A wandering soul

Self storage companies typically don't offer insurance for the things you store on site, leaving it up to you to decide whether you want to arrange your own protection. You can either buy a policy from the self storage company, if it sells coverage, or talk to your home insurer. Some home insurance policies cover things you store away from home; others may not, and you may need to add coverage to your existing policy, or buy a separate one.

While insurance gives you useful protection in the event that something happens to your stored possessions, you don't get blanket coverage. Both home and self storage insurance policies have exclusions that prevent you from claiming for certain events and types of damage. For example, according to the Know Risk website, insurance companies typically don't cover damage caused by pests, such as mice, rats and insects. If you won't be allowed to claim for pest damage, put some thought in to preventing any damage from happening in the first place before you fill your storage unit.

Self Storage Pest Control Tips

1. Talk to the self storage company about the general pest control measures it has on the site, and ask if it recommends that customers use any specific deterrents in their units. If the company recommends that you use pest control products, follow its advice.
2. Don't store any perishable food in your space. This may attract mice and rats. Although self storage companies may allow you to store canned food, most typically do not allow you to store any perishable items. This may include plants and dried flowers, which may attract vermin and insects.
3. Think about smell when you store stuff, even if it isn't edible. Mice may sniff out scented candles and perfumes, and mistake them for food.  
4. If you're storing fridges, freezers or furniture that you have used to store food at home, check them out before putting them in storage. Make sure that they no longer contain any food, and wash them out thoroughly to remove any residual traces.
5. If you're storing upholstered furniture, run a vacuum over it. Remove cushions, if you can, and clean down the sides of chairs and sofas to remove any crumbs that may be stuck in them. Mice have a highly developed sense of smell, and even a few crumbs may attract them into your unit.
6. Protect clothes from moth damage with mothballs or natural repellents, such as cedar blocks.