Whether you are moving to another city or renovate your house, portable storage units are a great time and money saver! Storage units provide safe and secure storage for your belongings. You can store anything you want starting from large things like bed or bicycle, to kitchen tools and books. Besides they’re easy to load and transport to your new location, they are cheaper than DIY relocation or many moving companies. The average prices for renting storage units go from $175 for a month, while its size represents the size of the contents from the 1,200-square-foot home. But if you consider renting a unit like this, you must have wondered how to pick the right size storage unit? Don’t just randomly choose a large container because it can include too much space and of course, more cost to you. If you are worried about this question, check out our small guide.
Why choosing the storage unit?
First of all. You must be wondering why choosing the storage unit and do you really need it? If it’s about home renovation or a long distance moving, this is really the best solution to keeping your things safe. Hiring a regular moving company requires paying the moving truck, drivers, professional workers, moving insurance and other things. Picking the right storage unit goes with relocation. On that note, learn how to avoid moving injuries. And if you pick the right size storage unit you’ll spend less money. Renting a storage unit is often cheaper, and you can simply load the unit with your friends without hiring movers. Units like these are well equipped so you don’t have to waste your money on buying means for extra protection for your items. Storage units offer more flexibility, and you can load them with any item you want and transport them to your new home.
Consider the large items first before you pick the right size storage unit
Before you choose to rent a storage unit, think about the items you are going to store. What are the largest things you want to store? Take the precise measurements of your largest items. Write down all measurements and check the measurements of storage units your local moving company offers. Take a look at what boxes and crates can be stored and create a plan for loading unit. Don’t just randomly put things because it may look like you don’t have enough space. Which is not true, you just didn’t store the things properly. If you’re moving furniture with drawers you can save space by putting things in there. Small things are easy to store so consider the large items first. With all this comes to stress, no doubt about that. Be sure to research tips to cope with moving stress.
What sizes can you choose?
If you want to pick the right size storage unit, you should know the most common sizes that companies offer. Storage units are usually sized by square footage, and the typical ceiling is eight feet high. For example, if you want to store a large closet, you should pick a 5×5 storage unit, while the 5×10 size is enough to store the furniture from a one bedroom apartment. But let’s take a look at average sizes. These are the most popular and most common measures today:
- 5×10, the size of a large closet
- 10×10, the size of a child’s bedroom
- 10×20, the size of a small garage
- 15×20, the size of a large bedroom
- 20×20, the size of a two-car garage
And if we are talking about the most popular storage unit size in the U.S. it’s 10×10 – the size of a child’s bedroom. And 10×20 is absolutely the right size storage unit for you. You can’t go wrong with that. Unless you have a larger house so you need to pick from 10×20 to larger units.
Think about how often you’ll need access to your belongings.
Pick the right size storage unit :
There are many storage units that fit everyone’s needs, you just need to pick the right size storage unit. But speaking of the size, we must mention time impact. It’s really important knowing how often you’ll need access to your belongings. So, if you’re about to store your things and transport it to your new place, you can easily pick the unit with less space, because you just need to transport your belongings. Moreover, it is not that easy as just getting a storage unit, you need to know how to pack and organize a storage unit. But, if you need a long-term storage unit and you want access to your items, make sure to get a storage unit with extra space. And if you need something from a unit you can easily go in there and find what you need. If the unit is small and overcrowded there is no way you’re going to find the book you need.
Use a moving truck size as a guideline.
Did you know that you can use a moving truck size as a guideline on how to pick the right size storage unit? Yes, you can. If you did all measurements of large items and you are still in doubt about the size this can be of help. Just keep in mind that the moving truck size you need is usually larger than the storage unit space. You can take the trailer size and pick a storage unit that is one size smaller than that. This would be an average measure, and it should be sufficient for your things, but you should still consult with professionals before making a decision. Hopefully, with this article, you get the idea of how to choose the best self-storage unit.
So, if you want to pick the right size storage unit, consider all the things we’ve mentioned above. Think about do you want an indoor or outdoor storage unit? While indoor storage units are more expensive, they offer climate control and better conditions for your belongings. While outdoor storage is basically a garage with a safety lock. Make sure you think about all the pros and cons and pick the right for you. Good luck!
