Minnesota Self Storage

Rich in natural resources and tourist attractions, particularly for those taking advantage of the state’s reputation as the ‘land of 10,000 lakes,’ Minnesota supports a wide array of outdoor activities and provides the self storage options necessary to take full advantage any time of the year.

StorageFront’s simple to use tools make it easy to find self storage units in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Rochester – home to the Mayo Clinic, seafaring towns like Duluth, or any of the smaller cities or towns like Moorhead where children from around the world arrive each summer to take part in intense language immersion camps, which teach languages as diverse as Chinese, Danish and Arabic, or Akeley where a 25–foot statue of legendary logger Paul Bunyan bends down to invite visitors to sit in his hand for photos.

Minnesota is the nation’s twelfth largest state and boasts broad terrain differences from plains in the south to vast forests in the north, from rocky coastlines to craggy peaks at the summit of spots like Eagle Mountain, which soars nearly 1,700 feet higher than the state’s lowest point 13 miles away along Lake Superior’s western shore.

An eclectic mix of outdoorsman, nature lovers, farmers and trendy urbanites call Minnesota home. Residents and visitors alike love the wide variety of summer water sports, including swimming at the beaches; canoeing and kayaking through the 69,000 miles of waterways that run north, east and south; surfing Lake Superior; fishing for walleye; and inner tubing down rivers like the St. Croix or the Mississippi, which starts at Lake Itasca and flows for 680 miles before exiting the state. In addition, bikers and roller blade enthusiasts take advantage of many miles of well planned bike trails. Unlike some from areas further south, Minnesotans embrace the months of snow and find many ways to keep active while having fun. In winter, city parks and schools fill manmade ponds with water, which quickly becomes ice. Then, they set kids loose to learn to ice skate or play hockey. Lakes, now frozen thick enough to support the weight of several cars, become home to ice fisherman, and hills become great places for skiing, snowboarding and tubing. The plains welcome snowmobiles while hikers slap on snowshoes to trek through the state’s many parks. With all of these year–round activities, Minnesotans are some of the most active, long–lived people in the country.

These outdoor activities make good self storage options very important. In the summer, self storage units are great places to stow smaller gear like sleds, hockey sticks, snow shovels and those boxes full of winter coats and sweaters. While winter vehicles can be too unwieldy for the backyard and totally impractical in an apartment, they remain easily accessible in self storage. In the winter, self storage is a must for the canoes, kayaks, jet skis and other boats that one in six residents own.

Although the state makes the most of its open spaces, you don’t need to commune with nature to need storage in Minnesota. Students choose from dozens of college options, including several state universities. Numerous large corporations have turned the region into a hub of trade. At the same time, artists flock to the Twin Cities and other areas to take part in thriving art and theater communities. Each of these groups has unique storage needs, which can easily be met by searching through StorageFront’s service directory.

When searching for self storage, be sure to choose the right type of unit. Consider these factors:

• Will outdoor storage properly protect your vehicle or other goods?
• Should rooms be climate controlled to prevent items from freezing or cracking in the frigid winter months or warping on sweltering summer days?
• Does the storage facility have a snow removal policy so that you can get to your snow mobile when you need it?
• Does the facility treat for insects? Mosquitoes are a common pest around the water.
• Do you need assistance transporting your gear?

Minnesota’s temperatures can reach over 100 degrees in the summer and as low 60 below zero in the winter. When storing vehicles and other valuables in areas that experience these types of extreme temperature variations, be careful to take precautions. Here are a few general storage suggestions. Check with your self storage provider for additional tips about the best way to protect the type of goods you plan to store.

• Clean vehicles inside and out to remove sand and salt used to clear roadways of snow. Residue could damage vehicles if not removed.
• If storing a vehicle outside, protect it with a tarp.
• Divide your unit into seasonal sections to make it easier to get to what you need when you need it.
• In larger units, leave walkways between groups of items.
• Place heavy items on the bottom.
• Place less used items further back in your unit.
• Clearly label boxes.
• Don’t store hazardous materials in the unit. Bring a gas can or other fluids for your vehicle with you when it’s time to take your winter ride for a spin.

Whether you live in Minnesota or are just traveling through on your way to a cabin on Lake Superior’s north shore, you may find you have some extra gear to stow, maybe for just a day or maybe all year. StorageFront can help you find the perfect fit.