There are many things to consider when choosing a self-storage unit for your belongings. In the long run, you may save yourself a lot of expense by doing a little research before choosing not only a unit but a secure way of protecting your belongings.
Most theft from storage units is done by cutting a padlock with bolt cutters. There are several products now available that make this more difficult, such as a disk lock. Disk locks are like padlocks, except they have smaller bars, making them harder to cut.
You may also want to look into the following when researching a good storage facility:
Make sure that access to the facility is secure, i.e., you have to have a code or key to gain access not only to your unit but also to the facility itself.
Is there 24-hour video surveillance at the facility? If not, are there security guards present on the facility grounds?
Make sure you can use your own type of lock.
Check your unit regularly and report any break-ins to the police as soon as possible.
Keep an up-to-date inventory of ALL items in your unit and take photographs – especially of valuable items like jewelry. Record serial numbers where available.