Storage Outlet - Southern California Storage Specialist

Storage Outlet RV and Self Storage has been serving the self storage needs of the South Gate, California community for 10 years. Conveniently located near South Gate Towne Center and the Home Depot Center, we're located on Firestone Blvd. between Garfield and Old River School Road. Our modern storage facility was designed with your convenience in mind. Our storage units are all drive up, Open 7 days a week, and 24 hour video recording. We also offer safe, secure RV (or motor home), boat, toy hauler and trailer storage to fit any need, big or small.

With 24 hour access available and on line payment options, we're ready when you are so you can tailor your storage experience to fit your schedule.

Serving the Southgate and Downey area including Bell Gardens, Cudahy, Maywood, Huntington Park and nearby communities.

City Information: South Gate

In the summer of 1769, a group of Spanish explorers set out from the coast of San Diego to explore the uncharted territory between San Diego and the Bay of Monterey. With them was Father Juan Crespi, considered by historians to be one of the great diarists of the new world explorations. His daily entries were remarkably revealing of the country through which the caravan passed. They proceeded in the general direction of the San Gabriel Valley, across the Los Angeles River, which Crespi named "Porciuncula" on August 2, 1769.

There would be no history of South Gate without including the story of the Lugo Spanish Land Grant. That grant encompassed a great part of what is now the City of South Gate and is a vital and colorful part of this area's history.

Before the end of the 1870's, much of the original land grant had been replaced by 40 acre tracts. By 1880, cattle raising had been replaced by agriculture as the most important local industry. During the years between 1910 and 1940, most of the agricultural land was replaced by homes and factories. Today, with the land divided by freeways, it is not easy to imagine it as a vast plain stretching from the mountains to the sea as it was in those early years.

Incorporated on January 20, 1923, South Gate is the sixteenth largest city in Los Angeles County and encompasses 7.5 square miles. South Gate is located just 12 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles.

Schools located in South Gate include: 16 public (12 elementary, 2 high school and 2 middle high school) and two parochial schools. Adult Education classes are conducted at both the junior and senior high schools. The City is also served by 3 community colleges (Compton, Cerritos and East Los Angeles--main campus and South Gate satellite) and 3 California State Universities (Dominguez Hills, Long Beach and Los Angeles.)

There are 9 parks in the City of South Gate, representing over 65 acres of recreational area. They include: Circle Park, Hollydale Community Park, Cesar Chavez Park, Gardendale Tot Lot, Hollydale Park, South Gate Park, Stanford Avenue Park and State Street Park. The 96 acre South Gate Park is home to the Municipal Auditorium, the Girls' Clubhouse, the Sports Center, the Senior Citizen Building, a 3 par golf course, an Olympic size indoor swimming pool, 6 tennis courts, 6 indoor basketball courts, 10 outdoor basketball courts and 10 baseball fields (9 lighted). Access to the Southern Avenue Bike Pedestrian Way and the Rio Hondo Bicycle Trail is conveniently located within the City.

Packing and Storage Tips

1. Use boxes that are the same in size - they will stack up much easier and utilize the space you have much better.
2. As you stack, place heavy boxes on the bottom and lighter on the top.  Seems logical but we have seen many a crumbled box.
3. Make sure that you leave walkways between boxes so you can have ready access.
4. Half full boxes tend to collapse easier during stacking.
5. Leave a little space between your unit walls and boxes - helps air circulate
6. Storing a refrigerator or washer/dryer? Leave doors slightly ajar – this can help prevent mold from growing.
7. NO flammables or combustibles allowed in any of the storage units.
8. Photo or Video document your stored items thoroughly.
9. Label your boxes for quick identification.
10. Bubble wrap and newspaper fragile items.

Preparing Your Items for Storage

• Place smaller items in uniformly sized boxes. Completely fill each box with heavier items on the bottom and lighter items on the top. Uniformly sized boxes stack easier and conserve storage space.
• Appliances. Clean and dry your appliances prior to storing.  Do not leave anything inside of appliances to be stored. Store all appliances upright with doors ajar to allow ventilation.
• Blankets, Draperies and Clothing. Have blankets, draperies and clothing cleaned; then pack them on hangers in wardrobe boxes.
• Books. Pack books flat, not standing on end. This will protect the spines, which will bend and warp over time if stood upright. Books are very heavy, so pack them in small boxes and don't put them in boxes with other, more fragile items.
• Breakable Items. Wrap breakable items inside bubble wrap and store with linens.
• Dishes and Glassware. Store these items in specially made boxes called dishpacks. Dishpacks are worth every penny.
• Furniture and Tables. Place blankets over furniture to protect from scratches and dust.
• Label boxed items. You'll know what is in each box without opening it.
• Lawn Mowers. Drain gasoline and oil from all small engines. This precaution will protect both your stored property and the property of others from the dangers of fire and explosion.
• Leather Items. Treat leather items (couches, clothes, etc.) with a leather conditioner prior to storing them. Keep furniture items off the floor by placing them on pallets.
• Mattresses. Place mattresses in plastic slip-on covers to protect them from dust and moisture.
• Mirrors and Pictures. Store mirrors and pictures inside similarly sized knocked down boxes. This affords them protection from scratches and dust.
• Photos. Photographs tend to curl over time. To keep them flat, place between pieces of cardboard and tape them together. Do not store irreplaceable photos, photos and negatives take up very little space. Try to keep these items with you.
• Pillows and Toys. It is smart to store smaller items like this in large plastic bags.

DO NOT STORE THESE ITEMS: Furs, jewelry and other expensive items, irreplaceable items, any living thing, used tires, firearms, explosives, flammables of any kind (gas, diesel, oil, paint, etc.), drugs or drug paraphernalia, stolen items, any type of hazardous items, perishable items of any kind, hazardous waste materials of any kind, items that produce odors or any item that will in any way make other tenants or the manager unhappy.

Organizing your Storage Unit

• If you can, place wooden pallets or boards underneath furniture and boxes. This will prevent condensation from damaging them.
• Leave a small airspace between your stored items and the wall of the storage unit for ventilation.
• Store items that will not be needed to the rear of the storage locker, and items you will need to access toward the front of the unit.  This will save a lot of time and hassle.
• Store heavy items on the bottom and lightweight items on top.
• Store smaller, more valuable items to the rear of the storage locker and larger items toward the front of the storage locker.
• Cover everything with plastic sheeting. Wooden furniture should first be covered with blankets to avoid abrasion and moisture damage. Plastic sheeting will protect your stored goods from both dust and water damage.
• Pack your storage unit as tightly as possible. Tighter packing helps to protect stored items from moisture and dust and reduces the space needed to store your property.
• Use a high quality disc (round) padlock to secure your storage locker. This type of lock is difficult to cut or break and offers maximum protection for very little money.