Understanding Business Concerns

As a survivalist, you are part of a growing number of Americans (some experts place the number at around 3.7 million) who believe society is heading toward a collapse, due to a combination of natural disasters, war, and financial ruin. One common thread among survivalists is the need to prepare for the worst-case scenario and help ensure their family's survival should they no longer have access to societal comforts like grocery stores and running water. This requires stockpiling a large amount of supplies, which is why a self-storage unit can be a great solution. Here are five things to keep in mind:

Start with a Plan

Before you begin buying and storing your survivalist supplies, come up with a plan. This includes making a list of everything you plan to purchase, along with amounts per item. This will help you determine the size of storage unit that will best suit your needs. You should also plan to set aside a small collection of items you may need immediate access to in a disaster, including critical medications, water, and a first aid kit.

Stashing a small supply of these items near the front of your storage unit (and perhaps a duplicate supply at home) will take care of your immediate disaster needs before you have a chance to go through all of your supplies.

Opt for Climate Control

It may cost more money per month, but a climate-controlled storage unit is essential for stashing survivalist supplies. Items like medication and canned food can all become damaged and unusable if they are stored in extreme temperatures. In general, a cool, dark space is optimal for stockpiling your supplies. Even bottles of water should be stored in a climate-controlled storage unit, for the freshest, cleanest water.

Seek a Highly Secured Storage Unit

Much like climate control, paying extra for security is usually worthwhile for survivalists. Many self-storage facilities have controlled access, but ideally yours will also include security cameras, heavy-duty doors and locks, and 24-hour monitoring. If you are storing valuables (especially gold, silver, and cash), make sure to add your own layer of security by storing these items inside a heavy-duty safe with a difficult combination.

In addition, maintain privacy by being highly selective about who you mention your storage unit or its contents to—ideally only immediate family should know the contents of your survivalist cache and where it is being stored.

Ask for a List of Items that Aren't Allowed

Some items that are considered important in a survivalist cache won't be allowed by most storage facilities and will need to be stored at home instead. For example, you probably want to have a stockpile of lighter fluid in order to create heat and light if the electrical grid goes down, but this is forbidden by most storage facilities since it's a fire hazard. Some self-storage facilities allow you to store firearms (especially if they are disarmed and stored inside a locked gun safe), but others do not, so it's definitely important to ask ahead of time.

Take Time to Organize and Label

It pays to spend up-front time organizing and clearly labeling your items (with some common-sense caveats, like don't label the safe where you stash your money). Should disaster strike and you need to access your supplies, you will want to be able to easily and quickly find cold-weather clothes, medication, etc., without having to search through piles of boxes. Clear storage tubs with tightly sealed lids can be a more practical option than cardboard boxes.

By following these tips, you can make a self storage unit an integral part of your survivalist planning efforts. For more information, contact a self-storage company like I-70 Self Storage.