Where To Store Stuff When Moving: Self Storage Unit Moving Tips and Hacks

Maybe you’re speedily decluttering for a last-minute move. Or perhaps you’re planning home renovations, dealing with transitional living situations, or you’re a college student relocating between semesters. 

Regardless of the situation leading up to the move, finding temporary storage solutions can make or break a smooth moving process.  

Whether you’re moving across town or to another state, relocation can be a time-consuming and strenuous experience. This helpful guide explores the best storage solutions for moving. 

We’ll explore how self-storage can help you move and how to find the ideal storage unit for your needs. 

The Best Storage Solutions for Moving

There are several storage solutions to choose from when considering where to store stuff when moving. Our top choices include portable storage containers, self-storage units, an on-site storage solution, and full-service packers and movers. 

Portable Storage Containers

Portable containers get dropped off in your driveway or front yard by companies like U-Box® containers, Zippy Shell, and PODS. These mobile storage units can arrive weeks earlier, giving you time to pack at your own pace.

When you’re done, you seal up the storage container, and they’re transported by trucks to your new home. They can also be held at one of the portable storage container companies’ onsite storage facilities, like a secure U-Haul facility or someplace similar, until the remodeling at your current place is done.

Self-Storage Units

Storage facilities offer individual storage units that you can access anytime, providing the most flexibility at the most affordable price. These storage unit solutions range from basic units to climate-controlled storage units, ideal for protecting sensitive items. 

You can pack, load, and organize the boxes into your storage unit at your leisure, leading up to the move. In this phase, some of your belongings are put into the “storage in transit” stage long before move-in day.

Plus, storage facilities often offer short-term contracts, allowing you to decide whether or not it makes sense to keep your unit long-term or to let it go after the moving process is finished.

On-Site Storage

You can build, purchase, or rent an on-site storage structure in the backyard of your current house and stage your stuff there until you’re ready to move.

This option is useful if you need temporary storage while you remodel. That said, a permanent storage structure doesn’t make sense as a self-storage option if you’re looking for a temporary storage solution between moving houses.

Full-Service Movers

Some moving companies bundle packing, a moving vehicle or rental truck, and storage rental options together.

For a long-distance moving quote, these full-service mover services will pack the truck and drive it across the country by your deadline, storing it at security facilities along the way so you don’t have to worry about storage in transit.

This is one of the most convenient moving options in terms of labor, but you pay for it with higher moving costs and less scheduling flexibility.

Where to Store Stuff When Moving: Here’s How Self-Storage Units Can Help You Move

Whether you’re moving houses locally or city to city, a self-storage unit offers the best balance of affordability, accessibility, and flexibility.

Here’s why traditional storage facilities outperform mobile and portable storage options for the typical moving experience—and how to maximize these storage unit solutions during your home move.

Moving Trucks and Packing Supplies

Some storage facilities provide moving services to make relocation easier. Before you hire a moving company to transport all of your belongings to your new home, ask if your storage provider can give you use of a moving truck.

Some storage facilities offer a free truck rental with a unit rental. Others offer truck rentals at discounted rates for tenants. Thanks to these perks, renting a storage unit and moving at your own pace can be an affordable alternative to hiring a moving team to haul everything for you on moving day.

If you’re using a storage facility’s moving truck, ask if it comes supplied with moving blankets and straps to protect your furniture during transit. For heavier items, such as furniture and refrigerators, ask your storage operator if they have a dolly or cart to loan you.

You can often find the packing supplies you need at your storage facility, too, including high-quality, sturdy boxes and cushioning materials to better protect your more delicate belongings. Ask your local self-storage operator if they can help you out. Some facilities sell packing supplies to clients at a discounted price when you rent from their facility, including:

• Boxes
• Tape
• Bubble Wrap
• Packing Paper

Organize Your Move

A storage unit can help you stay organized before, during, and even after your move. Use your storage unit to stockpile your belongings between homes, give yourself extra time and space for cleaning before moving day, and move your items into your new place at your own pace.

