I have a lot of stuff. I'm a bit of a hoarder collector and so every room, both of our outbuildings and even an ancient caravan on my driveway has stuff in it. Sometimes this becomes a bit of an issue. There's very little space to move stuff about.
As an example, take the time we had to empty the loft space so we could have new insulation laid. It was a great opportunity to sort through what was up there and get rid of things we knew we really didn't want any longer but inevitably quite a lot of stuff was there for a reason - we want to keep it.
An artificial Christmas tree, the family cot which generations of babies have slept in, a favourite pushchair I have optimistically kept for any potential grandchildren who might visit... I know. I just couldn't (and still can't) bear to get rid of it.
But where to put it while the sorting and then the work was being done? We don't have a spare bedroom, or in fact a spare room of any type.
We ended up living for a while in a room which resembled one of those fabulous bric a brac shops where genuine antiques jostle for space with pure tat which just looks old. Fun to explore on a wet Sunday, not so much fun to live in.
It was only after we returned the (slightly reduced) collection to the attic that a friend asked why we hadn't just put it into storage for a while?
It was a very good question. With self storage units springing up all over, most with convenient or even 24 hour opening hours, free car parks and a variety of storage options from tiny to enormous spaces there really is no reason not to look at self storage as an option.
If you want to explore a great example of what a top notch storage unit can offer, take a peek at the website for Shurgard Self-Storage Hanworth where you even can take a virtual tour of the impressive facilities. (#AD)
In a great location easily identified by the fabulous lighthouse feature, Shurgard Self-Storage Hanworth has plenty of parking and a convenient L-shaped covered loading area. They know that security is paramount to their customers so there is controlled gate access, sensor lighting and 24-hour CCTV surveillance.
There are trained storage experts on hand to help you choose the size of unit which will suit your needs and let you know about any deals. They'll even help out if you need boxes and packing supplies which you can buy right on site.
You can get at your belongings 365 days a year and if your needs change and you need to swap to a bigger or smaller unit there will be no transfer fees.
You can rent for as short a time as 1 week and since rental agreements are month to month with a two week notice period you don't have to commit to a long rental period -perfect if your builders overrun or your new home becomes available sooner than you expected.
Self storage is definitely something we might consider for my daughter as she has to move completely out of her university halls twice during her first year and of course during the summer holidays before she potentially moves within the city. I could drag all of her stuff up and down or I could rent a space so she can store most of her stuff safely and travel home with just what she needs.
I know my friends were very thankful for our local self storage facility when their house move ran into complications and they were forced to rent for a while before they could move into their new home. The only place they could get near their childrens' school was only available fully furnished so their own furniture needed a temporary safe haven.
People use self storage units for all sorts of reasons. Anyone else love that programme where people get to peek into abandoned units in the US and bid on their contents? I've seen all sorts of weird and wonderful things being discovered on that programme.
Mostly I think people use them for much more mundane reasons - storing garden furniture in the winter, hobby equipment, keeping possessions safe during redecoration and refurbishment projects or while moving house.
Their motivation might be mundane but after living for quite a while in a glorified junk-shop I know that renting a space makes great sense allowing to you avoid chaos and relax knowing your "stuff" is safe and sound.
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As an example, take the time we had to empty the loft space so we could have new insulation laid. It was a great opportunity to sort through what was up there and get rid of things we knew we really didn't want any longer but inevitably quite a lot of stuff was there for a reason - we want to keep it.
An artificial Christmas tree, the family cot which generations of babies have slept in, a favourite pushchair I have optimistically kept for any potential grandchildren who might visit... I know. I just couldn't (and still can't) bear to get rid of it.
But where to put it while the sorting and then the work was being done? We don't have a spare bedroom, or in fact a spare room of any type.
We ended up living for a while in a room which resembled one of those fabulous bric a brac shops where genuine antiques jostle for space with pure tat which just looks old. Fun to explore on a wet Sunday, not so much fun to live in.
It was only after we returned the (slightly reduced) collection to the attic that a friend asked why we hadn't just put it into storage for a while?
It was a very good question. With self storage units springing up all over, most with convenient or even 24 hour opening hours, free car parks and a variety of storage options from tiny to enormous spaces there really is no reason not to look at self storage as an option.
If you want to explore a great example of what a top notch storage unit can offer, take a peek at the website for Shurgard Self-Storage Hanworth where you even can take a virtual tour of the impressive facilities. (#AD)
In a great location easily identified by the fabulous lighthouse feature, Shurgard Self-Storage Hanworth has plenty of parking and a convenient L-shaped covered loading area. They know that security is paramount to their customers so there is controlled gate access, sensor lighting and 24-hour CCTV surveillance.
There are trained storage experts on hand to help you choose the size of unit which will suit your needs and let you know about any deals. They'll even help out if you need boxes and packing supplies which you can buy right on site.
You can get at your belongings 365 days a year and if your needs change and you need to swap to a bigger or smaller unit there will be no transfer fees.
You can rent for as short a time as 1 week and since rental agreements are month to month with a two week notice period you don't have to commit to a long rental period -perfect if your builders overrun or your new home becomes available sooner than you expected.
Self storage is definitely something we might consider for my daughter as she has to move completely out of her university halls twice during her first year and of course during the summer holidays before she potentially moves within the city. I could drag all of her stuff up and down or I could rent a space so she can store most of her stuff safely and travel home with just what she needs.
I know my friends were very thankful for our local self storage facility when their house move ran into complications and they were forced to rent for a while before they could move into their new home. The only place they could get near their childrens' school was only available fully furnished so their own furniture needed a temporary safe haven.
People use self storage units for all sorts of reasons. Anyone else love that programme where people get to peek into abandoned units in the US and bid on their contents? I've seen all sorts of weird and wonderful things being discovered on that programme.
Mostly I think people use them for much more mundane reasons - storing garden furniture in the winter, hobby equipment, keeping possessions safe during redecoration and refurbishment projects or while moving house.
Their motivation might be mundane but after living for quite a while in a glorified junk-shop I know that renting a space makes great sense allowing to you avoid chaos and relax knowing your "stuff" is safe and sound.
Disclaimer: Sponsored post