Detroit, MI: Top Things to Know About Storage
Events that Attract a Crowd
Detroit is a city that has a lot to offer year round. . As amazing as the city’s events are, they may cause some trouble by creating massive traffic near your storage facility. First off, there’s a definite increase in traffic in downtown during football season. Ford Field Stadium, the home of the Detroit Lions, lies in the heart of Detroit. If you’re looking to get to a storage unit in downtown or near the stadium, keep in mind that getting to your unit in the months between September and February can be tough, especially on Monday and Thursday evenings and Sundays. During these months, we suggest either storing things you won’t need during the winter, or storing away from downtown.
Another huge event that could limit access to your storage unit is the biggest flea market in Detroit. Hazel Park Raceway hosts the flea market during July, August, and September. It’s a yearly event and 10,000 vendors attend, so you might want to steer clear of storage units in the area, or book way ahead of time so you’re not scrambling to find a unit in the summer. But not to worry, there are 22 facilities in Detroit, and lots more in its surrounding areas. Be sure to check out the calendar of events in the city so you’re aware of all of the other music festivals, career fairs, and concerts held in Detroit.
It’s Getting Hot in Here
Welcome to the city of extremes, where the summers are extremely humid, and the winters will turn you into a popsicle. Detroit’s humid climate it caused by its proximity to the Great Lakes. Although these lakes are beautiful, by association, they are the cause for your need of climate controlled storage units. Luckily, most storage facilities in Detroit offer climate controlled units. In fact, 100% of the storage units in 1-800-Self Storage’s Plymouth facility are climate controlled, so you shouldn’t have a problem storing items there during the summer. There’s also ease in storing during the winter. It’s very common for temperatures to not rise above freezing for about 45 days out of the year, and there’s an average of 42.5 inches of snowfall per season, which turns a leisurely trip to your storage facility into a challenge of how many layers of sweaters you can put on and still be able to be flexible enough to pick up things from your storage facility. The people of Detroit feel your pain, especially storage facility managers. To make your trip to your unit more comfortable, storage facilities now have heated loading and unloading zones. You can have this warm accommodation included in the price of your unit, making the experience pleasant, and much more bearable.
The Odd Couple
Detroit has a very strong university and military presence. Just in the main Detroit area, there are eight colleges and universities, and many more in the surrounding area. Wayne State University is in the heart of Detroit, and it alone has 25,619 students, 380 academic programs, and 400 student organizations. That’s a lot of possible needs for storage from only one population of people! Students generally need storage more during the summer months because they’re going home for the summer, so chances are that starting in May, storage facilities around you will be filling up pretty quickly.
Detroit is also home to the Detroit Arsenal Army Base, which is home to 245 military members and 8,403 civilians. That population pretty much adds up to a small town if you ask us. Given that military personnel and their families are on the go very often, it’s common for them to use storage facilities, especially the ones closest to their base. This base is actually very close to the main downtown area, meaning that it adds more people to the storage unit renter population. This shouldn’t affect your storage needs too much, just don't be startled if you see army men walking up the street while you’re unloading your belongings into your storage unit. It’s actually pretty comforting to see them, especially if you’re going to your storage unit at 2AM. If you’re opting for a unit with 24-hour access, you might as well get one near a military base so you feel safe in the dead of night.
