What a nightmare. You open up your unit and—oh crap. Water everywhere. Or maybe you see mouse droppings. Or that weird smell that says something’s gone wrong.

Your heart just sinks, doesn’t it? I get it. I’m not just a storage guy, I’m a human who owns stuff. The panic, the anger, the “what do I even do now?” feeling. It’s the worst.

So let’s cut the corporate nonsense. Here’s what I’d do if it were my stuff.

First, swear a little. Then, don’t touch anything

I’m serious. I know you want to grab everything and save it. But stop. Take a picture with your phone. A video is even better. Walk in slowly and say out loud, “Okay, it’s Tuesday morning, I just opened my unit, and there’s a huge puddle.”

Get a shot of the leaky pipe, the hole in the wall, or whatever caused it. This isn’t for fun, it’s for the insurance people. They need to see the crime scene exactly as you found it. If you start moving boxes, it’s like messing with evidence.

Next, come find me. I’m in the office

No, really. Come tell me. And you can be pissed off. I’d be pissed off too. But try not to yell at me, yell to me. There’s a difference.

Here’s why this matters: if there’s a leak in your unit, it might be leaking into your neighbor’s unit right now. If you’ve got mice, they didn’t just invite themselves to your unit. I need to know so I can stop it from getting worse for everyone.

At our place, 3D Self Storage, the first thing I’ll do is grab my toolbox and come look. I’ll see if I can find the source and stop it. Then I’ll help you write up a report. This isn’t me admitting we did something wrong—it’s just a piece of paper that says “This happened on this day.” It’s your proof.

Sorting through the wreckage

This is where you need gloves and maybe a strong stomach. You gotta make three piles:

1. The “Might Be Okay” pile. Stuff that just needs a wipe-down.
2. The “Total Loss” pile. The stuff that’s just… gone. The soggy mattress, the box of photos that stuck together. This pile hurts.
3. The “I Don’t Know” pile. The thing that might be fixable? You’ll decide later.

Now, for the “Total Loss” pile, you have to be a detective. Make a list. Don’t just write “books.” Write “My college textbooks with all my notes in the margins, ruined.” Don’t write “chair.” Write “The wooden chair my dad made, now warped.” This detailed list is what gets you money from insurance. It’s a pain, but it’s everything.

Time for the boring part: the insurance paperwork

Ugh. I know. Find your policy. Did you get it through us at 3D Self Storage? Or is it part of your home insurance? Check what it actually covers. Sometimes it’s specific. “Water damage from a burst pipe” might be covered, but “slow leak from a rusty pipe” might not. It’s weird.

If you can’t make sense of it, ask me. I’ve seen a lot of these policies. I can’t give you legal advice, but I can probably tell you what the common tricky words mean.

Finally, you call them

You take your photos, your report from me, and your super detailed list, and you call the insurance company. Be ready to be on hold. Be nice to the person on the phone—they didn’t break your stuff. But be clear. Send them everything.

Here’s the real talk. How a storage company acts when things go wrong tells you everything. Do they hide? Or do they help?

My philosophy at 3D Self Storage is simple: we’re in the business of keeping your stuff safe. When we fail at that, even a little, the least we can do is help you through the mess. We’ll be honest, we’ll fix the building, and we’ll treat you like a neighbor, not a number.

This whole thing sucks. There’s no way around it. But you can get through it. Just don’t try to do it alone. Come talk to me.

And for next time? Seriously, spend the extra ten bucks on plastic bins instead of cardboard boxes. It’s the cheapest insurance you’ll ever buy.

Hope this was better. I mean it.