What Cannot Be Stored in a Storage Unit?
Lock Box Self Storage
April 10th, 2023
Moving your stuff into a storage unit is an exciting and extensive process. You must pack everything into boxes, take inventory, and pick the right size locker for your belongings. On top of this process, it’s critical to remember some items cannot go inside a storage unit for practical and liability-related reasons. What things cannot go in a storage unit?
If you’re interested in learning more about what cannot go in a storage unit, you’ve come to the right place. Read on to learn more about the items that should never go in a storage unit. Although there might be some locations with different rules, most storage unit companies do not want these inside their buildings.
Items that Cannot Be Stored in a Storage Unit
Food
Food is a no-go in a storage locker. Some locations permit non-perishables, but most exclude food altogether. Perishable food items are the worst. These include foods that need refrigeration or that aren’t properly sealed inside containers for storage.
The worst food inside a locker includes:
- Fruits and vegetables
- Proteins
- Various forms of bread
These will rot and create a disastrous situation in your locker.
Some lockers aren’t sealed completely. If you leave food inside your locker and it rots, the smell will attract bugs and other critters who want to eat your snack. The food may also grow mold, which could then make its way onto your other belongings. Avoid perishable food in a storage locker at all costs.
Living Things
Living things don’t belong inside a storage locker. Whether you’re considering living inside a unit or making it a home for plants or animals, don’t do it. A storage locker is not a proper living location, and there could be disastrous results.
If you have plants, keep them out. Flora needs sunlight and water to survive and won’t last long in dark and airtight conditions.
If you have pets, keep them out of the locker. Placing them inside is cruel and could result in criminal charges.
Lastly, do not live in a storage locker. Although it might seem the ideal place to call home, storage companies do not permit individuals to occupy a storage unit like an apartment. You will be removed from the premises.
Stolen Goods or Drugs
If you obtained stolen items, you can’t put them in your storage locker. It’s illegal to have these items in your possession and putting them in a storage locker is one of the worst things you could do for yourself. If we discover stolen items, they will be reported. Do not put stolen items or illegal drugs in your locker. The consequences will be severe. There is little point in attempting to sneak them in without suspicion.
Weapons and Ammunition
Other items you cannot have in your storage locker are weapons and ammunition. Although there are some exceptions to the rule, most storage lockers do not allow firearms, ammunition, explosives, and anything else that could harm other individuals. Storage lockers do not want to be responsible for injury from these items.
Weapons and ammunition include items like:
- Hand grenades
- Land mines
- Handguns
- Bullets
- Mortar shells
These are not permitted inside a storage locker.
If it’s a weapon, don’t put it in the storage unit. There might be an assumption you will do bad things with these weapons. It also places employees and other users at risk if someone stole your firearms and ammunition. Remain on the safe side and keep your items somewhere else, locked away where no one will access them.
Wet Items
Wet items should not go inside the storage locker. If items are damp and are left inside the room, there is a chance they will grow mold and mildew over time. This growth could spread to your belongings and potentially harm the storage locker, leaving repairs on the locker’s hands.
Wet items may include:
- Surfboards
- Towels
- Scuba gear
- Swimsuits
- Rafts
Please make sure to dry those items if you choose to store them. Otherwise, you may find unwanted mold. Severe cases can damage the unit also.
- Flammable Things
Flammable or combustible items are another category that should not go in a storage locker. If there is one issue, these things have the potential to explode, causing disaster and potentially destroying the entire facility. Storage lockers do not want to deal with or cover the risk associated with these items.
Examples of flammable or combustible materials include:
- Fireworks
- Chemicals
- Gasoline
- Oil
- Propane
- Paint
- Cleaners
One small flame could cause serious damage.
Storage Units in Mount Juliet, Tennessee
Although it’s tempting to put everything you own in a storage unit, some things should not go inside. Food, living things, stolen goods, weapons, wet items, and flammable things have no place in a storage unit. If you notice any of these items in your storage until stuff, ensure you find them another place before sealing the unit.
If you’re interested in storing items in a storage unit, look no further than Lock Box Self Storage in Mount Juliet, Tennessee. We provide affordable storage unit options and make it possible to rent your storage unit from the comfort of your home. We are one of the best self-storage options in Mount Juliet, ready to make your life easier, one box at a time.