U-Store-It Reveals Top Five Reasons to Use Self-Storage During the Holidays

Company Helping to Reduce Holiday Stress by Offering Half-Price Storage Boxes and up to Two Months Free Rent on Select Storage Units Nationwide


WAYNE, PA--(Marketwire - December 1, 2009) - For many people, finding holiday decorations in their attic may be as risky as hanging Christmas lights from their second-story overhang. For others, holidays mean reconnecting with out-of-town family and friends, but they also initiate the annual ritual of de-cluttering the spare bedroom. Inspired by these and other customer experiences, U-Store-It (NYSE: YSI) today revealed the top five reasons for using self-storage facilities during the holidays.

1. Make room for holiday gifts -- In many homes, the new toys don't often replace the old, they simply are added to the toy collection or saved for future generations. Self-storage facilities provide a convenient location to store toys, boxes of clothes or other household items until they are needed again and to make room for the new gifts.

2. Store spring and summer items to make room for winter items -- Ever wanted to use the snow blower, but it was stuck behind the beach chairs, lawn mower and kids' bikes? Self-storage units provide the extra space to store and protect off-season items.

3. Make room for visiting friends and family -- During the 10 months leading up to the holiday season, spare bedrooms become the catch-all for a variety of items. To make room for visiting guests, self-storage provides a convenient solution to eliminate the clutter.

4. Hide presents -- No matter how hard some people try, hiding holiday gifts from the kids, or their wife or husband is a daunting task; particularly if space is limited and the best hiding places are frequently used for hide-and-go-seek. Self-storage facilities offer a convenient yet secret place to keep gifts, large and small, from prying eyes.

5. Organize holiday decorations -- When the holiday season finally comes to a close, don't let family heirlooms get lost under clothes bins, old toys and other household items. A self-storage unit provides a clean slate that allows for organized Christmas decoration storage and eliminates next year's inevitable search for that one box with the snowman collection.

"The Holidays can be a daunting time of year," said Kristi Gubbels, Director of Marketing at U-Store-It. "Between searching for holiday decorations, finding hiding places for presents, and preparing for family visits, we have all wished we had more storage space. U-Store-It self-storage facilities offer a great solution to these challenges and with hundreds of facilities across the country, there is a convenient location that will alleviate storage concerns and help consumers enjoy the holidays that much more."

To help make this year's holiday season stress-free, beginning December 1, 2009, U-Store-It is offering half-price storage boxes at its locations nationwide. The boxes are a great solution to hide gifts and ship presents across the country. In addition, new customers can receive up to two months rent free on select units for that needed holiday storage.

Toys for Tots

U-Store-It self-storage locations across the country are also serving as collection points for the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program this holiday season. The company is inviting people to bring new, unwrapped toys to a participating U-Store-It storage location now through December. To find a participating U-Store-It self-storage location, visit www.ustoreit.com/toys-for-tots or call 1-800-U-STORE-IT.

About the Company

U-Store-It Trust is a self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust. The Company provides self-storage solutions across the country. U-Store-It owns and or manages 375 facilities across the United States, and operates the U-Store-It Network, which consists of approximately 547 additional self-storage facilities. The Company's self-storage facilities, storage space and storage solutions are designed to offer affordable, easily accessible, secure, and in most locations, climate-controlled storage space for residential and commercial customers, as well as boat storage and mini storage. According to the 2009 Self Storage Almanac, U-Store-It Trust is one of the top four owners and operators of self-storage facilities in the U.S. For more information, visit www.ustoreit.com.

Contact Information: Company Contact: U-Store-It Trust Timothy M. Martin Chief Financial Officer (610) 293-5700