Storage Units Can Be Useful When Selling or Moving Homes
And 3 other exceptions to the “never rent a storage unit” rule.
Surprise! I recommend renting a storage unit! Sounds shocking coming from a professional organizer. Normally, I say storage units are full of delayed decisions, but to me, there are 6 exceptions to the “never rent a storage unit” rule. Three of them are when you are moving homes.
The Temporary Staging or Moving Exceptions
Spring real estate season is about to heat up. If you are one of the thousands of sellers trying to figure out where to put all of your stuff while you show your home, this is one of the few times I would recommend a storage unit to put all of the things you’ve pared down for staging.
Buyers and sellers may also need to use temporary storage in between homes if the timing for when they need to move out of their old home and when their new one is ready doesn’t line up.
However, the traditional storage unit may not be the best option. Check out pod-type moving container storage options, like PODS or U-Box by Uhaul. You can load them like you would a moving truck, and they will store them until you are ready to have them delivered.
That said, declutter first! Why pay to store or move something you’re not going to use? It also saves you time and effort on the other end when you’re unpacking and trying to figure out where to put everything. Just deal with it once, and let it go if it’s no longer serving you.
If you don’t have time to declutter and are moving into a much smaller place with no storage or a place to park a moving container, such as a sudden health-induced move into senior living, you may need to go the standard storage unit route. In which case, be sure to schedule time on your calendar to go through your things or enlist help, so it’s sure to get done.
3 More Exceptions to the “Never Rent a Storage Unit” Rule
Temporary Living Situation
If you’re living in a smaller home temporarily, like for a renovation, or have a temporary job overseas. As long as it’s not going to be too long. After a certain point, it’ll be cheaper to replace the items when you finally get around to getting a larger space. Be sure to do a cost assessment to see if it’s worth it to rent the storage unit versus replace the items later. Might make more sense to just store irreplaceable items in a tiny unit and let go of the rest.An Extension of Your Tiny Home
If you live in a tiny home (think micro apartment, in-law suite, tiny house, RV, boat) and want to store off-season items that you definitely still use. But if you haven’t visited your storage unit in the past year, it’s time to let go. You can also use it to store irreplaceable things like keepsakes or documents you are legally required to save. The keepsakes would be better displayed in your home, if possible.Apartment Storage Units
If it comes for free or a nominal fee with your condo or apartment. This is a variation on the “extension of your tiny home” above. These are good for storing seasonal items and things for outdoor activities and should be treated like another closet, so don’t store anything you’re not going to use.
Take Care With These Exceptions
Storage units can be a big money suck, so use these exceptions with thought and care. You also don’t want one of your legacies to be a huge storage unit full of things your kids don’t want but still have to deal with. Probate will be rough enough.
