Being that most people who need this type of storage only require about a month or so of storage, you are obviously looking at “short-term storage.” One good option is a self-storage facility.
Finding a self-storage facility near where you are moving to is, in many cases, your best options. Most Self-Storage facilities offer a “short term storage” options at slightly higher rates than if you were to enter into a longer-term contract. The major benefits of using such a facility are:
You can keep your belongs there as long as you need (at an additional cost of course)
Can be climate controlled
You have more price options
Security
Many offer different amenities
Self-storage is a good way to go for those who may not have specific dates nailed down but are still under deadlines or travel restrictions. The downfall to utilizing this particular type of storage is that you end up moving everything twice. Which can be quite a hassle and almost always ends in significantly higher moving costs. But sometimes it is the best option.
Portable storage containers are used for storing belongings and/or shipping them to another location. They are very strong and completely insulated, so they provide excellent protection for your families belongings. Pod containers come in different sizes to accommodate different storage needs and can stay at a property for as long as needed.
Using a portable container to move is a great option. Pods are dropped off and left for you to load at your leisure. The movers then pick up the container and transport it to your new home or to a specialized storage facility. You store the pod at your property, or at the company’s, for as long as you require. It will cost you about $100-$200 per month per container, depending on the size of the pod.
Portable storage containers are a great option and came about due to the inconveniences that sometimes come with moving. They are very convenient and offer some major benefits:
Pack at your leisure and only one time
Transport is done professionally
Safe storage
Access to belongings
The benefits definitely seem to out-weigh any pitfalls but there are a few things to keep in mind. Though secure, they are still simply a pod so if you keep it in-front of your home people can break in, and some areas may require a permit to store them. Typically though they are very convenient.
Moving Companies
Many professional movers provide storage options and in some cases this can be quite favorable.
Moving companies that offer storage are probably your best options while getting settled into your new home. The same company will handle the move and storing your belongings. This helps not only with logistics, but they will also likely include a few weeks storage into the quote which will help cut down on the cost of the move. Typically they keep it on the truck (much like storage pods) which can be climate controlled and in locked facilities.
If you are not looking to keep things stored for longer than a month or so this may be your least expensive option.
Circumstances
So then what is your best storage option when moving?
What it boils down to is your own circumstances. There are many factors and each one can alter which options are best or even available for you.
1) What are you storing?
If you are storing a small number of items or simply items that don’t take up much space (relatively) then you may want to look into pods. They have different sizes and are more customizable in general which helps to save in time and money.
2) How long you need to keep your items in storage
The amount of time you will need to store your items might be the biggest determining factor. For instance if you are only going to need 2 weeks it wouldn’t make a whole of sense to go with a self-storage company because they typically do month-to-month and your moving company will store it for you anyway. Whereas if you need 6 months of storage even the pods may not be ideal since in some cases they will be sitting (not very climate controlled) on your lawn the whole time.
Knowing how long you are going to need to keep your items stored is as important and making sure the people moving them are reputable. And if you are unsure its usually better to overestimate, than to underestimate.
3) Do you require access to your items
Moving companies typically store your items on their property which makes access to them problematic.
Pods would probably be your best bet if you are able to store them on your property as you would have constant access to them and will be able to ensure the safety of your belongings yourself. Though it is the same as the moving company situation if you store them at a company facility.
Self-storage facilities are probably the best for access as long as you determine the correct one however if you have to store your belongings in another city or another state that would also be problematic so think ahead and keep this in mind while packing.
4) Cost
Lastly, cost is the biggie. The good news is that the cost of all of these is fairly similar in a typical situation though it can vary quite drastically when your situation is atypical. That being said using a moving company that is based out of the city you are moving too and has a good reputation will almost always be the most cost-effective way to go because they build themselves around your convenience.
All things considered these are almost always going to be your best options when moving. Pods, moving companies, and storage facilities are all built for your convenience and have likely dealt with your situation before. So do your research and be prepared. And happy moving!
