Renting a space at a self storage facility is a simple remedy for a home that is cluttered with too many possessions. By storing what you don't use often at a facility near your home, you can enjoy calmer, cleaner living quarters. Although the monthly fee that you'll pay for your storage unit is a small price to pay for helping you reduce the volume of items in your home, there are a number of ways that you can reduce the amount that you pay for your space. Here are four areas to explore.

Declutter First

Don't just gather up your extra possessions and take them to the storage facility. Before you decide on the size of unit to rent, it's worth taking a few days -- or longer, depending on the state of your home -- to declutter your possessions. By getting rid of the things that you'll never use again, you can greatly reduce the overall volume of the items that you wish to store at the facility. This purgi

ng can often mean that you can rent a smaller, lower-priced unit to hold your possessions.

Share With A Friend

If it's clear that you'll need a large storage unit but that you won't have enough items to completely fill it, reach out to your friends to see if anyone is interested in sharing the storage space with you. Most importantly, you can split the cost of the rental, whether it's 50/50, 60/40 or another percentage breakdown that relates to your specific situation. Having a friend share the bill can help you pay less than expected for the unit.

Pay Annually

Many storage facility clients book units and pay monthly because they don't know how long they'll need the space. If you know that you're in for the long haul, ask the rental agent about the price reduction you'd experience by paying a lump sum for the year, rather than one payment per month. The former option is typically cheaper and, provided you have the financial means to do so, can be worthwhile as a way to save money.

Use Only The Perks You Need

Climate-controlled storage units are common at many facilities, giving customers the ability to keep wooden furniture and other temperature- and humidity-sensitive items in an ideal setting. If you don't need this perk, however, there's no point in paying for it. Ask the rental agent about the difference in price between the climate-controlled units and those that are standard.