If you collect wine or invest in it, you may well be running out of space to store it. It's also important to store wine in the correct environment, so this may be a problem for you if you don't have a suitable controlled area at home. Putting your wine collection in self storage is an alternative option. What do you need to check out before you choose a self storage company?

Look for Experience

It's best to choose a self storage company that already has a track record of storing wine if you can. This gives you some peace of mind that the company knows what it's doing and has the correct facilities on site.  

Tip: Talk to the storage company's owner or manager about how they handle wine. Even if staff aren't wine buffs, they should be knowledgeable about its storage.

Choose the Right Storage Option

Some storage companies offer individual wine units of various sizes or even cellars for larger collections. Others also have managed storage cellars where you can store a smaller collection together with bottles belonging to other people. Before you hire space, you should consider how many bottles you plan on storing. If you just have a few bottles, a small locker or shared storage may be the cheapest option; if you have a larger collection or want your own space, consider hiring an individual unit.

Tip: If you're planning to build your collection over time, check that the storage company will allow you to upgrade to a larger space if you need to.

Get the Right Climate Control

Your wine needs to be stored in suitable conditions, and you should look for a storage company that has the right level of climate control. For example, according to Vintage Cellars, wine should be stored at temperatures between 10-15˚C with a humidity of 50-80%. Climate does matter. Wine may not mature correctly or may oxidise if the temperature is wrong; humidity controls prevent corks from drying out and allowing oxygen to get into your bottles.

Tip: It's not enough for a self storage site to have climate controls built into units. You also need to check that the company monitors its controls to make sure they are working correctly.

Avoid Movement

Wine may suffer in storage if it is moved around a lot. This may not be an issue if you're hiring a locker or your own larger space, as you will be the only person with access to your bottles. However, if you're storing bottles in shared storage space, they may be moved around at the discretion of the storage manager. If you're taking this route, talk to the company and ask if your bottles may be moved and in which circumstances.

Tip: Even if you're hiring your own space for wine storage, you should check that there is nothing near your storage area that may make it vibrate, such as a machine room or lift mechanism.

Get the Right Access

Think about when you may want to access your wine. If you hire your own space in a 24/7 facility and fancy opening a bottle you have in storage, you can simply pop down to the site and pick it up. Some facilities don't offer unlimited access, however, and you may lose out if you want to open a bottle of your favourite wine when the facility is closed.

Tip: If you're using shared wine storage, you typically won't be able to access your wine yourself and will have to arrange to collect it from a member of staff.

For more information, talk directly with a local self storage company, such as Dawson Moving.

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