Finding the Perfect Fit: Choosing the Right Size of Storage Unit

Published on 2023-03-08

DETERMINING THE RIGHT SIZE OF STORAGE UNIT

If you are moving and require temporary storage or have belongings that do not fit into your current home, self-storage is the answer!

At PFYS, we are often asked “How much will a storage unit hold?” Will it hold a studio apartment? Will it hold a bedroom? Will it hold an office? Unfortunately, that is difficult for us to assess. For instance, my bedroom has a queen bed, nightstand, dresser, wardrobe, armchair and ottoman. My son’s bedroom has a twin bed, nightstand and bean bag chair. Two bedrooms but very different in terms of storage items.

The following tips may assist and determining your storage needs.

At PFYS, we offer three storage unit sizes and provide an approximation in terms of capacity.

• 5’ Storage Unit (5 x 8 x 9) – stores up to 70 banker boxes.
• 10’ Storage Unit (10 x 8 x 9) – stores up to 140 banker boxes.
• 20’ Storage Unit (20 x 8 x 9) – stores up to 280 banker boxes.

It is often difficult to visualize how much space your belongings will take up in a storage unit. Here are some ideas to start the process:

• Take inventory and decide what is going to be stored versus donated or sold.
• Pack effectively but be generous when estimating how many boxes you may need.
• Measure items, especially larger items like mattresses, couches and tables.

With this information, mark out the storage unit dimension on your floor – use painter’s tape or string. For the most part, you will always have more vertical space than you need so focus on the floor space that will be required.

• Consider disassembly – Does it make sense to take the legs off a table or chairs?
• Find containers that work together– Rather than trying to play tetris with containers, use ones that cleanly stack and don’t create towers that are unmanageable.
• Think out of the box – Is it more efficient to store an item on end rather than horizontally? This often holds true for furniture such as couches or mattresses.
• Think inside the box – Can you store items within items? If you are storing a dresser, can you pack it with baby clothes? If you are storing a TV console, can you put books inside? Will suitcases hold loose kitchen utensils?
• Share – You are not the only one with storage woes! Do you have a close friend or family member that also needs a bit of storage? Consider sharing a unit – get the space but at half the cost!
• Remember the seasons – Can you do seasonal change outs? When you take out your Christmas décor, replace it with patio furniture. You’ll use your space efficiently and have items on hand as needed throughout the year.
• Be smart – Place larger items in your space first, then fill the holes with smaller items or boxes.

Remember that at Place For Your Stuff, the cost of two 5’ units is the same as one 10’ unit. Not to mention the benefits of two small units over one large unit – more wall space, ability to walk in/out more easily, and the chance to organize more efficiently. If you start with one unit and find the need for more space, we will try to accommodate you by finding an adjacent or nearby unit for your ease!