Man, I remember this one guy. He rented a 10×10 from us at Downtown Mini Storage about five years back. Nice fellow. He was storing stuff while he renovated his house.
He brought in all the usual furniture, boxes of books, and some tools. Then he brought in this old freezer. One of those big, white, clunky ones from the 80s. I didn’t think much of it.
Big mistake.
Turns out, he unplugged it at his house, but he didn’t empty it out. He just duct-taped the door shut and figured it was fine. For six months, that freezer sat in his unit. In the summer heat.
The day he came to finally move it out, he opened the unit door and the smell… oh god, the smell. It hit him like a physical force. It was the smell of six-month-old, fully decomposed… everything. Meat, fish, and vegetables. It had all liquefied and then festered in an airtight box. The liquid had seeped out under the seal and pooled on the floor. The mess was biblical.
He started vomiting right there in the driveway. I had to call a biohazard cleaning company. The cleanup cost him more than the entire renovation he was doing on his house.
Why am I telling you this gross story? Because I want you to understand that the rules aren’t just words on a page. They are written in rotten meat and toxic mold.
So, from my very real, very human experience, here is what you absolutely cannot put in your unit.
Category 1: Anything That Was Ever Alive (Or Could Be)
This means:
- No people: I shouldn’t have to say this, but I do. It’s not a home. It’s a concrete box. It’s dangerous.
- No pets: Same reason. It’s cruel and illegal.
- No plants: They’ll die and then they’ll mold.
- NO FOOD: Not a crumb. Not a single can of soup. Not a bag of rice. If a mouse can eat it, it will find it. And it will bring its entire extended family to live in your sofa.
Category 2: The “This Could Send Us to the Moon” Stuff
This is the scary one. The “I wasn’t thinking” category.
- Gasoline. For your lawnmower? Leave it at home. The fumes are heavier than air, they pool in your unit, and all it takes is one tiny spark. I like my face the way it is, thanks.
- Propane Tanks. See above. They are literally bombs waiting for a reason.
- Paint, paint thinner, kerosene. These things aren’t stable. They degrade, they leak, they can spontaneously combust. Just no.
Category 3: Your Heart (The Irreplaceable Stuff)
This is the most important one. Your storage unit is for stuff. It is not for your memories.
- Do not store your family photo albums. What if there’s a leak?
- Do not store your grandmother’s wedding ring. Get a safety deposit box.
- Do not store your child’s first drawing. Keep that at home.
- Do not store cash, passports, or legal wills.
We are secure. We have great locks and cameras at Downtown Mini Storage. But we are not a fortress. We are not a bank. We are a dry, secure place for your couch and your winter clothes. We are not for the things you cannot live without.
A Final Word of Advice
Look, I’m just a guy. I don’t want to have to make the phone call your friend had to make to me. I don’t want to see the look on your face when you open your unit to a disaster that was 100% preventable.
So when you’re packing, just think. “Would this be a nightmare if it rotted, exploded, or got stolen?” If the answer is yes, leave it out.
And if you’re not sure? For the love of all that is good, just ask me. My name’s Dan. I’m at the front desk. I will gladly tell you if something is a bad idea. I’ve seen the alternative, and it ain’t pretty.
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