5 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Live In A Storage Unit

Surprisingly, U•STORE•IT gets the question “can I live in a storage unit?” more often than you might think! We know the economy has been tough for people recently, but we want to make it clear that living in a storage unit is incredibly risky for you, and it is also illegal for a storage unit provider to allow it, here’s why.

1. Storage Units Aren’t Climate-controlled for Living

While U•STORE•IT does have climate-controlled units, they are not on the level that would be required for people to live in the space full time. We live in Alberta and the temperatures can fluctuate from -30°C in winter to +30°C in the summer.  A self-storage unit would not protect you properly from the elements and changing seasonal temperatures.

2. Storage Units Are Unsanitary For Living

Regular access to a bathroom and water is essential to keep our bodies clean and healthy. A storage unit does not provide 24/7 access to sanitation and running water and can lead to very dirty living conditions.

3. Storage Units Are Uncomfortable For Living

You will be incredibly uncomfortable living in a storage unit! Electricity is not readily available, there is limited natural light because there are no windows inside the unit, and you can even suffer psychological effects from living in such a small, enclosed space.

4. Storage Units Aren’t Safe To Live In

Storage units are designed to be opened from the outside and there is the possibility you could become trapped inside the unit if you lived in one. This could be incredibly dangerous if it got extremely cold or there was a fire.

5. It’s Illegal To Live In A Storage Unit

Yes, It’s almost always illegal to live in a storage unit due to security and safety concerns. Self-storage business are responsible for keeping the belongings of all of customers secure. If you are found on our property outside of business hours, that could be considered trespassing and and we would be within rights to call the police.

U•STORE•IT would not allow anyone to live in one of our rental units for the risks highlighted above. If you do require access to affordable housing, we highly recommend you check out the City of Edmonton website or the City of Red Deer website for assistance.