Wed 2nd Apr 2008 02:05AM
What you do after surviving a fire, flood, tornado or other natural disaster is just as important as what you do during the disaster. Most homeowner policies will pay for the rental of a self storage unit if a home is damaged beyond immediate repair. Most of our memories are contained in our possessions. Every knick knack, every piece of furniture in our homes has a story. Keeping those stories and memories alive often means salvaging as much as we can from our damaged homes.
You should return to gather any salvageable property just as soon as you can. Placed in a self storage unit they will be safe from vandals or anyone scavenging the area for valuables. You will only want to place furniture, and non-essential items like out of season clothes, photo albums and household goods in your self storage unit. You should keep all jewelry, birth certificates and other ID with you or place them in a safe deposit box.
You should check with the manager or owner of your self storage unit to verify that you will be allowed to move your damaged belongings in. Some owners of self storage units will not allow smoke or water damaged property into their self storage units due to the smell, the possible development of mold, and the perception of added liability. You might need to sign a waiver acknowledging that your belongings were damaged prior to moving them into your self storage unit. Make sure to choose a self storage unit that will allow you to clean or repair your property on the premises. Just because your belongings are damaged does not mean you should not take time to store them properly. Dry out soft goods, couches, chairs etc as thoroughly as possible to prevent them from developing mold. Wrap large broken items in bubble wrap or wrap them in blankets, anything that will provide a cushion and prevent further damage. Wrap small delicate or broken items in bubble wrap before placing them in small storage containers. Try not to stack items on top of each other as this can cause further damage.
You do not need to throw out your broken possessions. Find as many of the pieces as you can and move them into your self storage unit. Wait a couple of weeks or months before you evaluate all of the pieces you have collected. Pick a day that you have some time, spread out all of the pieces in your self storage unit and then make a list of what you have. You might be able to make something new out of what was broken. Pieces of china and glass can be turned into a mosaic top for a new table. Damaged photos can be restored and reframed. Pieces of wood from dressers and tables can be repurposed into something new. You might have to be creative, but keeping as many of your possessions as you can, will help you and your family settle into your new home faster.
Making the most of your self storage unit means you will have to check on your belongings several times a week. You will need to watch for mold on upholstered furniture, heavy items that are starting to lean onto more fragile items and anything that has fallen over.
Taking steps now to ensure your homeowners policy covers the rental of a self storage unit will save you time, money and possibly your memories if a disaster should strike your home.
The original article is located at: Storage Can Help You Through Tough Times