Why Hiring a Portable Storage Unit can Save Some Moving Day Headaches

Photo by Erda Estremera on Unsplash

In a recent poll, more than half of the people surveyed said that moving home was at the very top of their list of most stressful experiences. Results showed moving caused more anxiety than even relationship breakdowns, divorce, or starting a new job.

Moving is challenging both physically and mentally, and anything that can save on stress at this challenging time can be a real bonus. Often overlooked as a valuable asset to a stress-free moving day is hiring a portable storage unit, so we’ll be looking at the reasons why you might discover that having one on your driveway can be so important.

What is a portable storage unit?

Portable storage units come in a variety of sizes and can be used to declutter your homeprior to selling or to transport your possessions on the moving day itself. In appearance, they look very much like the shipping containers used to transport materials. Still, they will often be of a superior quality to those used for shipping industrial or agricultural cargoes.

What sizes are portable storage units?

A well established reputable storage company will carry a variety of sizes. During a visit to your local storage unit company, you are likely to be shown the three most popular sizes:

• 8ft (8’ x 8’ x 8’) Perfect for decluttering your home prior to selling or storing the contents of a dorm room or garage.

• 16Ft (16’ x 8’ x 8’) a larger storage unit for storing or transporting the contents of a smaller home or an apartment.

• 20ft (20’ x 8’ x 8’) This is the largest unit usually available and will fit the contents of a 1700sqft home, though if you use the loft space or basement as well, you may have to hire an additional unit.

What are the benefits of a portable storage unit?

Having a unit sitting on your driveway has the obvious benefit of accessing it quickly, 24 hours a day. But, the most obvious benefit is being able to move home at your own pace. 

Rather than having to cram everything into one day and rushing around to get everything ready for the movers, having an onsite unit delivered a few days or even a week before moving day means you can do things differently.

Packing things up when you’re ready, then placing them in the unit one by one means that you are in control of the situation. You can fill the storage box when it suits you, and on moving day, it can just be a case of sealing it up, then having it collected and taken to your destination. (or stored at the yard until your new home or business premises are ready)

Will my stuff be safe in a portable storage unit?

Storage boxes are weather tight and will keep animals and many insects away from your possessions. For areas with extremes of weather, units that need to be stored long term should be kept in a temperature-controlled environment rather than outdoors.

Overall, the benefits of a portable storage unit could make it an essential part of your home moving strategy.