Once you have packed all of your belongings and are ready to move them into storage, keep them organized by room. Divide your boxes into groups according to which room they will eventually go in. 

Label and color-code each box, so all your kitchen supplies will be categorized in one group, and so on. Store your items in room groupings for a quick and organized move.

Also, rent a storage unit with drive-up access to make the process of unloading your truck or other vehicles faster and easier.

Climate Control Storage Conditions

Storage options like portable storage containers and backyard sheds don’t offer climate-controlled storage for your belongings. Climate control protects temperature and humidity-sensitive items like electronics, wooden furniture, important documents, and family heirlooms.

Climate-controlled storage units maintain consistent room temperature year-round. They also maintain safe humidity levels that aren’t dry enough to crack paint, wood, or leather and aren’t moist enough to cause mildew and mold growth.

Not all storage facilities offer climate-controlled units, while some offer both standard and climate-controlled units. You can use our Storage.com search tool to find climate-controlled units in your area, then review online ratings or chat with our experts about the storage conditions before committing to a lease.

Security Features Included in Monthly Rent

Storing your belongings in your front or back yard doesn’t guarantee their safety, unless, of course, you pay for private home security.

But there are storage facilities that prioritize security and protect their units with enhanced security measures, including:

• Individual unit alarms
• Security cameras throughout the facility
• Secure lock and key, key card, or coded digital access systems
• Motions, censors, and flood lights
• On-site security personnel
• Gated access with code entry

You can use our search function and review online feedback to find out about a facility’s security features before selecting your storage solution. 

Moving Cost Considerations: Self-Storage Unit Cost Breakdown

Storage unit prices can add to the moving costs, but they may also provide access to cheaper or even free packing and moving supplies.

Here’s a general cost breakdown of how a storage unit impacts your moving costs:

• Monthly rental: The average price of a storage unit is $85.
• Lock fee: Some facilities charge a lock fee if you don’t bring your own
• Insurance options: Some storage facilities include basic insurance options in your monthly rent that cover your unit contents up to a specific dollar amount. You can add more insurance options to cover your valuables for a higher monthly cost.
• Security deposit: A deposit may be required at some storage facilities, but is also required for portable storage containers and full-service mover contracts.

Storage unit solutions are typically more affordable than portable storage containers like U-Box® containers or Zippy Shell, especially for longer temporary storage needs. That said, you have to transport your belongings to the unit, whereas a portable container sits in front of your house.

Where To Store Stuff When Moving: How Storage.com Can Help You Lighten the Load

As you can see, self-storage can be a great resource during the moving process. A self-storage unit offers benefits at every step: before the move, on moving day, and after the move as you get settled in your new place.

Self-storage can give you a jump on moving your belongings out, so you have more time to clean your old place. This is especially helpful if you have to move out by a set day and time.

Rent a storage unit a couple of weeks ahead of your move-out date and start to transfer your possessions to your storage unit on your own timeline.

Transferring everything to your storage unit ahead of moving day gives you the time and space to clean your former home and to execute other last-minute details. 

This is a constructive approach if you plan to show your home or apartment to prospective buyers or renters before your move-out date.

Moving non-essential items into storage ahead of time will get you one step closer to both moving out and selling or renting your old place.

But how do you find a storage unit near you that has exactly what you need? We explored some of the impressive amenities self-storage units offer, but as we said, they’re not universal.

Storage facilities also offer different-sized units. You don’t want to book a unit so small that you need to rent a second unit before the packing is finished, but you also don’t want to pay for a unit you don’t need.

Don’t fret–Storage.com is here to help.

First, use our storage unit size guide to figure out exactly what size unit you need.Then, enter your zip code into our handy storage unit locator tool to find a storage unit of the exact size you want. Our tool also lets you select amenities and features like security and climate control. We’ll find the ideal unit for your move-out needs in a location that’s convenient for you.