South Africa’s self-storage market is the fifth largest in the world. That means a lot of South Africans are storing their belongings in purpose-built self-storage units.
At XtraSpace SelfStorage, we’re proud to be among the leaders in the country’s self-storage industry, with a decade of experience in storing South Africans’ personal and business items.
For interest, we offer details of the types of items our customers most commonly store with us, along with some tips for keeping these items in tip-top condition.
Furniture
Furniture tops the list of the most common self-storage items in South Africa. Densification, divorce and downscaling are key elements driving the trend.
Furniture storage tips: Disassemble large pieces, and wrap and pack components into moving blankets or labelled boxes. Store the items on pieces of cardboard and cover with dust sheets.
Sports Gear
South Africans are an active, outdoors bunch. Along with conventional sports, camping, sailing, hiking and fishing are exceptionally popular.
As the best self-storage facilities are conveniently located, you can nip in and collect your gear for the day or weekend, and drop it off again once you’ve had your fun.
Sports equipment storage tips: Store the equipment you use the most at the front of the self-storage unit. Ensure the gear is clean and dry; pack tents, sails and diving gear into their respective bags, and store bicycles and boards off the ground.
Documents
Businesses and ordinary folk are compelled to keep records and documents for up to five years. That’s why document storage is number three on our top self-storage items’ list.
Document storage tips: Place documents in airtight plastic containers, label and store according to a predetermined system. If you have large volumes of documents, consider erecting shelving.
Vehicles
South Africa’s rapid urbanisation means parking is at a premium. City dwellers are opting to store boats, quad bikes, cars and motor bikes in secure self-storage facilities.
Vehicle storage tips: Wash and polish the exterior of the vehicle to prevent corrosion, disconnect the battery, and fill up the petrol tank to avoid rust. Cover vehicles parked outdoors.
Stock
Informal traders, seasonal business and SMEs are using self-storage facilities as secure, low-cost ‘warehousing’.
Stock storage tips: Pack stock into labelled boxes, and store them on wooden pallets. Arrange the pallets to enable the free-flow of movement. Draw up a map of the stored inventory, detailing exactly what items are where, and make a note of any stock items you remove from storage.
Appliances
Whether relocating, doing contract work overseas or storing goods over the varsity vac, South Africans are putting appliances – big and small – into self-storage units.
Appliance storage tips: Clean fridges and stoves thoroughly to remove food residue. Drain water from pipes, tanks and hoses. Store appliances in an upright position with the doors and drawers slightly ajar, and cover with old sheets or blankets.
What not to put in storage
It’s illegal to store certain kinds of items in self-storage units. For example, you can’t store firearms, flammable materials, and toxic or hazardous substances. Self-storage companies also don’t accept perishables, plants or living animals.
For all other items you need to store safely, self-storage is a convenient, affordable solution.
At XtraSpace, we offer clean, secure self-storage units that are ideal for storing personal and business items. Contact us for more information or browse to find a branch near you.