Moving house is, without doubt, one of the most common reasons for using self-storage and home movers make up a good proportion of our storage insurance clients.
Self-storage can play a role from when you first think about getting your house on to the market and through the process of selling and moving. See below for a breakdown of the most common reasons for needing self storage when moving house.
De-cluttering
One of the most common pieces of advice you will receive when marketing your house is to de-clutter. Packing away excessive personal items and superfluous toys and furniture can make all the difference when trying to sell. Often you do not want to permanently get rid of things, just get them out of the way for the moment – self storage is a great way of getting things out of the way – it will also be a help as you approach moving day to have already shipped out some of your stuff (who knew you could fit so much into the loft!!)
Between houses?
In an uncertain market, or when things are slow moving, it can really prove to be an advantage if you are able to move quickly without a related purchase. Similarly, once you have sold you can be in a good position to move on a purchase without the hassle of having to manage a related sale at the same time. Self-storage is a good option for those who find themselves between houses – beware though, you may get used to travelling light and wonder why you needed all that stuff when you do make a permanent move!
Renovations
If the property you are moving into needs some work – it is usually a lot easier and quicker to do that if the property is not full of unpacked boxes. Renovations are usually messy, dusty and disruptive – storing all but the essentials you need to function in a storage unit can help to get things done sooner. Who knows – it may even save you some money…
Getting sorted
Depending on how long you have lived in your home – you may well have accumulated a lot of stuff since you moved in. Often, it is only once you move out that you realise just how much you have to move. It can make the process of moving a bit less stressful if you don’t have to find a home for everything as soon as you move into your new property. This has the added advantage of allowing you to take your time to decide where things belong and perhaps sorting through what you want to keep.
Self-storage is quick to acquire and you don’t need to commit to a long term agreement so it offers the ideal type of flexible space for home movers of all kinds.
Things to consider...
- Be realistic about what you have to store and the space you need. Self-storage space is certainly cheaper per square foot than housing but the costs can mount up over time. Have a look at our guide to storage space to see some space comparisons of typical storage types.
- Make sure you are prepared for storing your stuff over the winter if need be – have a look at our blog post preparing your storage unit for winter for our best tips and advice on this.
- Do carry out a thorough inventory of what you are storing so that you can be accurate about the value of your goods. Remember – you need to take out storage insurance for the full replacement cost.
- Always compare the cost of storage insurance. Most self storage providers, especially the big 5 , will offer to sell you insurance as part of the package, sometime for a price that seems competitive on the face of it – we do advise caution here though as this is often set at an inadequate level, especially if you are storing a house for of possessions. See our blog 'I lost £180,000 in a self storage fire' for more on the perils of under insurance.