Whether or not you’ve ever rented a storage unit, you probably have a certain idea of how and why people use them. Maybe that comes from all the storage-auction TV shows, or just from how you personally have stored things, but, in any case, the uses for storage units are probably more varied than you think.
One of the biggest reasons for renting units is to help in some way during a move. In fact, the ideal situation, where you can pack up whatever you have in your old home and move it directly to your new home, happens far less often than we would like it to.
While the particular reasons anyone has for needing extra storage during a move can be virtually endless, there are some relatively common reasons that, if you’re planning a move, you might want to consider to solve some of the common problems that people face during a move.
Over the years, we have often come across the following reasons for renting storage units during a move.
1. Needing to Store Belongings Between Leaving the Old Home and Moving into the New One
If you’ve managed to coordinate the closings of the house you are selling and the one you are buying, or found an apartment lease that begins just as the old one ends, you’re lucky.
If not, you’ll need a place to keep your stuff to bridge the time from move out to move in. This can be more of a problem when you’re making a bigger move between cities or even to a new country and you need to spend more time to find the right place to live in the new surroundings.
2. Temporary Moves
Speaking of moving to a new city, sometimes you have to do so for a limited amount of time, like during a temporary assignment for work. You could sell everything you have now, buy new stuff in the new locale, and then repeat the whole process when you move back. Or you could just put your things in a storage unit until you get back. The option you choose could depend on how long you expect to be away. If it’s more than a year or two, or ‘unforeseeable’, maybe the clean break is the best way to go.
3. A Place for the Things that No Longer Have a Place
The simple example of this is when downsizing your home. Needless to say, there’s little chance of having a spot in your new ‘cozy’ downtown condo if you’re leaving a suburban house.
But there are other times when you might need to keep belongings during or after a move. If you’re getting rid of things that have value, they will need a place for until you can manage to sell or give them away.
There are also times when, even if you’re moving from one house to another, that some of your belongings, like a boat or trailer, don’t have a spot at the new location. Storage is a great place to keep them, either on an ongoing basis or until you find a new space for them.
4. A Place for Your New Stuff
If you are planning to buy new suites of furniture, appliances and/or fixtures for the new home, you might need somewhere to store them until you move in. This can be especially useful in helping you take advantage of temporary sale prices that might not be offered when you move.
The overall point here is, if you’re moving and the issue of needing a place for something arises, chances are a storage space is the answer.
