If you’re moving into a smaller apartment, you may need to get a storage unit to hold some of your additional stuff. If you’re not ready to get rid of the items that won’t fit into your new apartment — or if you have to move so quickly that there isn’t time to sort things out — the solution is to rent storage space. But what size storage unit do you need? Here are some tips to determine how to select the right size for your storage.
Initial estimates
First, it’s better to overestimate than to underestimate. While paying more per month is a hassle, so is having to cram all your items in to the point they might suffer damage. Ideally you want enough room that you don’t have to stack fragile items on top of each other.
Standard storage sizes
Find out about your local storage options. Several of the major self-storage chains have size guides or storage calculators on their Web sites. You can visit the storage unit location and describe your needs, or you can estimate ahead of time. According to Northwest Self-Storage, use the following rules of thumb when looking at storage units:
- A 5-foot by 5-foot unit can hold about 20 medium-size boxes.
- A 5-foot by 10-foot unit can hold about 40 medium-size boxes or a dining-room set.
- A 10-foot by 10-foot unit is big enough to hold the contents of a bedroom or a washer-dryer set.
- A 10-foot by 15-foot unit can hold furniture from multiple rooms or large appliances.
- A 10-foot by 20-foot unit might accommodate a car.
Special storage needs
Also factor in whether the items you’re storing need special accommodation, such as temperature or humidity control. If you’re worried about your items getting wet, you might want to put down wooden pallets first (to keep items off the floor) and add plastic covering to protect from sprinklers. But keep in mind, both of those will reduce the amount of usable space you have somewhat.
Check it out
If you are able, it’s a good idea to view the storage space in advance before actually moving your stuff. Contact the local storage company and request to see different size storage units. If you have to move quickly, call the storage company and ask if you’d be able to change your unit if it turned out you had reserved one that was too large or too small.
