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The most common uses for self storage

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July 31, 2023

Self storage is not simply extra space though. Self storage can be a myriad of things for a wide variety of projects. At Cubeit Portable Storage, we help tenants with many different storage projects. We therefore thought it would be helpful to inform you of what some of the most frequent projects that utilize self storage are, giving you an idea of the different sorts of needs that can be satisfied by self storage.

Even if your storage project is not one of these, they might yet give you an idea of how self storage can work for your needs in creative ways.

Moving

The most obvious and most common self storage use is during a move. Whether you're moving homes, office, or workspace, self storage can be a great aid during such a transition.

Moving homes will likely see your real estate agent wanting to stage your home for viewings. This is important, as potential home-buyers typically like to see a neutral space, making it easier for them to imagine the space under their own aesthetic preferences.

A self storage unit will accommodate the time in between taking ownership of your new home if there is a gap between leaving the old home and moving into the new one. Likewise, if you are downsizing, a self storage unit allows you to keep items that you do not want to get rid of but also do not have room for in the new, smaller space.

For businesses on the move, self storage might even more significant, as it will allow you to keep things better organized during any transition. As you and your team are gearing up for the move, certain things can be left more accessible than others, while also allowing you more time to shuffle items into your portable storage container, which can remain on the property, available to you and your team throughout the process.

Renovating

If you are renovating your house, then self storage, and particularly portable storage, can be a huge benefit. If you need to clear a number of rooms of your home, office, or workspace, then a self storage unit can house those items, protecting them from the dust and potential damage to them that any renovations project may produce. A portable container has the added benefit of keeping those items onsite for you, allowing you access to them throughout the renovations.

Decluttering

One of the most cited reasons people rent self storage units is for decluttering their home or workspace. While much of the clutter may be ripe for donating or recycling, there is usually a number of items that no longer have a proper place in the space, but are also not items you can afford to get rid of.

This is where a self storage unit becomes an excellent resource. The grand piano and your grandmother's antique hutch are items that no longer fit the aesthetic of your home, but they are also items you do not want to lose. Self storage provides an easy solution.

College and university students

Remember when you shuffled off to a dorm room in September to attend college or university? Well, students these days are making great use of self storage units, allowing them to store their school life in their school's town when they are away for the summer. They avoid having to move their items long distances this way, and save a lot of time in the process.

Cars, motorcycles, boats, RVs, ATVs, and other vehicles

If you have a vehicle needing to be stored through the winter months or during off-seasons, then self storage is often the most convenient solution. Drive-up units are the perfect home for most vehicles, or parking spaces can be rented for larger or less sensitive vehicles that can withstand some harsher weather.

Portable containers can also work for vehicles, depending on the size, and can actually be more convenient, depending on the nature of your project. A small boat may be an excellent example, as you can load the vehicle directly into the container at your marina.

Estate Planning

Estate planning is a stressful and emotional time. Self storage can in fact act to mute the stress and emotions of having to go through a deceased loved one's belongings. Tough decisions are often required during estate planning, and they typically only compound the emotional stress you are likely going through at such a time.

Rather than rush into these decisions during mourning, renting a self storage unit to hold the items until you are ready can make the mourning process easier. Having the items in self storage will also provide you with a lot more time to go through those items at your own pace, also reducing the stress and emotion. Incredibly, self storage will actually make estate planning easier.

Businesses

While much of what we have mentioned above is directed towards more personal, home projects, self storage can be of massive benefits to businesses of all kinds. Declutter the office by shipping documents and files that are necessary to keep, but are rarely accessed. Hold additional inventory or off-season inventory in a self storage unit. The same goes for out-of-season equipment, such as a lawnmowers or snowblowers for landscaping businesses.

With the additional space self storage grants businesses, they can then afford to order materials in larger bulk and at a lower cost. Utilize a portable storage container on a construction site for safekeeping tools and supplies. Some small businesses, such as Etsy shop owners, will even utilize a self storage unit to showcase their products to local clients who want to see them face-to-face before making a purchase.

There are really countless ways to utilize self storage, and we hope that we have gone some distance to revealing the sorts of projects that can benefit from self storage, while also providing ideas that can be repurposed to fit your specific project.

If you have any further ideas or questions about the possibilities of what self storage can do for you and your project, speak with your Cubeit Portable Storage advisor today.