If your home or garage is becoming cluttered with items or you are moving from one home to another that isn't ready yet, you may consider renting a storage unit. A storage unit is a great place to store items that you don't use often, yet don't want to get rid of. This may include items such as Christmas decorations, extra furniture, or baby gear between babies. However, while a storage unit is a great place to store some items, there are a few items that can't be stored in these types of facilities. Learning what items you can't store can help ensure you don't accidentally or unknowingly place any of these items in your unit.

Living Items

No living item should be placed in a storage unit. This means that a human can't live in the unit and that pets, including those in aquariums, can't live in the unit. However, one living item that many people don't really think much about and accidentally store is plants. A plant cannot thrive without water, sunlight, and fresh air. As such, the plant would likely die in storage. Plants also attract bugs, which is the primary reason they are prohibited in storage units. So when loading up your unit, if there is anything alive, including plants, don't place them in your unit.

Food

If you are moving from one home to another, you may pack up food items that are good for some time, such as spices and canned goods. However, if you do this, be sure that these items go with you to wherever you are going to be staying, not into your storage unit. Storage facilities prohibit you from storing food in your unit because it can attract pests, such as ants and cockroaches.

Prescription Medications

Another item that you cannot store in a storage unit is prescription medications. There are a couple of reasons for this. First, temperature extremes can alter the effectiveness of your prescription medications. As such, you wouldn't want to take them if they were exposed to cold temperatures or hot temperatures as they may not work as well as they should. Second, there is always a chance that someone could break into a storage unit. Storage unit owners don't want to be liable if your medications get into the hands of the wrong person. As such, they simply prohibit you from storing them in their facilities.

Hazardous Materials

If your garage or outdoor shed is becoming full, you may be thinking about placing items like pesticides, insecticides, roofing tar, paint, paint thinners, or cleaning products in your storage unit. Unfortunately, you are unable to do this. Any item that is considered to be a hazardous material cannot be placed in a storage unit. This is because these materials can leak and cause environmental and health risks when stored in warm or cold temperatures. If you cannot dispose of the items with your regular trash pickup service, you likely can't store them in your storage unit.

Guns and Ammunition

The last item that you may not be able to store in a storage unit is guns and ammunition. Some storage facilities may allow you to store guns and/or ammunition, but may limit the amount of ammunition and number of guns. They may also require you to place the items in a gun safe or have a trigger lock on the gun. Other facilities will not allow either to be stored based on county laws and/or for safety concerns. If you are considering storing either of these items, talk to the facility to find out if it is allowed and what their rules are regarding the storage of guns and ammunition.

When you rent a storage unit, the facility will often give you a list of items that are prohibited. Take the time to read that list and ensure you are not storing prohibited items. Some items may vary from facility to facility, while others, such as food, hazardous materials, and living items, are prohibited at all facilities.

For more information, contact local professionals like Airport Road Mini Storage.