Self Storage: What Can and Cannot Be Stored

Whether you’re taking a year or two abroad, you’ve found you don’t have enough space for all your stuff and can’t bear to part with it, or if you’re heading home and leaving your uni digs behind for the summer, self storage can be a brilliant and secure solution to your problems. However, when it comes to packing up your belongings for storage, you need to be aware of the things you can and cannot store to ensure your things remains as safe as can be.
A Tick in the Box

Though the list for what you can’t store is going to seem long in a moment, the things that you can actually store we can assure is in fact longer. Just about anything is suitable for storage, from your settee to your office equipment, your mountain bike to your prized vinyl collection, even the kitchen sink if you should be so inclined, it’s all good to go.
The Nitty-Gritty

But here’s where things get a bit more specific. It’s very important you avoid storing the following items, as failure to comply to these regulations may result in refusal to store your possessions:

• Flammable, explosive or oxidising items. These include cleaning solvents, paints, oils, aerosol or gas canisters, fireworks and more.
• Food, animals or pets and any other perishable item. Rotting food or deceased animals will attract vermin to the storage facility that will ultimately compromise the security of not only your own possessions, but all the other customers using the facility as well.
• Firearms, ammunition, or any other weapon cannot be stored.
• Any illegal substance, item or illicitly acquired goods are prohibited from self-storage.
• Chemicals also aren’t allowed in self-storage, and this constitutes radioactive materials, biological agents, pollutants, or hazardous materials. Asbestos, for instance, comes under this restriction. Moreover, anything that emits fumes, smells or odours should be kept out of self storage to keep your stuff safe and fresh.

You should also avoid storing any important documents like passports or driving licences in self storage. Likewise, any item requiring specialist attention, such as fine art, money, or antiques you should consider not putting into your average self storage container; instead, discuss the possibility of storing these with your local facility and mull your options. Nevertheless, it’s always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to your more valuable possessions, so take care.

But at the end of the day, if you’re in doubt, leave it out. It isn’t worth compromising your items over.
Established in 1876, Darvills and Benns Removals are second-to-none in providing moving and storage solutions to Bradford, Halifax, and throughout West Yorkshire. Our personal storage facilities are spacious and affordable, with 24/7 CCTV monitoring so you can rest assured that your belongings are safe. For more information regarding either our storage facilities or our removals services, feel free to contact our friendly team today.