What not to put in storage
Some things don't belong in a storage unit because your lease forbids them, and some because they'll be ruined, leak, attract animals or set something on fire. We read facility leases, operator guidance and the state self-storage statutes to sort which is which, because those are different kinds of "no".
It is a decision worth making once, properly, while the boxes are open in front of you. Everything you get wrong here comes back later as a question, and the questions tend to land on whoever packed the unit.
The short version: the first list below is close to universal in leases, the second is advice.
What leases almost always forbid
- Anything flammable or explosive. Gasoline, propane tanks, kerosene, lighter fluid, fireworks, ammunition. Drain the gas from mowers and trimmers before they go in.
- Hazardous and corrosive chemicals. Paint, paint thinner, solvents, pool chemicals, fertilizer, car batteries, cleaning chemicals in bulk.
- Anything alive. People, pets and plants. Living in a unit isn't only a lease problem: several states prohibit residential use by statute, including Texas, whose Property Code says a tenant may not use a storage facility as a residence, and Virginia, whose Self-Service Storage Act says no occupant shall use a facility for residential purposes.
- Stolen or illegal goods, and unregistered or uninsured vehicles. Facilities generally ask for vehicle paperwork, and leases typically let them refuse a vehicle without it.
Beyond the residential-use statutes, most of these come from the leases and the operators themselves rather than from law, and they vary by state and facility. Read your own lease — a violation can cost you the unit's contents, not just the unit.
Two that vary more than people expect. Firearms are prohibited outright by many facility contracts and allowed by others with paperwork and conditions; there's no single rule, so ask before you assume. Loose tires are also commonly refused — tires attached to a stored vehicle are usually fine, a stack of spares often isn't, because disposal costs the facility money if you walk away.
Allowed, but a bad idea
Food of any kind. Sealed cans and dry pasta sound safe, and both are an invitation. Cans swell and split in heat, and anything edible brings mice, roaches and ants into a building where your mattresses are. Pet food is the worst offender.
Anything damp. A mattress that goes into storage damp is the example every operator uses, and mold is the reason. So dry everything completely — a tent, a cooler, a rolled rug, laundry that went in warm — and leave it loosely covered rather than sealed in plastic.
Irreplaceable paper and photographs. Heat and humidity curl photos, fade ink and glue prints to glass and to each other. Birth certificates, passports, titles, wills and the family photo albums belong in a fireproof box at home or a safe deposit box — somewhere you can reach at 9pm without a drive.
Electronics, in an unconditioned unit. Heat cycling and humidity are hard on screens, hard drives, batteries and anything with a circuit board. Pull batteries out of everything before it goes in; a leaking AA will take a device with it.
Money and jewelry. The sub-limits are the real argument here. Renters policies commonly cover belongings kept off-site at only a fraction of the main limit, and cap jewelry and cash far below that again — figures around $1,500 for jewelry and $200 for cash come up repeatedly in the policy summaries we read. Storage operators' own tenant insurance often excludes cash and jewelry altogether. A safe at home or a safe deposit box costs less than finding that out later.
Candles, crayons, vinyl records and anything that melts. Storage operators commonly put a non-climate-controlled unit at around 30 degrees hotter than the air outside in summer. That figure comes from companies that also sell climate-controlled units, so take it as an estimate rather than a measurement — but the direction is not in dispute, and records warp, candles slump and crayons bleed.
Wine and musical instruments, unless the unit is climate controlled. Both move with temperature: wood cracks, glue joints let go, wine cooks.
What to do with the things that can't go in
| Instead of the unit | Put it |
|---|---|
| Documents, photos, hard drives | A fireproof box at home, a safe deposit box, or scanned and backed up |
| Paint, chemicals, propane, old batteries | Your county's household hazardous waste day — many are free |
| Food and pet food | A food pantry, or a neighbor, before moving day |
| Jewelry, cash, firearms | A home safe, a bank box, or a licensed facility for firearms |
| Wine and instruments | A climate controlled unit, or a friend's spare closet |
Write down what did go in
Once you've sorted what stays out, the next problem is remembering what went in. Number the boxes, note the unit, and keep one list — how to make a storage unit inventory list covers it, and the free storage label maker prints labels you can read from the aisle.
We built Stow Haven to be that list, with a photo of what went into each box, so you can check whether something is in the unit without driving out to look.
Questions
- What are you not allowed to store in a storage unit?
- Almost every lease forbids anything flammable or explosive (gasoline, propane, kerosene, fireworks, ammunition), hazardous or corrosive chemicals (paint, solvents, pool chemicals, car batteries), anything alive including plants and pets, and stolen goods or unregistered vehicles. Most of that comes from the lease rather than from law, and it varies by facility, so read your own. Living in a unit is different: several states, Texas and Virginia among them, prohibit residential use by statute.
- Can you store food in a storage unit?
- You should not. Sealed cans split in heat and anything edible — including pet food — brings mice, roaches and ants into a building where your mattresses and furniture are. Give food away or donate it before moving day.
- Is it safe to store electronics in a storage unit?
- Only in a climate controlled unit, and take the batteries out of everything first. Heat cycling and humidity are hard on screens, hard drives and circuit boards, and a leaking battery will ruin the device around it. Operators commonly put an unconditioned unit at around 30 degrees above the outside temperature in summer — their own estimate, not a measured one, but the direction is not in dispute.
- Where should I keep important documents instead of a storage unit?
- In a fireproof box at home or a safe deposit box, and scanned with a backup copy. Heat and humidity curl photos and fade ink, and birth certificates, passports, titles and wills are things you may need at short notice without a drive.