Storage Options for Moving – Temporary Storage Solutions

In the best case scenario, when moving house, you will be able to take your items directly to your new place.

In reality, however, that is often not the case:

• You may not be able to coordinate the sale of your old house and the purchase of your new one so well that you can move into your new place on the day when you need to move out of your old property;
• You may not be able to find an appropriate new home for you and your family by the time of your move;
• Your new home may not be ready for moving in on time.

In all these cases, you will need to live in temporary housing for a while – until you find an appropriate place to call home or until you can move into your new property – and will not be able to take your belongings directly to your new home. Worse still, you will most likely not be able to take all your stuff with you either (as there won’t be enough space for it in your temporary accommodation) and will need to put a lot of things in storage.

In other words, you will need temporary storage for moving.

Fortunately, you won’t be without options – there are moving companies that offer storage, portable storage containers for moving, and temporary storage units. It won’t be difficult to find a storage solution that works for you.

Let’s take a look at the different storage options for moving and find out which one is right for what circumstances.

Short term storage units

When looking for moving storage solutions, self-storage will likely be the first thing to come to mind.

Storage units provide a safe and convenient way to store away items – they’re very secure (so the risk of your items being stolen or damaged is reduced to a minimum), come in various sizes (so you can easily find a unit that perfectly suits your needs), and can usually be accessed at any time (so you can easily get an item if you need it).

Best of all, most storage units can be rented on a month-to-month basis – which is perfect for your moving storage needs. (When moving, you’ll only need to put your items in storage for a short period of time – a few weeks or a few months at most. This means that you’re going to need short-term storage – and temporary storage units offer exactly that).

Despite being the most popular storage solution, however, self-storage may not necessarily be your best moving storage option – if you choose to put your belongings in a storage unit, you will have to move them twice (from your old home to the storage facility and from the storage facility to your new place). Needless to say, this will be both quite difficult and quite expensive:

• You will have to organize the transportation of your items two times – find reliable movers (or rent an appropriate size moving vehicle and find someone to help you load and load your items), make schedules, coordinate the logistics, etc. You may need to work with two different moving teams – or even two different moving companies;
• You will have to pay once to have your items transported to the storage facility – and then you will need to pay again to have your items transported to your new home (and you will also have to pay the storage unit cost, of course).

Related: How to choose a self-storage facility

Moving storage containers

Portable storage containers are designed for storing and moving household items:

• They’re strong, lockable, and well insulated – so they keep the items inside them safe and secure;
• They come in different sizes – so they can accommodate different amounts of stuff;
• They are dropped off, picked up, and transported by experienced professionals – so they offer a safe and convenient way to move one’s belongings from one location to another;
• They can be kept for as long as needed – so they are very convenient for short-term storage.

When moving with a pod, an appropriate size container is delivered to your place and left at your disposal, so you can load your belongings in it at your own pace. When you’re done, the pod movers pick up the container and transport it to your new address – or to their storage facility. The pod can stay at your new property – or at the company’s storage facility – until you’re ready to take your items into your new home.

So, moving and storage containers provide a very convenient and advantageous storage option for moving:

• Your items are loaded and unloaded only once (which saves you a lot of hassle and reduces the risk of damage to your belongings);
• You work with just one pod moving and storage company (which saves you a lot of time and ensures a safer and better streamlined moving process);
• You can keep the pod for as long as you want to (which is ideal when you need temporary storage for moving);
• If the pod stays on your property, you can access your stored items at any time (which is very convenient).

If you haven’t yet found an appropriate new home, though, or if it is not possible to keep a storage container in front of your new home, storing your items in a moving pod may not be a very good option – the container will have to stay at the company’s storage facility, so you won’t have easy access to your items (and it won’t be light on your wallet).

See also: Everything you need to know about portable moving containers

Moving companies with storage

When you need temporary storage between moves, the solution may be easier than you think – you will most likely be able to store your stuff with your moving company.

Most professional movers offer both moving and storage services – and combining these services is an extremely convenient and cost-efficient option when you need to store your items for the time period between moving out of your old home and moving into your new one. 

The same moving and storage company will handle all the logistics of moving and storing your belongings, so won’t need to look for an appropriate storage facility, organize the transportation of your goods, etc. – your chosen movers will take care of it all (and you will be working with one company the entire time).

What’s more, storage in transit will most probably be included in your estimate – so you’ll get several weeks of storage that you won’t have to pay additionally for.

The only disadvantage is that your items will be kept in the movers’ warehouse and you won’t have any access to them.

So, there are more than enough storage options for moving to choose from – you just need to determine which one will work best for you.

How to choose the right moving storage solution for you

When it comes to temporary storage solutions, the best option for you is the one that best suits your particular moving and storage needs.

So, in order to make the right choice about where to store your stuff when moving, you need to consider the specific circumstances in your case:

1) How long you need to keep your items in storage

As already mentioned above, when moving, you need short term storage solutions – you don’t need to store your stuff for years, you just need a safe place where to keep your belongings until you can take them into your new home.

