You’re renting a storage unit so that your valuables will stay safe and secure. That means you’ll want to take every precaution possible to prevent someone from breaking into your unit, and one of the most important steps you can take is finding a good lock. While some storage facilities feature doors with built-in locks or provide locks free of charge or for a small fee, others will require you to go lock shopping yourself. Here’s what to look for.

The Basics

There are a few fundamental qualifications any lock should meet. The first imperative is that the lock should at minimum be made of stainless steel. Forget any other, cheaper materials like brass, aluminum, or titanium—bolt cutters will eat through these like butter. Stainless steel is also the most resistant to corrosion and rust, which are particular problems for outdoor units. Boron is actually stronger than stainless steel and is a great material for the shackle (the piece that enters the locking mechanism), but stainless steel is cheaper and should be more than enough protection. Also, the thicker the shackle, the harder it is to break, so go with as much thickness as you can—but don’t forget to contact the storage facility first to verify that your lock will fit.

Another consideration is the locking mechanism: dual ball bearing mechanisms are the best, with dual levers coming in at a close second. Pin tumblers are features that increase the sophistication of the key switch, making the lock more difficult to pick. The more pins, the better—seven is typically the highest level of protection.

Types of Locks

There are three main types of locks you’ll see at the store. One offers superb protection, another will generally be sufficient, and the third is highly recommended against.

Chain Locks

Chain locks are typically cheaper than the other types, and their reticulated chains make them extremely versatile. But you should never use one to secure your storage unit. Each link in the chain is an extra breaking point for a thief to take bolt cutters to. Their greater surface area and number of breaking points means that they’re also at more risk from environmental damage. Bike chains, which include a vinyl, plastic, or rubber coating around the chain, are also not recommended.

Padlocks

Also called U-Locks, these are probably what you envision when you think of a lock, and are likely what you used to secure your locker in school. While padlocks may be fine for scholastic security, they’re not the best lock to protect your storage unit. Padlocks will certainly do the job well enough, and are far superior to chain locks, but they do have their own weaknesses: namely, their exposed shackles and keyholes. This is a problem particularly in the winter, when extreme cold can cause the shackle to break off into the door or keys to break off in the keyhole. Not only are both of these exposed to the elements and thus susceptible to environmental damage, they’re also in greater danger from security threats: the long, exposed neck of a padlock presents a tender target for bolt cutters.

Disc Locks

Disc locks take padlocks to the next level. By curving the body and shortening the shackle, disc locks avoid the main problems padlocks face. They’re virtually impossible to cut with bolt cutters and their short shackles have less surface area exposed to the elements. Thieves would be forced to smash a disc lock, but even in that case the disc lock’s body is thicker than that of the padlock. In addition, anti-pick pins are a common feature on disc locks. Though disc locks might in general be a bit more expensive than padlocks and chain locks, we highly recommend you use them to secure your storage unit.

Although the typical self-storage unit is more affordable than ever, it still pays to squeeze every last cent out of your monthly unit rent by maximizing its available space. After all, you shouldn’t be forced to take on an extra unit or move into a bigger, more expensive space simply because you didn’t properly utilize all of the room in your existing unit. Before you throw up your hands in frustration and start looking for another place to store your things, review these easy-to-remember tips on how to organize your self-storage unit.

1. Protect Your Items

There’s a reason that this is the first rule that we’ve listed: If you don’t properly protect your items during the move-in and move-out processes, there’s no point to storing them in the first place. To keep your goods safe, throw down floor coverings or mats that will keep delicate items from breaking and protect larger items’ edges. Also, use your facility’s dollies, loaders or forklifts to move heavy items and protect yourself and your possessions from injury.

2. Get the Heavy Stuff Out of the Way

Store your largest, heaviest items before your smaller, lighter possessions. Since you probably won’t need to move your heaviest items in and out of your unit on a regular basis, these should be on the bottom of your unit’s “pile” or stuck up against its back wall. By contrast, lighter items should be in easily accessible areas near the door to your space. In addition to the obvious convenience of storing lighter items on top of your pile, you’ll also minimize the likelihood that your unit’s items will shift or crush over time.

3. Fill Hollow Containers and Furniture

This is an important piece of the organization puzzle. After all, you’re technically wasting some of the space in your unit by storing hollow pieces of furniture that aren’t filled with smaller things. If you need to store a dresser or office desk, be sure to fill it with smaller clothing items, tools or office supplies.

4. Store Like Items Together

Before you begin to fill your unit, take stock of what you need to store. To avoid confusion and minimize the likelihood of damage, be sure to group similar items together. For instance, put all of your heavy tools and equipment on one side of your unit and all of your delicate furniture on the other.

5. Prevent Odor and Rot

If you’re storing anything that once contained food or biological items, clean it thoroughly with bleach or ammonia before storing it. Of course, microbes are resilient. To ensure that your clean refrigerators or cupboards don’t sprout mold or mildew, keep their doors ajar during storage and ensure that your unit is properly ventilated.

With these tips in mind, you’re virtually guaranteed to be able to fit more into your storage unit. More importantly, you’ll be able to locate specific items that you’ve stored without tearing apart your carefully organized space like a burglar. In the long run, organizing your self-storage unit will save time, money, and plenty of gray hairs.

Whirlwind Steel is a leading manufacturer of metal buildings for commercial, residential and industrial markets. With four manufacturing facilities located throughout the United States. Whirlwind’s self-storage buildings are economical and manufactured using top grade materials.