Storage between moves – the best storage options for moving

Moving is rarely as simple as transporting your belongings from your current place to your new address. From finding an appropriate new home and getting it ready for moving in to putting all the required paperwork in order, there are many “extra” moving-related issues that add to the stress and difficulty of the relocation process. Coming up with an efficient moving storage solution for your items is one of these troublesome issues.

Whether you haven’t yet found a suitable property to rent or to buy in your new area or the repair and renovation work in your new home is not completed in time, it’s common to need storage when moving house. Fortunately, there are several good options available to help you bridge the gap between homes – which one will work best for you depends on your specific needs and preferences, as well as on the type of your move.

Here is what you need to know when wondering how and where to store your stuff while moving.

Storage options for moving

When moving, you’ll usually only need to put your items in storage for a month or so – until you can take them to your new home. Therefore, you’ll be looking for short-term storage options – and you’ll want a temporary storage solution that is as convenient, affordable, and hassle-free as possible.

Here are your best choices:

Self-storage units

Self-storage facilities provide safe and easily accessible storage spaces where you can keep your items for as long as you need.

Storage units come in various sizes (so you can rent one that perfectly suits your needs) and can be rented on a month-to-month basis (so you can store your items temporarily without making a long term commitment). Many self-storage facilities offer high-end security features (so your belongings will be safe there) and various amenities (so you can store specialty items, pull a vehicle right up to the storage space, etc.).

Best of all, self-storage is quite affordable – storage cells typically cost between $50 and $250 per month (depending on the size of the unit, the location of the facility, the available extra features and amenities, and the rental period).

See also: How much does a storage unit cost?; What to look for when choosing a self-storage facility

So, when moving house, you can find a good storage facility near your new address and store your stuff there. Self-storage, however, is more cost-effective for long-term storage. And it requires moving your items twice (from your old home to the storage facility and, then, from the storage facility to your new home) – which results in lots of hassle and higher moving costs.

Portable storage containers

Portable storage containers can be used for storing household goods and/or shipping them to another location. Made of metal or wood, they are very strong and completely insulated, so they provide excellent protection to the items inside them. Pod containers come in different sizes to accommodate different storage needs and can stay at a property for as long as needed.

If you decide to move with a portable container, a pod will be dropped off in front of your home and left there for you to load with your belongings. When you’re ready, the pod movers will pick up the container and transport it to your new home or to a specialized storage facility. You can keep the pod at your new property – or at the company’s facility – for as long as you want to. It will cost you about $100-$200 per month per container, depending on the size of the pod.

Portable storage containers provide a safe, efficient, and affordable moving and storage solution. And they offer great convenience:

• you only pack and load your items once (and at your own schedule);
• your goods are transported by experienced professionals;
• you have a safe place to store your items for as long as needed before, during, and after your move;
• you have easy access to your stored belongings at any time (if you keep the pod on your property).

Keep in mind though that you may need a permit to keep a portable storage container in front of your home.

See also: How to move with portable moving containers

Moving companies that offer storage

Many professional movers provide moving and storage services at affordable prices and favorable conditions.

Moving companies with storage are your best bet when you need to store your items for just a few weeks or a couple of months while getting settled into your new home – the same company will handle all the logistics of moving and storing your belongings and storage in transit will likely be included in your estimate (so you’ll get a few weeks of storage that you won’t have to pay for separately).

All the above options have considerable advantages – but each of them is best for different circumstances.

How to choose the best moving storage option for you

When researching the best moving storage options, you should think about how well they fit your specific moving and storage needs – even the most affordable and beneficial storage solution may not be right for you if it doesn’t suit the particular circumstances in your relocation case.

