Apparently one of the fastest-growing segments of the commercial Real Estate industry is this country is: Self Storage Units. At least 10% of U.S. households pay for extra space to hold STUFF that they own. In the Eugene/Springfield area of Oregon, the storage industry is booming. Today there are more than 70 self storage places listed in the local telephone directory, up from 47 a decade ago.

As with other types of Real Estate, Location, Location, Location affects how well a self storage company does. Statistics show that most people prefer to rent space 1.5 miles from their home, although travelling up to 3 miles away is not uncommon. In addition to location, exceptional customer service and on-site managers who are there to help customers after business hours, help with the storage company's success.

It is not surprising that there is a surging need for more storage space in this country. There are more people with more stuff. There are 78 million Baby Boomers in the U.S. who have most likely enjoyed a richer life than their parents, grandparents, and past generations. Today's GenXers and whatever the even younger crowd is called has more buying power and more desire for "things" NOW than ever before. People are in credit card debt up to their ears to have stuff today that they can't afford today or even tomorrow. It is an age of indulgence and hyper consumerism that creates an overflow of items that we don't have space for in our homes! Anyway, enough on that tangent!

Some tips for self-storage are:

• Rent the smallest space you need and pack it full.
• Box everything for maximum protection.
• Put plastic sheets on the floor beneath storage items, making sure they lap up the walls a few inches on every side; alternatively, put pallets on the floor under stored items.
• Leave a small air space between stored goods and walls.
• Put lightweight items in the back of the unit; move large, heavy items into storage last.
• Cover mattresses, sofas and chairs with protective plastic or fabric.
• Use a high-quality lock on the door of the storage unit and carry insurance on stored items.
• Keep a list of stored items, complete with pictures and written descriptions.

Tips from - www.nwselfstorage.com