Life events can be sad or they can be happy, they can be planned or unplanned. One thing is for sure, we all experience them.
Now, you may be thinking, “what on earth has self storage got to do with the subject of life events?” Well, the answer is, “quite a lot actually!”
A recent survey conducted by the UK Self Storage Association (SSA) showed that one third of people using self storage do so because of an important life event.
Dealing with such an event can be a challenge, but self storage can be helpful in many practical ways.
1. Moving House
Okay, so this may be an obvious one but storage can be invaluable to those moving house and help to alleviate a great deal of stress and pressure. Moving house is classed as one of life’s most stressful events according to research, but self storage can make it easier for a number of reasons.
There may be a gap between selling one house and buying the next, in which case, temporary household storage can be very useful – especially if you need to rent a property during the interim period where space may be limited. It also saves you packing twice and you can still access your belongings as you have your own key to your private storage room.
The pressure of packing can be eased too when using self storage. It allows you to pack at your own pace and gradually move those non-essential possessions into storage and move them into your new home as and when you are ready. (Especially useful if your new home needs decorating or renovating in any way).
Self storage can also help to sell your house. As any professional home-stager will tell you, houses sell faster if they are decluttered without too many personal items on show. A clutter-free home can be much more appealing to potential buyers and even add value and makes it easier for prospect buyers to visualise how their possessions would fit in or look in each room. You can have peace of mind that your possessions are being securely stored and you have access to them as and when you need them.
2. New Relationships
If you are getting married or moving in with a new partner, storage can certainly help to nurture those new beginnings. There are several reasons.
Getting married is expensive these days. That is why an increasing number of couples are choosing to give up their rented accommodation to live with family for a few months in order to help save some money towards the wedding or new marital home. If this sounds familiar, then you can place your things into storage until you are settled in your own home.
Similarly, if you are moving in with a new partner and face the challenge of merging two homes into one, self storage can provide some valuable respite from the dilemma of whose sofa, dining table, or bed you use. Of course, you want your new beginnings to be happy and storage can come to the rescue.
Furniture and other possessions can be put into a clean, secure self storage room until a decision has been made about its future. In other words, storage buys you time to make considered decisions, rather than rushing into something you might regret later.
3. A Relationship Break-Up
Sadly, some relationships come to an end. Sometimes these break-ups happen abruptly which can result in one person having to move their possessions out of the home with very little notice. Self storage provides a solution and gives the flexibility of short or more long-term arrangements, in secure rooms that can be upsized or downsized as required.
Relationship break-ups are emotional times, and self storage can play a small (but important) part in the recovery process. There is some comfort in the knowledge that possessions are being stored securely, but they are not out of reach – and still accessible should they be needed.
4. Losing a Loved One
The passing of a loved one is always a sad occasion, and for close relatives there are generally many arrangements to be made. It is usually down to the relatives to empty a property, either because it needs to be sold or handed back to a landlord. Very often, this has to be done quickly. This means finding a home for the deceased’s possessions, which may include bulky items of furniture.
Self storage can be really helpful during these difficult times. It takes the pressure out of having to make rash decisions about what to keep and what to part with, which can be an emotional process. If a Will has been written, then certain items may need to be kept for inheritance reasons too.
5. Having a Baby
When you’re having a baby, very often the last thing you want to worry about is having the stress of moving to a larger house. Spare rooms are notoriously cluttered in many homes. But turning a spare room into your dream nursery and having space for storing all that baby equipment is a very real proposition. “How?” we hear you cry! Well, the answer is self storage.
It’s not something that parents-to-be always consider, but it’s cheaper than moving to a larger house and a quick-fix solution to gaining more space.
You probably don’t need a large storage unit. You’ll be amazed at how much you can get into even a small self storage unit making it practical and cost-effective for many. This leaves you time to you enjoy your new baby and plan your move (if you need to) when the time is right.
6. Starting a New Business
Did you know that more than 10,000 new businesses were formed in self storage units in the UK in 2023? This figure may be quite startling. However, we’re not surprised by this, given the demand for our business storage units in Nuneaton.
If you are looking to start-up a new business but don’t want to commit to an expensive commercial lease, self storage could be a great option for storing your stock or equipment.
It’s more secure (and drier) than storing goods in the garage or garden shed, that’s for sure – and it can be accessed as and when needed. You have your own key and the facility is monitored around-the-clock by state-of-the-art CCTV surveillance and alarm systems linked to the emergency services.
You may only need it on a temporary or seasonal basis, making it a cost-effective solution for many businesses, especially when it comes to storage for start-up enterprises.
At Extra Room Self Storage, we have over 20 different sizes of self storage units for any size of business. Self storage units start from just a telephone box sized area and go up to a double garage sized space and beyond to even a small warehouse space. As your company grows, your storage unit can grow too, offering real flexibility which is what any fledgling business needs.
Loading and unloading bays make transport in and out of storage a hassle-free task. At Extra Room Self Storage, we can also accept deliveries on your behalf and have forklifts and pallet trucks on site if needed for those larger consignments.
Who knew that even a small storage room could be the answer to a big life challenge. If you are looking for self storage in Nuneaton, Hinckley, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Rugby or surrounding areas, please get in touch with us to find out how we can help with your domestic or business storage needs.