There are several important factors to consider in order to make the right choice about where to store your stuff when moving:

1) What you have for storage

• The number of items you intend to put into storage will determine how much space you’re going to need – It doesn’t make much sense to rent a self-storage unit if you only have a few boxes and a couple of furniture pieces to store. You’d better rent a small pod container or store your items with your moving company instead;
• The type of the items you have for storage will determine what storage conditions will be required – If you’re planning to store electronics, artwork, or other sensitive items, you need climate-controlled storage so your delicate valuables don’t get damaged by extreme temperatures or high humidity. Renting an air-conditioned storage unit is your best option.

Bonus tip: Before you even start looking for storage solutions, be sure to pare down your possessions as much as possible. Get rid of everything you don’t really need or love – the fewer items you need to put into storage, the easier things will be and the less money you’ll spend.

2) How long you need to keep your items in storage

Moving storage is meant to be temporary but you may need to store your belongings for as little as 2-3 weeks or as long as six months. The best storage option for you depends on the period for which your items will stay in storage – self-storage units are more cost-effective for longer term storage, while pod containers and moving companies with temporary storage are ideal for short-term storage (up to three months).

Bonus tip: Consider term flexibility too – you may not know exactly when you’ll be able to retrieve your items, so you need month-to-month storage, even if it comes at a higher cost.

3) How much access you require to your items while they’re in storage

If you’re going to need frequent access to your stored items, storing them with a moving company is not a good idea – the movers will put your goods in their warehouse and won’t allow you access to it.

A moving pod may be your best choice – you can keep it in your driveway so you can easily take out any item that you need. And even if the storage container is at the company’s facility, you will still be able to access your belongings. 

Self-storage facilities are also a viable option – just make sure you choose one that is located nearby and can be accessed 24/7, so you can get to it quickly and access your items on your own schedule.

4) How much you can afford to pay for storage

Moving storage costs will be, of course, among your primary concerns – you will already be spending a lot of money on your move, so you won’t want to spend a lot on storage too.

• Self-storage is easily affordable, but smaller rental time results in a higher monthly storage unit cost, so it may not be your most cost-effective option when you need short-term storage. Besides, if you put your items in a storage unit, you’ll have to move them twice – and, therefore, pay for moving twice;
• Portable storage containers cost about the same per month as self-storage units, but they offer a much more convenient moving and storage option. The cost of moving with a pod cross-country (and keeping it for one month) ranges from $2,000 to $4,000, depending on the relocation distance and the size of the container (if you need more than one container, the price will go up with each additional pod);
• Moving company storage is not the cheapest option, but it includes the cost of labor and guarantees convenience, efficiency, and safety (your items will be handled by experienced professionals who will take care of your move from start to finish). So, when considering the storage unit fee and the costs (and hassle) of hiring movers to take your goods into and out of storage (or renting a moving truck both ways), it will be much easier and more cost-effective to store your items with your moving company.

Good to know: How much do moving companies charge for storage? The typical base rate for moving company storage is about 40 cents per cubic foot. You can use our free moving cost estimator to find out exactly how much your move will cost you with storage included.

Why storing your stuff with your moving company is a good idea?

If you’re moving with a moving company, it just makes sense to use it for temporary storage too. Most professional movers offer both moving and storage services and combining these services is your most convenient and cost-effective option.

If you decide to put your belongings in a self-storage facility, you’ll have to work with multiple companies and things will be much more difficult to organize – and much more expensive:

• You’ll have to research both moving companies and storage facilities;
• You’ll have to hire movers to take your items from your old home to the storage facility and then hire movers to take your things out of storage to your new home;
• You’ll have to look at multiple estimates and sign several contracts;
• You’ll have to coordinate schedules with the moving teams and the storage facility and to keep track of several separate timelines;
• You’ll have to pay separately for the storage unit and for the transportation of your items to and from the storage facility.

All things considered, moving company storage (or storage in transit) is your best option when you need temporary storage between moves. It means convenience (the movers do all the work (they take your items out of your old home, store them in a safe facility, transport them to your new home, and unload them for you) and take care of all the logistics), safety (the pros know their job and will take good care of your belongings), and lower overall cost. Your move will be smoother and less stressful if you store your stuff with your moving company.