Guide to what size storage unit you might need
- Written by Auzzi Shopping
It can often be confusing when considering what size storage unit you need. Whether you plan to store your stuff for a short time, such as during a move or while renovating your home or want somewhere to keep more oversized items permanently. You may wonder what size unit you’ll need. For example, how many boxes will fit in a 5 x 10-foot unit? How much room does it take up in my house? Of course, the answer depends on the size and shape of your items and how efficiently they can be packed into boxes. Here is some helpful information to help you determine precisely how many items will fit into the different-sized units.
What are the advantages of a storage unit?
You may not realise it, but renting a storage unit has a lot of benefits! You can store your stuff, get rid of clutter, keep your things in one place, and your belongings will be safe and secure. It’s the perfect solution for people with extra items that don’t have enough space at home or don’t want to deal with the hassle of selling their belongings on Craigslist or eBay. There are so many options available; I found the best place to start is to do a quick google search. For example, I searched “cheap storage Melbourne” and found storage units in all shapes, sizes and prices which helped when i moved from Sydney to Melbourne. The site allows you to search for storage in all areas and filter your results to your needs. Plus, if you ever need extra room due to an emergency—such as an unexpected move—a storage unit gives you peace of mind knowing that all your possessions are safe and sound while you figure out what to do next.
Estimate the volume of your stuff
To get started, the first step is to estimate the volume of your stuff. This is important because it will determine what size unit you need and how many boxes you will need to pack your things.
To help with this task, I have created a list below that gives an estimate of the number of items each category will fill up:
- - Clothes: two cubic feet per drawer/cubic yard for boxes (or one cubic foot per box)
- - Kitchen: utensils, dishes, food = three cubic feet per drawer/cubic yard for containers (or two cubic feet per box)
- - Bedroom: sheets and linens = two cubic feet per drawer/cubic yard for containers (or 1.5 cubic feet per box)
If you need help decluttering your space, an excellent guide here will walk you through some simple steps.
Work out what size unit you will need
To determine what size storage unit you need, you should first determine how much stuff you have. If you have followed the step above, you will have a rough idea.
As a general rule, smaller items in boxes would fit into a 5x5 or 5x10 unit, whereas larger furniture may need a 10x10 or 10x20 unit. If you plan to store a motorbike or car, you will need something much bigger, like 20x20 or, even bigger, a 20x40 unit.
It’s also worth considering other factors that might influence how much space you require in your storage unit:
- - Are there large items being stored? If so, they should not be stored against walls as this could damage them over time.
- - Are there any hazardous materials being stored? In this case, it would be wise to read the small print, as many storage units prohibit certain items.
1.5 boxes of clothes or 3 medium boxes
If you're moving to a new apartment or just downsizing, chances are you'll be looking at getting rid of some items. And while it's always tough to decide to get rid of possessions that used to mean a lot to us, we can all agree that it's better to have a clean space than one filled with junk.
If your goal is to purge as much clutter as possible before moving into your new place, then here are some tips on how many boxes and how much storage space those items will take up:
- - 1.5 boxes of clothes or 3 medium boxes
- - 1 box of clothes = 1.5 cubic feet
- - 3 medium boxes = 6 cubic feet
1-2 mattress sets or 1-2 large pieces of furniture
Look around your home if you need clarification on what's considered a large piece of furniture. What furniture do you have that takes up a lot of space? What happens when you need to move it from one place to another? If the answer is "it's hard," those items qualify as large pieces of furniture.
A mattress set includes an entire bed frame, box spring, and mattress—but NOT the headboard or footboard. To figure out how big your mattress set is:
- - Measure the length and width of your box spring (the part underneath the mattress).
- - Add these two measurements together for one total dimension for each side of your box spring (for example, 80 inches x 60 inches = 4160 total square inches).!
- - Now multiply this result by three to get a cubic volume measurement for your entire mattress set (for example, 4160 * 3 = 12920 cubic inches). This will give us our final answer in cubic feet/meters if we divide by 1000.
5-6 boxes of books, kitchenware, toys and small home appliances
If you’re storing items like books, kitchenware, toys and small home appliances, I recommend getting a 5-6 box storage unit. Here are some examples of things that would fit in this category:
- - Books (5-6 boxes)
- - Kitchenware (pots/pans/utensils)
- - Toys/small home appliances
How do storage units work
Storage units are safe and secure. They can be located in a gated facility, protected by security cameras, alarms and locks. In addition, you can get a keypad or keyless access to your storage unit for added convenience and peace of mind: you don’t need to worry about carrying a key anymore!
You can also check on your belongings using an app that allows you to take photos of the contents, so they’re all accounted for when it comes time to move them out. This way, if anything goes missing once you’ve moved into your new place, then at least you know what was there before moving day!
Some facilities offer auto-payments so that customers don’t worry about paying monthly bills on time—you just set up an automatic payment plan through their website or over the phone with no additional fees attached!
Conclusion
You've done your research, and now you know what size storage unit you need. Keep in mind it’s not the size of your unit that matters. If you pack efficiently, you can store more in a smaller space; if you don’t pack efficiently, you could need a larger unit.
Hopefully, this guide has helped you figure out what size storage unit might suit your needs. Remember to consider the volume of your stuff and how much space it will take up inside a unit. If you do this correctly and efficiently, then even a small storage space can accommodate all sorts of stuff.