When i sold my house a few years ago, I needed to store my stuff until I decided what I was going to do (buy another house, rent, live in two places?). I booked two storage units through my real estate agent at Vanguard — they had a deal with Security Public Storage (SPS) in Daly City. Of course, traditional self-storage is antiquated and clunky, so I also had to hire a moving company to bring everything to the facility. I had too much to fit into one space, so I had to rent two. I started off with a discounted rate (thanks to Vanguard) but as the months wore on, I got regular notices in the mail from SPS stating that my rent was going up. Again. And again — I could have rented an apartment in some cities for what I was paying. Then I got an e-mail from a company called Closetbox with an intriguing concept.
At Closetbox, “storage concierges” review your inventory to determine the size unit you will need, which in turn determines your exact monthly storage rent. Even more impressive, the concierge comes to you: Once you box up smaller items and estimate how much total space you’ll need, give them a call or reserve a unit online to schedule a pick-up time. Licensed, professional storage handlers will pick up, transport, and store your items in one of the company’s storage units. I was worried about security and climate control, because I have some valuable paintings, furniture, and antiques, but all Closetbox storage units are indoors and maintained at temperatures ranging from 65 to 85 degrees. (With traditional self-storage, not all units are indoors or climate controlled, and if you want those features you pay a premium.)
If you have large items like furniture, Closetbox provides shrink-wrap, breathable bags, and moving blankets free of charge. You don’t have to pay movers, rent a moving truck, pay administrative fees, or buy mandatory insurance, because it’s all included in your monthly rent. And when you need your items? Just give Closetbox a call and they’ll deliver them to you.
“Traditional storage options aren’t cut out for today’s fast-paced culture; there’s a tremendous need for time-saving and convenience,” says Closetbox founder and CEO Marcus Mollmann. “Our unique business model offers both at competitive prices, with no rent increases. We make the process of storing belongings painless, giving our customers more time to do the things they care about most.”
Closetbox guarantees 24/7 monitoring, rigorous background checks and employee standards, online account management and dashboard; work is bonded and insured and valuables coverage is available. (If you have homeowners or renters insurance, make sure they cover storage. My agent at State Farm confirmed my policy does, so I didn’t need to purchase extra coverage.)
My situation was a little different because I was moving from storage to storage, but the experience was seamless. The movers showed up on time, took great care with my things, and had everything packed up in one day (I have a lot of stuff). The next day my storage concierge called me with the digital inventory, which I can access any time, and let me know that I had overestimated my space needs so my bill was going to be considerably less than I had expected. I feel comfortable knowing that Closetbox has everything stored safely and securely in their indoor, climate-controlled facility, and I love that I can call them and ask for my items to be delivered whenever I need them.
I always thought that self-storage was an area in desperate need of disruption, and this company is definitely doing that with a modern, high-tech, streamlined process that takes much of the work off of your plate at comparable prices to storage companies that do nothing but rent you a unit. Every time I got one of those notices from SPS telling me that my rent was rising again, I felt my anxiety creeping up. With traditional storage, you’re trapped — and they know it. Closetbox changes that.
Closetbox currently serves 45 metropolitan areas throughout the United States. If you’re at one of those “in between times” like I am, or even if you just want to clear out a room to use as a home office (which can be done for as little as $12 a month), give Closetbox a call.
To view prices and storage options or for more information, visit closetbox.com, call 877-433-9636, or e-mail [email protected].
