Looking for alternative storage solutions

[Dark Scares]

For those of you who do not have a permanent location I am looking for a more cost effective way to store my haunt. Right now I am using one of those temporary storage bin services that brings out the steel container and you fill and then they transport them to a location for storage. I am filling two 8x45 foot containers now, and storage is costing me about $400 per month which to me seems expensive. Most of the storage is plywood panels so outside storage doesn't seem like a option.
Any suggestions would be great.

[xxxdirk]

We used to use the storage containers like you are talking about. You might want to look into renting semi trailers. I can rent a semi trailer for $125 a month.

[Greg Chrise]

I was able to buy 45 foot semi trailers for $1100 ea delivered and when the haunt got sold I sold the trailers for $1100 come get them. Still it started out filling storage units that now go for $125 a month, they were 15 by 30 in an area where they expect to store RVs and Boats to be that size. When it all came down to it, even buying the trailers I might have saved $100 per year and created all the brain work to figure out how to keep them from leaking, how to load everything up high and eventually sell them. I was lucky, what if I wasn't? I would be stuck with semi trailers rotting.

Phase two is back to the storage units. 8 x 45 is 360 Square feet for a trailer or cargo unit and 15 x 30 is 450 Square feet for a storage garage. The storage garage is an extra 90 SF for free, doesn't leak but has that pesky don't be late on rent charge.

To me it is all about the square foot per month cost and how easily you can vacate. It did seem the semi trailers could hold lots of weight bearing against the walls but, they long term green house effect was not nice to all the wood and crappier props that were not in the shop.

$400 a month is a bit much. That's 55 cents per square foot per month. That is acceptable if you use every cubic foot jammed to the ceiling. The storage garage rate is 27 cents per square foot per month. Many are more than that. You have to check around. Many units even complete buildings don't go by square foot values, they just go by how much their mortgage and taxes are plus some rich dad formula (times 1.5) and never thought about competitive pricing at all. Wonder why they have so many vacancies? That will end up in them not being a stable place to keep stuff long term.

When it comes down to over head costs, I really miss the condemable 1900 SF pole barn with every rendision of flooring possibilities for $300 a month. Shovel finish concrete, wood, dirt, etc. Multi level crap. Screw things back together every year but cheap. Plus if you were to have screwed anything up, who would know. No deposit move out and leave toxic waste is how I roll.

For a while we had a free mobile home with crap in it, 12 by 80 that cost $600 to get it there and tie down. Sold it for $200 after about 2 years storage use. It just depends on how you want to impress the neighbors or not. Some things look more professional than others. Semi trailers sure look important but usually go for $2500 each as do cargo containers. When it comes to real money out lay I'm into different kinds of things require different "shows" of storage seriousness. Some really large shows actually use roof only horse barns but they are free and their panels have lasted longer than ones cooped up in an enclosed environment with high humiditiy trapped and high summer temperatures.