Long-term storage is commonly used by people travelling or working abroad, particularly if they are letting their house to tenants. Of course, you can pack your possessions into a storage unit and forget about them until you come back, but a few simple hacks can save money and make your life easier.
Have a plan for storing your furniture
It may be possible to get a discount for long-term self-storage if you know how long you’re going to be away. Some storage companies will give you a better monthly rate if you pay for six months of storage up front.
Committing to storage and working out the costs will help you to decide if it’s cheaper to get rid of some of your goods and buy new or second-hand ones on your return.
Of course, you can’t put a price on sentiment, and there will always be some things you just don’t want to part with. But that Ikea wardrobe? It’s probably cheaper to get rid of it. Local charities may be interested, or in some cases, Ikea may take back the furniture it sold you.
Choosing the right storage company
Storage companies vary, so we recommend shopping around before you store your stuff long-term. These are the features that can push up storage costs:
- town-centre location
- 24-hour access
- climate control
- enhanced security
If you won’t be popping in and out of your storage unit regularly, you may not need that convenient location, or 24-hour access. Climate control may be beneficial if you’re storing sensitive antiques or musical instruments – see our article on climate-controlled storage to help you decide.
Clean your goods before you store
It would be heartbreaking to come back to a storage unit full of items ruined by mould – but that’s a very real risk if you store things that are wet or dirty. In particular, kitchen appliances need careful cleaning. Check our post on storing appliances for more details.
Pack smart
Make an inventory as you decide which domestic goods you’re going to put into storage. Your inventory will prove invaluable when you shop around for self-storage insurance, and it will also remind you of what you own when you come back. Even after a few months it can be hard to remember what you put into storage.
Packing is another area where you can save money when putting your goods into long-term storage. Recycle packing materials where possible, and ask friends and nearby businesses for boxes.
When you pack your unit, place items strategically, and make use of storage furniture – so pack bookshelves with smaller boxes, for example. You can even put items inside a fridge – but prop the door open to allow air to circulate just in case there’s some lingering damp.
Schedule regular inspections of your stored goods for peace of mind
It’s a good idea to inspect stored goods every so often. You could ask a friend or relative to do it for you while you’re abroad, or ask if your relocation service will do it. Our article on inspecting your stored goods has some other tips.
Minimise self-storage admin with direct debit
As mentioned above, you can pay upfront for self-storage; but if you prefer to pay monthly, setting up a direct debit will mean you can stop thinking about that monthly bit of admin until you get back. It’s important to keep up with your storage payments: if you fail to pay on time, you could find your goods auctioned off. And delinquent storage units may affect your credit rating as well.
Insuring your stuff in long-term storage
Self-storage insurance is mandatory with all reputable public storage companies. But as is the case with most types of insurance, it really pays off to get several quotes because prices vary. Use Store and Insure’s quotation service to get an idea of how much you might pay each month to insure your stuff while you’re abroad.
