Why and When You Should Use Short-Term Self-Storage

When you think of self-storage, you likely think of long-term self-storage. The sort of storage that you might use when you need to create some extra space in your home, where it will be stored away for years. However, short-term self-storage has some fantastic benefits that you can reap the rewards of. In this guide, we’ll have a closer look at why you should consider using short-term storage and when it can come in useful.

Moving House

If you’re moving house, self-storage can be a real helping hand. When you’re between houses, knowing where to store your belongings can be tricky, especially if your previous home has been sold or the lease has expired. You can’t keep all your belongings with you at a hotel. 

Renting a self-storage unit for as little time as a week will give you a place to store all of your things with minimal fuss, allowing you to focus on the many jobs that come with a house move, before you worry about actually moving all of your belongings in. 

If you rent a storage unit for a little longer, say, a month, you could move bits and pieces of furniture etc into your new home piecemeal. This will turn what seems like a mammoth task into a collection of much smaller ones.

Home Improvement

If you want to renovate your home, short-term storage is a great way to make the job easier. Having all of your belongings lying around in your home will make it tricky for you to complete renovations and could cause issues for any contractors who you hire. Putting all of your belongings away into short-term storage means more room in your home and, potentially, faster renovations. 

This advice is particularly handy when it comes to renovations like painting, where you’ll need to completely empty the room to avoid paint damaging your furnishings. Extensions are another ideal opportunity for using short-term storage, as brick dust and other contaminants will likely be walked through your home.

A Midpoint for Students

Students often have to, effectively, live between cities, splitting their time between home and university. This can be difficult for a host of reasons, and the first trip to university is always a massive move, particularly if the student is going to a university on the other end of the country. Renting a student storage unit, then moving stuff from home to there before moving it onto the university, can cut the number of long drives that you’ll need.

It’s a perfect way to make summer easier, too. Students typically return home during the summer holidays, and if they don’t already have a new house secured, they may not know what to do with their possessions. The best way to handle this is to rent a short-term storage unit until the new term starts, so they can be safe in the knowledge that their belongings are safe and sound.

Divorce or Breakup

Breaking up with or divorcing from a long-term partner can be devastating, and figuring out the logistics of finding somewhere else to live can make it even worse. A short-term storage rental can help you a lot – if you just want to leave your shared home and stay in a hotel while you hunt for a flat, you need short-term storage. It also means that there doesn’t need to be an awkward exchange of belongings later on, allowing you to have a clean break from your ex.

While it will likely not be the first thing on your mind during a breakup, renting short-term storage could help you have an easier time of it.

A Place to Store Goods After a Disaster

If you’ve been unlucky enough to experience a disaster, such as a fire or flood, renting short-term storage is a great way to protect your belongings while you repair the damage to your home. For instance, if your home has flooded, but all your belongings on the top floor are safe, moving them into a short-term self-storage unit will give you the space that you need to get your home in order.

Help Your Business Scale Up

Whether you’re starting a brand-new business from scratch or want to open up a new office, short-term business storage is a fantastic way to prepare. This means that you don’t need to wait until you’ve got your new office secured before buying what you need for the staff you’re going to employ. Simply store your business’ equipment or other goods in short-term storage, then move them to your new office when you’ve secured the lease. 

For new businesses, this can also be particularly handy if you’re currently working from a home office. Storing inventory in your home is not ideal – it takes up a lot of space and can create tripping hazards. This is often far cheaper than traditional warehousing, too, especially while you’re still establishing a brand.

Event Planning

If you’re thinking of throwing an event at your party, such as a baby shower, birthday party or even a wedding reception, you’re going to need some space. All of the party favours and decorations will take up a lot of space! If you don’t want your home to resemble a party shop, you’ll want to hire some short-term storage to keep all of them in and free your home from clutter.

The Many Uses of Short-Term Storage

Short-term self-storage is a fantastic option for everything from moving house, party planning or starting a new business! We hope that you’ve enjoyed this article and now understand the many benefits that self-storage can offer.

If you’d like to contact us to assess whether it’s suitable for you, or if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch!

Short-Term Self-Storage FAQs

What Counts as Short-Term Storage?

Short-term storage is any storage that you use for three months or less. Longer than that, and it becomes long-term storage.

What Is the Smallest Self-Storage Unit?

At ANVSJ, the smallest self-storage unit that we offer is 10 x 8 feet, or around 7.4 square metres. This can store up to 150 medium size boxes, which is about the size you would need to store the contents of a 1-bedroom flat or house.