Should You Rent Storage While Living in an Apartment?

Moving into a new apartment and thinking about renting storage to keep some extra belongings on hand? All My Sons Moving & Storage has been helping individuals and families relocate across the neighborhood and across the nation for over 30 years, and we know a thing or two about how to make a downsized move into a small apartment. 

Whether you’re just moving into an apartment after living in a house or you’ve lived in an apartment for years, there may come a point where you realize you don’t have the physical space to store everything you want to keep in your life. Storage services can be a great solution, but is it the right choice for you?

If you’re weighing the pros and cons of renting storage for your apartment, you might be wondering how economical it might be to rent storage and if your belongings will be safe in storage. Allow All My Sons, the moving company that believes that things matter, to help you make the best decision for your precious belongings.

Only you can decide if it’s worth it to rent storage while you live in an apartment. No two apartment dwellers are exactly alike. While a young professional who is a minimalist might scoff at the idea of renting storage, another apartment renter might decide it’s the best solution to keep their roommates out of their hobby gear. 

Every prospective storage renter should consider several important questions before they decide if renting storage is the correct solution for their belongings. 

Here are some of those questions.

• What will you be storing? The type and size of your items intended for storage will determine what kind of storage you need and how much it will cost.

• How long do you plan to rent storage? Storage can be a lifesaver during periods of transition, such as a complex move or navigating a divorce, but you can also choose to rent storage for the long haul when you don’t have enough space in your apartment for everything you own.

• How often will you need to access your items? Long-term storage is ideal for items you want to keep on hand to access on a regular basis. If you do not intend to retrieve your items again, you might want to think twice about storing them. A better solution may be to donate, sell, or dispose of them.

• What costs are involved? Renting a self-storage unit will add another regular bill to your budget. Are you prepared to pay for the expense? What would you do if you were no longer able to cover the cost?

By considering these questions and weighing the answers with your needs, you’ll be able to decide for yourself whether or not renting storage is worth it to you.

If you want to load and unload your unit as well as access items on your own time, the most ideal solution for you is a self-storage unit. With a self-storage unit, the facility typically provides space for customers as well as amenities like gated access, surveillance systems, and rolling carts to help you move in or out. 

The current average cost to rent a self-storage unit in the United States is about $89.09 a month, but prices will vary based on location, size, and amenities the self-storage facility offers. Keep in mind that storage facilities may offer special discounted rates to get you into the facility, but prices can rise when your promotional rate expires. 

Storage Lockers

If you’re looking for just a smidgen of extra space outside your apartment, you might be able to rent a small storage locker at a self-storage facility near you. These units are typically under 5 feet tall and ideal for holding just a few boxes or some small appliances. You can rent one of these units to hold a surprise gift for a significant other, keep small holiday decorations on hand, or safeguard items you don’t want your pet getting into. 

• Typical Cost: $5 to $30 monthly

• Size Range: Units are under 5 feet tall, and range from 3x3 to 5x5.

Indoor Storage Units

These units are in the interior of the building. They are typically 8 to 10 feet tall and they can range in size from a closet-sized space to enough space to hold an entire household inventory. 

• Typical Cost: $30 to $330 monthly 

• Size Range: 5x5 to 15x20

Drive-Up Storage Units

These units lie on the exterior of the building, and you can easily drive a vehicle right up to them. Ease of access typically makes these units a bit more expensive than indoor units of a similar size, but if you are in and out of your unit often then the extra cost might be worth it.

• Typical Cost: $100 to $300 monthly

• Size Range: 5x10 to 15x20

Climate-Controlled Storage Units

The self-storage facility where you rent will keep the temperature for these units between 50°F to 82°F, which should help protect your more sensitive items. Some facilities will also control the humidity in the area to deter the growth of mold and mildew. Be prepared to pay about 10% to 25% more for the extra protection. These units are ideal for items sensitive to changes in their environment like photo albums, books, vinyl records, disc media, electronics, fabrics like fur, silk, or leather, and antiques. 

• Typical Cost: $40 to $350 monthly

• Size Range: 5x5 to 15x20

Looking at renting storage while you live in an apartment long-term? All My Sons recommends you rent storage for items you still want on hand that would be costly or impossible to replace, such as the following.

• Seasonal Items: Things like holiday decorations and some tools may only need to come out for a few weeks every year, but it would be costly to replace them every season. Renting storage allows you to keep these items on hand and retrieve them when the season arrives to keep your space looking festive. 

• Specialized Hobby Gear: Camping equipment, cosplay props, and your mountain bicycles are great contenders for long-term storage. If you still enjoy your items on a regular basis but do not have immediate closet space for them in your apartment, you can keep them in a storage unit and save the hassle of buying or renting the items.

• Heirlooms and Antiques: If you inherited an item from a beloved friend or family member or the item might be worth a significant amount in the future, you should definitely hang onto that item. These items should probably find their way back out of storage at some point, since they are so significant to you, but during a tight period when space is limited then renting storage may help you keep a tidy apartment.

• Sentimental Items: These are the items you would pay any price to keep because of their sentimental value. Once again, since these items are so significant to you, they should probably find their way back into your home when you have more room. In the meantime, renting storage allows you to hang onto sentimental items without sacrificing apartment space.

No matter what you decide to put in storage, be sure to organize your storage unit well and periodically evaluate what’s inside to ensure your storage unit is still meeting your needs. There may come a point in the future where you need to clean out or downsize your storage unit, either because you’ve moved into a bigger home or because you’ve decided to simplify your life. 

When you’re contemplating a move into storage, get a quote from All My Sons. Our movers and packers can help with all your moving needs, including providing labor for packing a self-storage unit. Our company even offers full-service storage solutions for all your temporary and long-term storage needs. 

No matter the size or distance of your move, All My Sons would be proud to tailor our exceptional services to meet your needs. Trust All My Sons to perform your move, and trust the company that believes your things matter.