Turning Your Storage Unit Into A Band Rehearsal Area

8 April 2015 by Sofia Martin

So, you and your band mates are ready to take over the world with rock and roll, but there's one small problem: you can't find a place to rehearse. None of you own a home and your landlords threatened to kick you out if you practice there again. And you've looked at renting out rehearsal area, but simply can't abide the schedule or the high prices. That's why you should rent out a self storage unit for a rehearsal area.

Reason to Use a Self Storage Unit

Selling your band mates on this unique rehearsal area may be tough. However, there are a variety of advantages that you simply can't ignore. They include:

Relatively isolated to give you more privacy
Easy to sound-proof and personalize
Lockable and secure storage area for band instruments
Low cost

The average price of a 10x15 storage unit is about $75-140 per month or $115-$150 for a climate-controlled unit. Larger units can cost as little as $225.

Soundproofing the Unit

Now that you've decided on a self storage unit rehearsal area, you need to soundproof it to ensure you aren't violating noise restrictions. Soundproof your storage unit by:

Hanging heavy blankets along the walls
Attaching cardboard egg cartons on top of the blankets
Laying thick carpets on the floor
Creating a "drop ceiling" by hanging thick cardboard from the ceiling parallel to the floor
Closing the door and stuffing the gaps with temporary weather strips and place a mattress against its surface

Setting Up Electrical Output

Although many storage units should have electrical outputs, some may not. You and your band members can pool your cash together to buy a cheap portable generator. These gas-powered devices will create a steady flow of electricity that can keep you rocking. Make sure to place your generator outside your storage unit: the gas fumes from the generator may not be too heavy, but they may still be dangerous to your health.

Space Management

By now, your storage unit should be ready for your next rehearsal. However, your band members are starting to grumble that they can't fit everything they want in the unit. Follow these simple space conservation tips to fit in everything you need:

Stamp your amps on top of each other. Make sure to put the heavier bass amps on the bottom.
Tie all your cords together and run them along the walls to keep them out of the way.
Store instruments you don't need in locked cars. After all, do you really need four different guitars available at any given moment?
Carefully stack your keyboards with vertical stands, as opposed to horizontal stands.

Now that you have your instruments set up, you can practice in peace whenever you want. However, you should talk to your storage unit renter (such as Ventu Storage Center) before converting your unit to a practice area. Most should be okay with it, but others may not.

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About Me

When I was in college, a friend of mine asked me if I wanted to work at a storage place in exchange for free rent. Although the idea sounded like a scam at first, after visiting the facility I realized that it might work for me. A few other girls did it too, and it seemed like a rock-solid business model. If you worked in the office for three hours a day, you got free rent and utilities. I decided to move in, and it was a really interesting experience. I learned the storage business from the inside-out, and I want to spread the word about the proper use of storage facilities.