It’s that holly jolly time of year again; time to decorate, shop, cook, shop, prepare your house for the relative takeover, and shop some more. 

Black Friday is the shopping kickoff, followed by Cyber Monday, and every day and night thereafter until you have to find time to bake cookies, drink wine, and have one of many mental breakdowns leading up to the big day. After all of that shopping comes the challenge of trying to find hiding places for all of those presents. It’s harder than trying to find a parking space at the grocery store on Christmas Eve.

You need a strategy, or the stashing of gifts will become a logistical nightmare. Did you ever watch the kids opening gifts on Christmas morning and realize you forgot to put one or two of them under the tree, and you have no idea where they are. You’ll never forget the joy of watching one of your relatives open a gift that was meant for someone else. Cue another breakdown.

My Storage Plus is your seasonal helper. Rent a convenient, secure, affordable self storage unit to use as ground zero for gifts. Our small sizes are perfect. You can use inexpensive shelving to keep the gifts off the ground, and you can even add a table to use for wrapping the presents. You don’t have to worry about making a long-term commitment to rent a unit, because we have flexible month-to-month leasing. 

Time to Party

Better yet, if you want to save money, rent a slightly larger unit and share with friends. You can not only use the space for gifts, but you can set up a wrapping station. Place a folding table with several tape dispensers and scissors in the unit. You can use it individually, or plan a wrapping party, complete with eggnog and snacks. Wrapping paper, gift bags, and ribbon can be supplied by each renter.

Choose The Right Storage Facility

If you’re going to use storage your gifts, you need to find a facility that is secure and convenient.

Location

At this time of year, you need to think about convenience. You’ll be stopping at the unit frequently, so you’ll need a facility in your neighborhood that is close to the places where you shop and run errands.

Security

Cost is an important factor, but it shouldn’t be your only consideration. Find a reputable company with state-of-the-art security. Look for video surveillance, perimeter fencing, security locks, and electronic keypad access. You’ll also want a friendly, knowledgeable management team that is willing to answer your questions, understand your needs, and show you around the property.

Delivery

As an additional advantage, many self-storage facilities accept deliveries. You can spend a day shopping on the internet and have all of your items shipped to your storage facility: the ultimate in convenience.

Climate Control

If you live in an area that’s subject to extreme temperature fluctuations, whether hot or cold, opting for a climate-controlled unit will be better for you and your gifts. If you plan to share with friends and spend time wrapping gifts in the unit, you want to be comfortable and you want your gifts to be protected from damage or humidity. 

Insurance

One last thought. Don’t forget to check with your insurance agent to verify that your gifts are covered under your homeowners’ or renters’ policy. If your policy does not cover these items, you can purchase insurance from your storage company.

You’ll be surprised at how much less stressful your life will be with a safe, comfortable hiding place for your gifts, especially if you bought one of the kids an electric ride-on car. You won’t have to store it in your neighbor’s living room for two months.  

Just be sure to designate separate spaces for each family’s gifts. Or, your 95 year-old grandma might be opening your neighbor’s slinky jammies. Merry Christmas!