So, I run a storage unit place. Yeah, I know. It sounds about as exciting as watching paint dry. But man, you wouldn’t believe the stories.
Just last month, a guy named Dave came in. He looked tired. His basement had flooded after a heavy rain. Not a hurricane, just one of those freak summer downpours. He was carrying a cardboard box that was basically mush. Inside was what was left of his military uniform from his service days, all stained and mildewed. He wasn’t crying, but his voice was thick. He said, “I survived two tours overseas, and my basement in Ohio is what got me.”
That stuck with me.
People think I’m in the business of renting space. I’m not. I’m in the business of peace of mind. And after twenty years, I’ve learned a thing or two about how to keep your stuff from getting wrecked by life’s little surprises.
Here’s the real talk, no fluff.
Your Cardboard Boxes are a Trap
I see it every day. People pack their lives into these free boxes from the grocery store. Let me be blunt: cardboard is garbage. It’s a snack for bugs and a sponge for water. The second your basement gets a little damp, that box holding your kid’s baby clothes is done for.
What should you do? It’s not rocket science. Go to Walmart and buy a $7 plastic tote. The kind with the yellow lid that snaps on. That’s it. Just do that. Your stuff is now 90% safer. Stop overthinking it.
The Floor is Lava
Remember that game? It applies to your stuff too. Never, ever put your boxes—even your fancy new plastic ones—directly on the concrete floor of your garage or basement. Concrete sweats. It’s cold and damp. And when a pipe bursts, guess where the water goes?
You don’t need a fancy system. I use cinder blocks in my own basement. They cost like a dollar each. Put two down, lay a board across them, and put your totes on top. You’ve just created a life raft for your belongings. It’s that easy.
Make a “Oh Crap” Box
This is the most important box in your house. Get a single, sturdy plastic file box. In it, put the stuff you’d need to rebuild your life if your house vanished tomorrow:
- Your passport and social security cards.
- Your birth certificate and marriage license.
- A thumb drive with all your photos on it.
- A list of your insurance policy numbers.
Put this box somewhere you can grab it on your way out the door in an emergency. In my house, it’s on a shelf in the garage, right next to the dog’s leash. We grab the kids, the dog, and the box. That’s the drill.
Your Phone is Your Best Friend
If your house burned down tonight, could you tell your insurance company every single thing you owned? Of course not. Nobody can.
So, here’s a trick. Next time you’re watching TV during a commercial break, grab your phone. Walk around your house for five minutes. Film what’s in your closets. Open your kitchen cabinets. Get a shot of your TV and the serial number on the back. Don’t make it fancy. Just do it.
Then, email that video to yourself. Now it’s saved in the cloud. If you ever have a claim, you have proof. This one stupid-simple trick will save you so much headache and money.
Why I Really Do This
After seeing dozens of Daves come through my door, I looked at my own house. All my family’s most precious things—my wife’s wedding dress, my dad’s old vinyl records, my daughter’s first drawing—were all in one place. If a fire ripped through it, our history would be gone.
That scared the hell out of me.
So, we got a small unit at my own facility, Plaza Mini Storage. It felt weird at first, like I was being paranoid. But let me tell you, the day I moved those plastic totes with our most important things into that clean, dry, secure space, I slept better than I had in years.
That’s the real service we provide. It’s not just storage. It’s a backup plan for your life. It’s making sure your family’s story doesn’t get erased by a burst pipe or a bad storm.
The Bottom Line
Don’t let this become another thing you feel guilty about not doing.
- Just do this one thing. This weekend, buy one plastic tote. Just one.
- Put your photo albums in it.
- Stick it on a couple of old books so it’s not on the floor.
That’s it. You’ve already won. You’re more prepared than you were yesterday. The goal isn’t perfection. It’s just not being Dave, standing in a puddle, holding a box of mush.
You’ve got this.
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