Contact a moving and storage company and request a free estimate. An estimator will be sent to your home to determine the size and cost of your storage need.

Before your items are transported to the warehouse, a crew will arrive at your home to wrap and prepare all items that will be placed into storage.

You also have the option of delivering your items to the warehouse yourself and arrange for space and an inventory list to be prepared for your arrival.

Inspecting the facilities

You should visit the warehouse for inspection purposes. It is important that you are comfortable with the place where your items will be stored. The warehouse should be clean. Check the security features.

The warehouse operators will be completely responsible for your items in storage. See how the items such as furniture are stored. Are they placed in secure wooden containers, known as vaults or pallets? Are they neatly stacked on shelves? These are good indicators of how well your items will be handled.

You should check the facility's history of service and performance by contacting the Department of Consumer Affairs, which issues their operating licenses, and with the Better Business Bureau for any prior complaints.

Paperwork

All paperwork is completed and signed at your home, unless you deliver your items by yourself. Otherwise, you never have to pay a visit to the warehouse, other than for purposes of inspection.

At the time of pickup, the crew foreman will create a detailed inventory of your items and their condition at origin. The warehouse operators accept the responsibility of your items under a contract. In addition to the inventory sheet, you are given a written contract that states where your items will be stored, the monthly rate for the space that your items will occupy, and the schedule and charges for retrieval. You are also provided, free of charge, with a minimum coverage. The amount depends on each individual company. Ask about replacement coverage for your items.

Retrieval