Moving house is usually a less-than-straightforward affair involving a lot of preparation and planning. Even then, the best-laid plans often go awry. When moving, finding short-term storage for all or most of your things will help alleviate much of the associated stress.
Short-term storage is often classified as three months or less, but it’s essentially any storage solution where you know you’ll be able to access your stuff quickly and easily.
When Storage Is Necessary
In certain cases, you could have no alternative but to store your belongings temporarily. If your new house isn’t ready yet and you need to leave your present home right away, for example. Other situations where you might need to store your belongings include estate administration, relocations abroad, or attempting to stage your property.
Here are the most common reasons people seek storage solutions:
- Home Staging. When staging a property for prospective buyers, home sellers frequently hire a temporary storage facility to keep unwanted furnishings and personal belongings. If you’re selling a home, staging it might help you sell it faster and for a higher price.
- Dorming Students Going Home Between Terms. When children move away to live in a dorm for college, they will sometimes need to rent a storage unit to store their dorm items in between terms.
- Moving on Short Notice. Storage might provide you with some breathing room if you’re moving on short notice. Place your stuff in storage while living with relatives or friends until you can find a new home.
- Moving-Related Complications. When moving-related complications arise, such as the closing date on your new home being pushed back, the practical solution will be renting a short-term storage facility.
- PCS or Military Moves. A PCS move occurs when military personnel transfer from one duty station to another or transfer from their final duty station to their home of record after retirement or discharge.
- Home Renovations Your Current Or New Home. When you need to make repairs to your present or new home, you may need to store your belongings temporarily until the renovations are completed.
Safe and Secure Storage Options For Before And After Moving
Here are several different temporary storage solutions to consider:
Portable storage
You can keep a portable storage container on your property for as long as you need to, or —if your new home isn’t ready yet— they can be stored at the warehouse of the company renting them to you until your new home is ready. This approach is very practical because the container is brought to you; being able to transport portable storage containers cross-country is a significant advantage.
However, compared to hiring a moving truck or doing it yourself, the costs are significantly higher. Because storage costs might be fairly high, this is not recommended for long-term storage.
Storage-in-Transit
Many moving companies will offer a storage rental option with their moving truck rentals, so you’re able to move all your large items into storage without as much added expense. Definitely inquire about storage in transportation (SIT) if you’ve hired or are planning to hire a full-service moving company for a long-distance move.
A professional moving company Fort Lauderdale is ideal for temporarily storing your stuff during a move to and away from the city since the movers will remove your belongings from your last house, store everything for up to 90 days, and then deliver them to your new home.
It’s not the cheapest choice, and it’ll almost certainly cost more than hiring a dedicated moving storage space. It does, however, include the services of professional movers. If you know you’ll require movers, it could be easier and more cost-effective to go with SIT.
Self-Storage Facilities
Self-storage spaces are available in a range of sizes, both indoor and outdoor. With a garage-style door, an outdoor unit is easier to access quickly. Indoor units provide better weather protection, but they are more costly.
A self-storage facility is a cost-effective way to keep your belongings secure in between moves. Self-storage facilities are great for short-term and long-term storage since contracts are month-to-month.
You’ll have to sacrifice the convenience of having the portable storage unit right on your property. Still, self-storage units are, on average, less expensive per month than portable storage choices. Another benefit of renting a storage unit is that you won’t have to bother acquiring local licenses to maintain a container on your property.
On-Demand Storage
On-demand storage is a modern storage solution in which staff will come to your home, collect your belongings, and transport them to a secure location. They will return your belongings to you whenever you are ready to receive them.
These services can be costly, particularly if you have to store a lot of stuff. Some services need a three-month commitment.
If you only have a few belongings that need to be safely stored until you can move into your new home and don’t have access to a vehicle to transport them to a storage facility, on-demand storage is great.
Friends and Family
Keeping your belongings with a friend or relative who is lucky to have extra room is a sensible solution if they live nearby. Just don’t overstay your welcome, or your relationship could suffer.
Storage Considerations
Whatever your reason for needing storage for your belongings, there are a few things to bear in mind while deciding how and where to store your belongings. The sort of move you’re making and the items you plan to put in your unit should determine the storage solution you employ.
Take the following factors into account when selecting a storage solution for your needs:
How Much Space You Will Need
The amount of space you’ll need is among the most significant considerations when picking a storage solution, whether short- or long-term. Storage facilities provide a variety of unit sizes, so you’ll need to know how much space you require before making a reservation to avoid renting a unit with not enough space or one with too much. To get a better idea of how much storage you need for your items, consult this storage unit size guide.
Storage Location and Accessibility
If you require your stuff frequently, you’ll need a storage option that you can access immediately and on your own time. Besides portable storage, for the greatest accessibility, look for storage facilities that allow for drive-up storage access.
Some facilities are more accommodating with access than others, so be sure you understand their policies on visiting your unit.
Cost-Efficiency
The shorter time you’re seeking to rent a storage space, the more money you should anticipate to pay per month.
To keep your costs low, you might choose to rent from a storage company, as they’ll have already set their prices based on short-term agreements. Do your homework, compare prices between different options and inquire about bargains or specials.
Length-of-Term Flexibility
It may not be the case that you’ll want a storage facility until a specific date or even for a range of dates. This is especially true if you’re storing your belongings because you’ve sold your house but haven’t decided where you’ll be living after that.
If you have an uncertain timeframe for your move, you can try looking for short-term storage with a month-to-month lease, which you can generally get with a self-storage option known as mini-storage. Because mini-storage is billed monthly, when you’re ready to retrieve your stuff, you can just terminate the contract.
Climate Control
If you’re storing artwork, gadgets, or other valuables that heat, cold, and moisture might damage, consider a storage solution that has temperature control as well as, where needed, humidity control. When storing things over hot summers or frigid winters, this is extremely important. Only brief exposure to severe temperatures and excess moisture or humidity can damage or even destroy delicate items, so you’ll want to ensure that your choice of storage option will safeguard your belongings ahead of time.
Security
Make sure to consider the safety of your choices when doing your research, especially if you want to store valuable items. Whether you’re keeping your belongings for a short or lengthy period of time, you’ll want to be sure the facility will do everything to keep them secure. For the strongest guarantee that the facility and employees will secure your possessions, look for a storage solution with high gates and walls, strong locks, video surveillance, and on-site management. The less you’re willing to spend, the less secure your belongings will be, so it’s certainly worth considering a higher cost for greater peace of mind.
Ultimately, finding the ideal storage solution requires taking the time to analyze the specifics of your circumstance and the different alternatives available in your area. Don’t just pick the first option you come across; evaluate a few other services and types of storage facilities, as well as pricing, capacity, and other crucial factors. There are a lot of great temporary storage alternatives out there, so no matter what your needs are, you’re certain to find one that works for you.
