeling or moving from one house to another, then this might be the method that would work best for you. SHORT TERM vs. LONG TERM STORAGE From what I just described above, you would think that the decision comes down to a short term vs. long term storage period. However, access to your stored items is the key. We have had customers that stayed for months but did not allow for a pathway throughout the unit...they just decided that they didn't need access to the stored items until they moved out. QUICK DECISION OR NOT You might think that this would be an off the cuff, quick decision, but you should give it some serious consideration. Because...later on, if you picked the 'non-pathway' method and you suddenly need a certain personal item or some important document (the deed to the house that you are selling) and you don't know exactly where this item is located in the unit, then the next step is a time consuming unpack...and repack...of the unit. An understatement is to say…that’s a pain. COME BY AND SEE US I hope this simple discussion will be helpful when you stop by to rent a storage unit from us at Cardinal Self Storage, Anderson, IN. https://cardinal-self-storage.com or call 765-622-9639