Alright, let’s cut to the chase. You rented a storage unit to solve a problem, not to create a bigger one. I get it. That garage is overflowing, the kids are moving back in, or you’re just drowning in stuff. The urge to just open the door and start chucking things in is strong.

Stop. Take a breath.

I’m not your dad, and I’m not here to lecture you with a bunch of legal mumbo-jumbo from your rental agreement. I’m the guy who has to deal with the aftermath when things go wrong. And believe me, I’ve seen some things. I’ve seen a unit so infested with mice you could hear the squeaking from ten feet away. I’ve seen the aftermath of a leaking fuel can that ruined thousands of dollars of someone’s family heirlooms. I’ve had to make the awful phone call to someone, telling them their entire unit is a lost cause because of mold.

I don’t want that to be you. So let’s talk, person to person, about what should never, ever cross the threshold of your unit. This isn’t about rules; it’s about not being the person everyone else on the property talks about in horror stories.

Category 1: The “Are You Trying to Get Us All Evicted?” List

This is the serious stuff. The stuff that doesn’t just risk your unit, but the entire facility.

• Anything that can explode or fuel a fire. This seems like a no-brainer, but you’d be shocked. That gas can for the lawnmower? Leave it at home. The half-full propane tank from the summer BBQ? Nope. Fireworks from the 4th of July? Absolutely not. Think about it: it gets hot in those units. You’re trapping fumes and combustible material in a metal box. It’s a textbook bad idea. I don’t care how well you think the lid is on. It’s not worth the risk.
• Chemicals and poisons. Old paint cans, pesticides, weed killer, and pool chemicals. These things leak. They off-gas. They can mix together and create toxic situations. Your storage unit is not a hazmat facility. If you need to get rid of this stuff, your town probably has a hazardous waste disposal day. Use it.

Category 2: The “You Are Running a Bug and Rodent Hotel” List

This is, hands down, the most common way people accidentally ruin all their belongings. It starts with one innocent thing.

• Food. Any Food. I don’t care if it’s canned, boxed, or sealed in a million layers of plastic. If it is or ever was food, it stays out. That includes:
  • Pet food. A bag of dog kibble is a five-star feast for a family of mice.
  • Canned goods. Cans can rust and leak. Then you have a spoiled, smelly mess that attracts every ant within a mile.
  • Soda, juice, anything in a bottle.
  • That fancy popcorn tin from Christmas. Just eat it.
• Anything that smells like food: This is the sneaky one. Those super-strong cinnamon-apple candles? That potpourri that smells like cookies? A rodent’s brain isn’t that sophisticated. It smells “food-ish,” and they will chew through your wedding album to get to the source of the smell.

Once pests are in, your unit is a write-off. They’ll nest in your sofa, poop in your boxes, and chew through your wiring for fun. And they won’t stay in your unit. They’ll become the whole facility’s problem. Please, don’t be the reason we have to call the exterminator.

Category 3: The “This Will Become a Moldy, Smelly Mess” List

Moisture is the silent killer of stored goods.

• Anything damp: I mean anything. That tent you packed away after a rainy weekend? The box of towels from the beach that felt almost dry? You are building a terrarium for mold. It will spread through your unit like a silent, fuzzy plague. That musty smell will get into every fiber of everything you own. You will never get it out. I promise you, it is cheaper to buy a new tent than to replace everything in a moldy unit. If it’s not 100% bone-dry, it doesn’t go in.

Category 4: The “This is Just a Terrible Idea” List

• Living things: This should go without saying, but no people, no pets, no plants. They will die. It’s also incredibly illegal, and we will find out.
• The truly priceless: Your storage unit is secure, but it’s not the Fort Knox of your personal life. Don’t store the only copies of family photos, your original passport and birth certificate, your great-grandmother’s jewelry, or a shoebox full of cash. For those things, you need a fireproof safe at home or a safe deposit box at a bank. Our job is to store your stuff, not your entire life’s legacy.
• Anything illegal or stolen: Obviously. We fully cooperate with law enforcement.

Why do We Care So Much?

Look, this is my business. This isn’t a side hustle run by a giant corporation. I’m here every day. I see you guys coming and going. I know you’re trusting me with things that are important to you. That’s a responsibility I take seriously.

The only way this whole thing works—the only way I can guarantee a clean, safe, pest-free environment for everyone’s belongings—is if we’re all on the same team. These rules aren’t here to punish you. They’re here because every single one of them was written after someone else made a mistake that hurt themselves and their neighbors.

If you’re standing in your unit holding something and you’re not sure, just call me. I’d rather you ask the dumbest question in the world than make a multi-thousand-dollar mistake.

Use your head, be a good neighbor, and let’s keep your stuff safe together.