Atlanta, GA: Top Things to Know About Storage

Gentrification Affects Everything, Including Storage

Atlanta is home to more than 450,000 people and a lot of storage facilities. Both the population and the number of facilities is growing. So what gives? It actually all goes back to 1996, when Atlanta hosted the summer Olympic games. This caused the city to spruce up parks, sporting venues and neighborhoods. A lot of people in Atlanta count this as the start of more than a decade of urban revitalization, or you know, the G-word. According to a recent study, the city is gentrifying at twice the rate of the average large city. What does this mean for storage? Storage trends tend to follow housing trends as far as price and availability goes. Right now, rent is climbing and new businesses are taking root. You can expect to pay about $1,200 a month for a one bedroom apartment in Atlanta and you can expect to back around $70 a month for a 5x5 storage unit. Because gentrification tends to involve more people with a disposable income moving into a city, these individuals will likely be utilizing storage because, to put it simply, they have more stuff and they can afford to pay for the extra space. Thanks to the wide availability of storage in Atlanta, this hasn’t affected cost too much, but it can affect availability in desirable areas like Midtown where there are a lot of luxury high rises and a high percentage of young professionals. Don’t want to waste time freaking out about cost and availability? We don’t want you to either. Consider searching for storage several miles outside of where you live and your options will triple. And if you’ve got a storage unit that’s in a great area and is reasonably priced, talk to your storage facility manager to see what you can do to lock that price in for years to come.

24 Hour Storage and Atlanta Traffic

We know. We’re sorry for even mentioning Atlanta traffic. Just the thought of it probably gave you a mini panic attack. Most Atlanta residents spend an average of 52 hours a year in traffic. You can try to make things easier by avoiding storage facilities that force you to use the Connector where I-85 and I-75 merge downtown. You can even try using public transportation via the MARTA to access your storage facility (though honestly this system serves bar hoppers better than actual commuters). Most facilities that don’t offer 24 hour access are open during traditional business hours. That means that if you work traditional business hours and you need to access your storage unit, you’re looking at going there before work (rush hour) during your lunch break (rush hour) and on the way home (rush hour again). Think you can get in and out without being late for work, inadvertently taking a long lunch or before the gates close? The stress of attempting this doesn’t make much sense to us either. Use our handy-dandy search tool to seek out storage facilities in Atlanta that offer 24 hour storage and access your unit on your own schedule, not someone else’s.

You’ll Find Out Why it’s Really Called Hotlanta

First thing first: Literally no one calls it Hotlanta. Unless you want to sound like a total amateur you’ll stick to calling Atlanta by its actual name, or ATL if you’re feeling sassy. That being said, Hotlanta usually refers to the city’s wild nightlife but in the summer season you’ll be sure it’s just a synonym for the entire month of July. You probably already know how the weather is going to affect you, but have you thought about how it’s going to affect the items in your storage unit? Temperatures in Atlanta soar above 80 degrees and humidity is a force to be reckoned with. If you’re someone who leaves items in storage for long periods of time, or you’re a college student looking for summer storage, it pays to look for climate controlled storage. This type of storage is typically inside and will protect your belongings against the elements and will keep the temperature regulated. Climate controlled storage is especially important if you’re storing electronics, musical instruments, antique furniture, artwork or photographs. Humidity can really hurt those precious memories in that old photo album. Take care to make sure that your items are in good shape no matter how long you go without visiting your storage unit.

Commercial Storage in the Land of Coca-Cola

You don’t have to be a big shot executive at one of Atlanta’s many Fortune 500 companies to understand the benefits of commercial storage. Whether you’re a small business owner or a corporate jet setter flying in and out of Atlanta on a regular basis, commercial storage for your business can be a real asset to you. Look for a storage facility that will accept deliveries on your behalf and that will allow you to set up online bill pay. Depending on what you’re utilizing commercial storage for, you should also consider climate control (this is especially useful to pharmaceutical sales representatives and wine representatives). You should also look for a storage facility that will protect you and your business’s privacy when it comes to the information in your lease and the contents of your storage unit. Last but not least, look for a storage facility with great security features so that you can work hard without sweating the status of your storage unit.