Condo owners have two options for storage (not counting your parents’ garage or your best friend’s basement): either match the storage space available in your condo with the items you need to store or rent additional space in an off-site storage unit.

In-Condo Storage
Whether you’re buying your first home or downsizing from a house to a condo, chances are you’ve got items to store. We all have seasonal items, such as sporting equipment, holiday supplies and camping goods, and most of us have at least a couple boxes of keepsakes such as a childhood collection, luggage, outgrown children’s clothes or tax records. Seldom used hobby supplies and tools may also warrant a space in the storage locker.

As Kendra Milne, marketing co-ordinator for Streetside Development Corporation confirms, storage is a priority for condo buyers. “It’s very important to buyers, especially the downsizing group,” she says. “Since space is at a premium in a condominium, they don’t want to have their extra things underfoot. But the real benefit (of in-building storage) is that they still have direct access to their things.”

The space available can vary from a storage closet (small or large) within the suite, to a storage locker or cage in the parking lot, to storage rooms in a specific area of the building, though some condos may offer no storage. In townhouse communities, storage is often factored into the size of the garage. Townhomes often offer more storage (such as closets or niches) than apartment-style or high rise condos automatically, because of their sparser layout.

An out-of-suite storage space may be purchased as part of your condo, or it may be assigned common space. Whatever the arrangement, be sure you’re aware of just what you’re getting, and factor the cost into your purchase.
With any aspect of condo life comes rules that need to be observed. Condo owners should be aware that condo by-laws prohibit the storage of bikes and other goods on the balcony, making it even more important to secure a legal storage space. Buildings with a dedicated bike storage room garner extra points.

Self-Storage Companies
If you move into a condo where no storage is offered, or perhaps you just have too much stuff to fit into the available space, it’s time to start looking at rental storage units.

A good place to start is the Yellow Pages. As Bill Roberts, vice-president of Stor Edge Self Storage, explains, pricing from one self-storage company to the next is generally very competitive (ranging from $50 to $200 per month depending on size), and the choice usually comes down to matters of convenience.

“People want the convenience of location – either on the way to work or in their neighbourhood, as well as property access seven days a week,” says Roberts.

Other aspects to consider include security, cleanliness, customer service and insurance. Inquire about a facility’s alarm system, cameras and guards. What if you want to have someone swing by to pick something up on your behalf? What measures are taken to ensure no one else can access your unit without your permission?

Look for a clean facility and be sure to ask about drainage and snow removal, and find out if the building is non-combustible. If the door to your unit is ever damaged, will the company fix it? And how long will it take?

Lastly, call your insurance broker to find out if your existing homeowners' insurance covers items in storage. If not, find out if the storage company offers third-party insurance for your goods.

Employees of self-storage companies are experts at figuring out just what size of storage unit you need, based on what you’ll be storing. To get an idea in advance, you can also use the handy storage calculator at http://www.publicstoragecanada.com. The calculator allows you to enter the specific items you’ll be storing, and whether you want them packed loosely or tightly, and gives you an estimate of the size of unit you’ll require. Unit sizes range from five-by five-foot to 10-foot by 30-foot, allowing customers to store everything from a few boxes to an RV.