Storage Units: What to Know Before Storing Your Belongings

Whether you're a touring musician who needs excess storage space for a multitude of instruments or you're simply an avid player and collector with a shortage of space in your home, a self-storage facility can be a viable location for some of your guitars. Provided that you ensure the facility at which you rent offers a high degree of security, you can rest assured that your prized instruments will remain safe and sound -- and be easily accessible when you need them. Here are some tips to keep in mind when storing your guitars.

Make Sure The Unit's Climate Can Be Controlled

One of the perks at many self-storage facilities is the availability of climate-controlled units. These are ideal because you can set the temperature and humidity levels in the unit to your desired settings to ensure that your possessions are kept in the best possible condition. If you're storing acoustic guitars, especially, it's imperative that the temperature and humidity are right -- aim for about 75 degrees Fahrenheit and a humidity level of about 50 percent. Lower humidity is especially problematic for your instruments, as it can cause the wood to shrink. In extreme cases, a lack of humidity in the storage space can actually cause an acoustic guitar to crack.

Clean Them Thoroughly First

It's beneficial to buy a microfiber cleaning cloth and a guitar-cleaning solution to give the body, neck and fingerboard a thorough cleaning before you store your instruments at the storage facility. The oils from your hands can leave small smudges on an instrument's body -- and over time, this buildup of oil can even change the color of the guitar's finish or leave permanent marks that are unpleasing to the eye. By taking a few minutes to wipe down each of your guitars, you won't have to worry about any surprises when you finally retrieve them.

Loosen The Strings

It's often advantageous to think about loosening the strings a little before you store your guitars. When they're in tune, the strings are putting considerable pressure on the neck of the guitar, which can lead to bowing and alignment issues over time. Simply loosening the strings a little bit can reduce this pressure on the neck. You don't need to completely remove the strings, though. When you're ready to retrieve the instrument, you can quickly tune it up and it should be ready to play right away.

For more tips, contact a company like All American Self Storage.