Self Storage – When , Why, and How Much

Self storage can often be a convenient and cost effective way to store belongings and there are many reasons a person may consider using a Self Storage facility.

The most common reasons for using storage are:

• When moving house - you may find you need somewhere to temporarily store goods, particularly if dates don’t quite match up
• Renovating your home - storing your belongings while the renovations are done
• Traveling - A secure place to store belongings if you are travelling away from home for a long time
• De-cluttering - A place to keep valuable items if you are downsizing or de-cluttering your home.
• Nostalgia – Many people just can’t bring themselves to throw away un-used items for sentimental reasons, so they store them instead.
• University – students often use storage to store belongings while at University

What can’t I store?

Although self storage is very practical and convenient there are a few things you can’t store!

• People, animals or plants, you cannot live or sleep in a storage unit.
• Toxic waste
• Explosives and firearms
• Radioactive waste
• Food and decomposable items
• Cash and securities
• Illegal goods

Typical unit sizes & prices

Prices for storage units can vary hugely as there are many different sizes of storage available; here are the most common unit sizes and a typical price you would need to pay:

• 10sq ft – £5 per week
• 20sq ft - £10 per week
• 50 sq ft - £20 per week
• 100 sq ft - £30 per week
• 200sq ft - £60 per week
• 400sq ft (or larger if required) – bespoke pricing

There is normally a short notice period on self storage i.e. a week or two. But contracts can be for a week, month, a year or longer with discounts usually given for longer term contracts.

Helpful tips

Here are a few tips to help ensure you chose the right storage facility and get as much as possible for your money…

• Padlock - Take your own padlock, companies can charge a lot for a padlock onsite, so using your own means you can reuse it and save money
• Access - Do you need 24 hour access to your storage? If you don’t you could be paying more for a large company that offers 24 hour access – which you won’t use – check out smaller firms as they will be cheaper if this service isn’t offered!
• Research - You’d be surprised how much you can fit into a small unit, ask around for opinions, storage companies are normally happy to help with space enquiries
• Security – Do your research into the companies security before signing up – do they have a coded gate, passes, alarms on your locker and CCTV
• Look Around - Take a good look at the units before signing up; see if they are clean, light and water & damp free.
• Discounts - Storage companies will often give discounts for paying up front or signing up for a longer contract, think about taking advantage of this
• Free collection - larger companies may offer free van hire/ collection of your belongings.

Further information: www.storage-units.co.uk