Look, I get it. You’re thinking about shoving your life into a 10×10 metal box. Your kid’s first drawings, your grandpa’s old tools, maybe even some stuff you just don’t want your mother-in-law to see during her next visit.

And you’re wondering: “Is this thing really private? Can the guy at the front desk just waltz in and take a look at my junk?”

Let me be brutally honest with you.

The answer is no. He can’t. And if he does, he should be fired on the spot.

Here’s the raw, unfiltered truth about how this works.

The Lock is Everything

When you rent a unit from me, I hand you a empty space and a door. That’s it. I don’t give you a lock. I tell you to go buy one.

Have you ever thought about why that is?

It’s because that lock is the final, physical seal. It’s your property on my door. I don’t keep a master key. There is no “master key” for the disc locks most people use. The moment you click that lock shut, you are the only human being on planet Earth who can open it without taking a pair of bolt cutters to it.

I have keys to the front gate. I have keys to the office. I have the code to disable the alarm. But I do not have, and will never have, a key to your personal lock. That’s the golden rule of this business.

What About the Cameras and the Gate?

Yeah, we’ve got cameras. Lots of them. But let me tell you what they’re not doing.

They are not pointed at your unit number. They’re not zooming in on what you’re carrying. Frankly, the video quality isn’t good enough to read the labels on your boxes, and I wouldn’t have the time to watch that footage even if I wanted to, which I really, really don’t.

The cameras are pointed at the alleys, the gate, and the main doors. Their job is to see if some idiot in a hoodie is trying to jimmy your lock open at 3 AM. Their job is to protect the outside of your door. What’s behind it is none of my business.

The gate code? That’s so I know who’s coming and going. It’s a log. It’s to keep the kids from using my parking lot for donuts on a Saturday night. It’s not a tracking device.

The “What If” Scenarios Everyone Worries About

• “What if the police show up?” Then they’d better have a warrant, signed by a judge. Same as if they showed up at your house. No warrant, no entry. It’s that simple. I’m not losing my business because a detective has a hunch.
• “What if you need to get in for an emergency?” The only reason I’m ever cutting that lock is if I see water pouring out from under the door and flooding your neighbor, or if there’s smoke. And my first move? Calling you. “Hey, it’s John from the storage place. There’s water coming from your unit. I need to get in there now or I’m going to have to cut the lock.” It’s a last resort, and it’s to save your stuff and everyone else’s.

Here’s the Real Secret Nobody Talks About

You want to know the truth? I don’t care what’s in your unit.

Seriously. I don’t.

I care that you pay your bill on time. I care that you don’t store gasoline or dead bodies. Beyond that, your stuff is your stuff. Whether it’s priceless family photos or a collection of old pizza boxes, it’s all the same to me. It’s just “the tenant’s stuff.” I have invoices to process, lights to fix, and a gate that keeps acting up. Peeking into your unit isn’t even on my to-do list.

The Bottom Line

So, are storage units private?

Let me put it this way: I store my own stuff here. My wife’s Christmas decorations, my old baseball cards, my kid’s bikes in the winter. I trust this place with my own family’s things. I use the same locks you do. I follow the same rules.

If it’s private enough for me and my family, I’d damn well hope it’s private enough for you.

That’s the promise we make at 3D Self Storage. We’re not a faceless corporation. We’re the people you see every month. We’re the ones who will call you if your payment is late and who will help you carry that heavy couch. We provide a clean, dry, and secure space. What you put in it is your business. Period.

You get the only key. You get the peace of mind. Now, are you ready to rent a unit, or are we going to stand here talking all day?