4 Things You Should Not Store in a Shipping Container

Once you have gotten your hands on a shipping container for rent (or purchased one for a more permanent storage solution), one of the first things you should figure out is what can and cannot be stored inside of it.

After all, while a shipping container storage unit can be the ideal place to keep things you do not need at your home or business, certain things should be kept from this unit.

While some things that you should never store in a shipping container storage unit may be pretty obvious, like pets or illegal substances, others may shock you. So, it is essential to establish a solid understanding of these dos and don’ts ahead of time.

Being well-informed about these matters early on will save you from having to deal with headaches. After all, there are good reasons why the things that should not be stored in a shipping container storage unit fall into that category, and it is better if you do not have to experience those reasons firsthand.

What are the main things you cannot store in a shipping container?

While a shipping container storage unit works great for storing everything from furniture to collectibles to home appliances to vehicles, there are better places to keep certain things.

There are things you should never store in your shipping container storage unit that will create problems for you in one way or another if you do not heed these warnings.

The following are some of the main things that you should never store in a shipping container storage unit:

1. Food and Perishables

   At the top of the list of things you should not store in a container storage unit are food and other perishable items. First, perishable food items are likely to quickly spoil and rot if you keep them in a storage unit like this, turning your entire unit into a fly-infested mess that smells like garbage.

   In addition, once they begin to rot, these foods could also pose a significant health threat.

   If you store perishable food items in your shipping container storage unit, you will soon attract mould and mildew, and fungi will grow and spread to the other items stored in your unit.

   Soon, all your belongings, regardless of whether they are perishable or not, will need to be thrown away. On top of that, the smell of rotting food will likely attract pests like rodents, and these unwelcome guests will turn your storage unit into their haven.

2. Hazardous Materials

   Another category of things you should never store in your shipping container storage unit is hazardous materials, such as asbestos, biological waste, or acids, as doing so could be incredibly dangerous.

   Although it may seem evident that you shouldn’t store hazardous materials in such a manner, some materials are not as obviously dangerous as others.

   So, it is essential to foster a better understanding of everything that falls into this category. For instance, there are even certain fertilizers or cleaning chemicals that could be hazardous when improperly stored.

   There are also times when you may have boxes of things stored together, and only one or two of those things may be hazardous, such as mineral spirits or paint thinner that is stored amongst other art supplies. For this reason, it is always necessary to know precisely what is in your boxes or bins before you store them away.

   If you have nowhere to store certain hazardous materials, call a local waste management agency to learn how to dispose of them properly.

3. Flammable and Explosive Materials

   Another major no-no is storing anything considered highly flammable or explosive in your shipping container storage unit.

   If you were to keep things like gasoline, propane, kerosene, oil, or fireworks in your storage unit, the possibility of combustion or the ignition of a fire could pose significant risks to your safety and that of anyone else living near the area where your shipping container is stored.

   If you intend to store lawn equipment in your container storage unit, that is usually okay, but ensure it is drained of its gasoline or oil before doing so.

4. Liquids

   Another category of things you should avoid storing in your shipping container storage unit is liquids, primarily due to the possibility of leakage.

   If an unexpected leak occurs, you will lose the liquid that you were storing, and there is also a chance your other belongings will be ruined by the wet mess the leak creates. Imagine how awful it would be to enter your shipping container one day to find your valued collectibles sitting in a puddle and collecting mould.

   Although it may seem safe to store things like cases of water in your storage unit, especially if you keep them on the ground, there is no sense in storing bottles like this in such an environment over an extended period.

   After all, stockpiling something like bottled water in an environment like this that can get quite warm could lead to the plastic of the bottles releasing bisphenol A (BPA) in the water, making it undrinkable.

Why Sigma Container Corporation Has the Best Shipping Containers for Storage

Although the items mentioned above should never be stored in a shipping container, there are still thousands of things that are perfectly fine to keep stored in such units. However, before you can do that, you need to have a suitable shipping container first, and that is where Sigma Container Corporation comes in.

If you require shipping containers for rent, we have plenty of great new and used options for you.

We have a wide range of shipping containers in various sizes, and someone from our team of storage experts can help you find one that perfectly matches your needs. Our shipping containers are incredibly durable and secure, built from steel and equipped with lock boxes.

Stay calm about how you will get your shipping container home, as we will deliver it directly to you with our tilt-and-load trucks.

For more information about our rental agreement options or to learn more about the selection of shipping containers we have to choose from, call Sigma Container Corporation at 855-340-3342 or contact us here.