Category: Sponsored

When a tenant stops paying, most self-storage operators default to the same response: chase the balance, send notices, and eventually start the lien process. The entire focus becomes recovering the money that’s owed, and while that’s understandable, it often means the bigger cost goes completely unnoticed. Every month a delinquent unit sits occupied by a non-paying tenant is a month that unit isn’t generating revenue, and it’s also a month it’s unavailable to rent to a new tenant. Recovering Debt vs. Recovering Revenue There’s an important distinction between trying to…

What topics are getting the most attention from self-storage owners and operators in 2026? So far, the answer is clear: operators are looking for practical ways to understand industry change, run their businesses more efficiently, attract more customers, and prepare for what comes next. Here are five of the articles and resources that have generated the most interest from our readers. 1. Rewind to 2015: How Accurate Were Forecasts on Self-Storage Industry Growth? A lot has changed in self-storage over the past decade. This article looks back at the predictions…

Choosing the right storage unit is only the first step in creating a positive self-storage experience. How customers organize and use that space can have just as much impact on convenience, accessibility, and their overall satisfaction. For self-storage operators, providing simple education around unit sizing and organization can help customers feel more confident in their decision while making their space easier to use throughout their rental. Start With the Right Size Customers often focus on square footage without fully understanding what a storage unit can realistically hold. Helping them visualize…

The countdown is officially on. In less than a month, the self-storage industry will gather in Atlanta for THE Show! After months of planning, conversations, brainstorming, and preparation, the excitement is becoming very real. Our speakers are getting ready. Our exhibitors are preparing their booths. Our special events are taking shape. And our team is counting down the days until we welcome everyone to Atlanta. Now there is only one question: Will you be there? From the earliest stages of planning, our goal for THE Show has been to create something…

For many self-storage owners, selling represents the culmination of years of building, operating, and improving a facility. But maximizing value often begins well before the propertyis placed on the market. Buyers ultimately evaluate a facility based on its income, operations, physical condition, market position, and future potential. Owners who focus on these areas before selling may be better positioned to attract qualified buyers and achieve stronger pricing. 1. Focus on Net Operating Income Self-storage properties are primarily valued based on the income they produce. Increasing Net Operating Income (NOI) can…

The self-storage industry entered 2025 focused on stability after several years of volatility. National reports from Cushman & Wakefield, CBRE and other sources showed that rents and occupancy began to stabilize mid-year. At the same time, operators leaned heavily on technology and automation to control costs. Storage Commander’s proprietary research confirms these themes, capturing how real operators experienced the year and what they expect next. The Year in Review EFFICIENCY WAS THE BIGGEST WIN. More than a quarter of operators identified operational efficiency as their greatest success, driven by automation,…

Today’s consumers don’t wait on hold. They get instant answers from their bank, their airline, and their favorite retailer. They track packages in real time, reset passwords in seconds, and resolve billing issues at midnight without ever speaking to a person. Self-storage tenants are those same consumers, and they bring the same expectations with them. A prospective renter comparing unit prices at 9 p.m. wants answers at the moment they’re ready to commit. A tenant locked out on a Sunday morning wants to retrieve a gate code without waiting until…

Ask any self-storage owner what number they watch most closely, and the answer is almost always the same: occupancy. It’s intuitive, it’s easy to track, and it’s usually the first thing a lender wants to see. But what if that number isn’t telling the whole story? Across the industry, occupancy has become a kind of shorthand for success. A full building feels like a healthy building. But a facility sitting at 95% occupancy isn’t automatically outperforming one sitting at 85%. It all depends on how those units were filled and…

This article outlines seven operational problems commonly faced by multi-site self-storage operators, pairing each with a practical solution. 1. Problem: You Don’t Have a Clear View of How Each Facility Is Performing When data lives in separate systems, or worse, spreadsheets, it’s difficult to understand what’s happening across your portfolio. Operators often discover issues such as rising delinquency, uneven occupancy, or pricing gaps too late, after revenue has already been affected. Solution: A centralized management system addresses this by consolidating contracts, billing, reservations, and unit availability into a single platform.…