Yet, the short term storage period can be as short as 2-3 weeks (if you’re just waiting for the repair or renovation works in your new property to be completed) or as long as 6-12 months (if you haven’t found an appropriate new home yet).

Which temporary storage option will be best for you depends on how long you expect your items to stay in storage:

• Self-storage is the most cost-efficient solution for longer-term storage – Storage units typically cost between $50 and $350 a month (depending on the size of the unit, the location of the facility, the available amenities and security features, and the chosen extra services), but longer rental times result in lower monthly rental costs. So, if you need to keep your belongings in storage for six months or longer, renting a storage unit may be your best choice;
• If you only need storage for a few weeks or a couple of months, portable storage containers or moving companies with temporary storage provide a much more convenient – and just as affordable – storage solution (pod containers cost about the same per month as storage units – and the cost of storing your items with your moving company is also comparable).

Keep in mind that if you’re not sure for how long you’re going to need storage, you’ll need flexible storage terms – so, your best choice will be month-to-month storage, even if the cost is higher.

2) How many and what kind of items you have for storage

In order to be able to determine the best moving storage option for you, you need to determine what exactly you’re going to put in storage:

• Find out what will be available in your temporary accommodation (basic furniture, major appliances, window treatment, etc.) and decide which of your household items (smaller kitchen appliances, kitchen items, bathroom items, small tools, etc.) you will need to bring with you so you can live comfortably in your home between homes;
• Set aside everything you’re going to need during your stay in temporary housing (clothes, shoes, personal care items, kids’ items, pets’ items, entertainment items, work-related materials, etc.), everything you don’t want to part with (items with high sentimental value, extremely expensive items like jewelry, etc.), important documents, medications, and other essentials;
• Pare down the rest of your possessions – Get rid of everything you don’t need or don’t really like to make your move cheaper and easier and to reduce the number of items you will need to put in storage;
• Find out how much storage space there will be available in your temporary home, so you know how much of your non-essential stuff you can bring along.

You will, of course, take everything you’re going to need in your temporary lodging with you – and will, most probably, want to bring as much of the rest of your stuff as possible to your interim accommodation too (so you have fewer items to put into storage).

The things you won’t have enough space for in your temporary home will need to go into storage – and the best storage solution for you will depend on the number and type of those items:

1. Estimate how much space the items you have for storage will take up – If you need a lot of storage space, renting a storage unit will be your most economical and most efficient option. Otherwise, you will be better off with a moving pod – or moving company storage;
2. Think about what storage conditions will be best for your items – If you will be storing electronics, artwork, antique furniture, or other delicate items, you will need climate-controlled storage so your temperature-sensitive belongings don’t get damaged by extreme heat, severe cold, or high humidity. In such a case, an air-conditioned storage unit will be your best bet. (See also: Do you need climate-controlled storage?)

3) How much access you will need to your stored items

Depending on how long you’re going to live into temporary housing and how many of your belongings you will be able to take to your interim home, you may not need to access your stored items at all – or you may need frequent access to them.

If you expect the latter, you need to choose a storage option where you will have easy access to your belongings:

• If you have already bought (or rented) a house in your new area, a storage container is the best choice – the pod will stay on your property, so you will be able to take out and put back items as needed;
• Self-storage is your next best bet – just make sure the storage facility is located close to your temporary home and can be accessed 24/7.

Storing your stuff with a moving company is not a good option when you need to access your stored items often – and neither is using a storage container if the pod will be kept at the company’s storage facility.

So, when researching your moving storage options, you need to assess your needs, consider the suitability of each temporary storage option, and take into account the associated moving storage costs – so you can find the most convenient and most affordable storage solution for you.

Bonus tip: Are moving companies with storage worth it?

Moving and storage companies may charge an extra fee for storing your stuff, but their services will save you a lot of hassle and will ensure your peace of mind. The pros will take care of everything, from start to finish – they will pick up your belongings, will transport them to the company’s warehouse, will keep them safe and secure, and will deliver them to your new home upon your request. You won’t need to worry about a thing – and will have a safe and smooth moving experience.

But how much do moving companies charge for storage? It depends on the length of the storage period, the required storage conditions (needless to say, climate-controlled storage is more expensive), and the specific company, but you can expect to be charged about 40 cents per cubic foot of storage space occupied by your items. To find out exactly how much your move will cost you – with storage in transit included – you need to get a quote from the moving company.

Without a doubt, storing your items with your moving company is your easiest and safest option – and, despite the additional storage fee, it may be the most cost-effective solution too. (When you add up the costs of renting a storage unit and paying for the transportation of your items to and from the storage facility, self-storage may turn out to be more expensive than using your movers’ storage services.)

So, if you’re planning to move with a moving company and need temporary storage between moves, be sure to ask your chosen movers whether they offer storage services too.

Moving companies with storage options provide convenient and affordable storage solutions to their customers, so you’re likely to get a really good deal if you decide to move and store your stuff with the same company.