Storage options if you’re moving, renovating or simply running out of space

If you are selling your house, renovating or simply need to declutter, renting a storage unit can be a life-saver. With house sizes shrinking and garages a rarity, having a secure space to store your extra stuff can make all the difference.

Who uses storage?

Those in the world of storage say business is booming. At a time when sellers can shift their house in weeks, but finding another to buy is taking longer, householders find themselves in a bind. Those between homes will often rent a smaller house or apartment as an interim measure – but what do they do with their stuff? A storage unit can provide some much-needed overflow space and peace of mind. Indeed, many will rent a storage unit in the months before their house sale, decluttering the family home in order to stage it. Skis, rollerblades, winter coats – potential buyers can be put off by bulging cupboards.

It’s a similar dilemma for those renovating. There is an increase in this type of customer, says managing director of Nesta storage, Brian Hefferon. “There is a drop-off in those selling in the past year and we are now seeing more people coming to us who are renovating,” says Hefferon. “Maybe they are moving out of their house for six months while they get the work done. They move most of their belongings into storage and they only take the absolute basics to the rental property.”

On returning to a renovated home, some customers realise that the under-used piano or heirloom dining table no longer fits either physically, or aesthetically, and they continue to keep items in storage. Indeed for many renovating, their garage or attic is being converted into living space. That means losing storage space, so some will go on to rent a storage unit on a long-term basis, using it as a spare room.

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Other users of storage units include those downsizing, those moving to nursing home care, or families clearing out the parental home for sale after a bereavement. College students who want to store coursework and other items over the summer find temporary storage useful too.

Cost

Storage comes at a cost. For those renovating, the cost of paying a mortgage and renting temporary accommodation mounts up. Storage adds to the bill. If you have relatives or friends with spare space who are willing to store your belongings, this will definitely save you money.

Your belongings should be covered by the storage suppliers’ insurance in the event of a burglary or fire, but double-check. Any high-value item will probably need to be specifically added to the contents insurance.

When it comes to rented storage, the cost of a storage unit depends on its size. A 0.8sq m (9sq ft) locker, the size most frequently rented by students, costs €50 a month at Nesta, says Hefferon. If you need to store the full contents of your four-bed house, expect to need a 14sq m (150sq ft) storage unit. This will cost about €350 a month. Those needing to store the contents of a one-bedroom apartment can rent a mid-sized unit from between €120 to €170 a month.

Of course you will save on storage costs by having less stuff – try to do a cull of items to freecycle websites or charity shops before putting them in storage

What can I store?

When it comes to items stored, storage business owners have seen it all. From a locker full of mannequins to giant Monopoly pieces, everything and anything gets stored. There are a few things that can’t be stored, however. “Food or anything flammable is a no-no and that will be clearly indicated in the contract,” says Hefferon. Those packing up the entire contents of their house will need to think carefully about their garage and shed contents in particular. “Paints are flammable and shouldn’t be put in storage. If you’ve got a patio heater, the gas canister can’t be stored. If you have a lawnmower, it can be stored, but the oil and petrol must be siphoned out of it,” says Hefferon.

Due diligence

When researching self-storage companies, there are a few things to bear in mind. It is worth asking to see the specific rental unit in advance before rocking up with your stuff. Take photographs of the interior and tell the provider if there is anything concerning.

Ask for the specifications of the unit – is it watertight for example. In one case reported to the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) helpline, items such as drills and other DIY equipment were stored in a sheltered area rather than a watertight unit. When the owners returned to pick up their goods, they found the equipment had rusted and was no longer usable. Temperature control may also be important for anyone storing artwork or precious photographs.

Look for clean, well-lit facilities that are secure and monitored around the clock. There should be smoke detectors and fire alarms of course, but find out how they are monitored. Ideally, the storage facility is close enough to your home to make it easy to retrieve items when you need them. Check the opening times too – do you need access 24/7 or are you happy with normal business hours only?

Contract

When signing a contract for a service, reading the terms and conditions could save you money and heartache. Ask if there is a minimum contract time period – for example, are you required to rent the unit for a minimum of a month or three months? Some storage facilities may enable you to rent by the week.

Be careful when signing up to offers – the first month may be half price but perhaps this is only if you rent the unit for two months. Ask too if there is a fee if you want to end the contract early. A common tripwire in service contracts is notice periods – find out what notice period you are required to give if you want to cancel the contract.

Be sure to check what will happen if there is a missed payment or you don’t renew your contract at the end of the term too. If a direct debit or scheduled card payment is rejected, find out what action the facility provider will take.

Insurance

All items being placed in storage should be fully insured, the CCPC advises. Don’t take it for granted that the items are covered by your house insurance policy, says Deirdre McCarthy of insuremyhouse.ie. “On a house insurance policy there is cover for contents temporarily removed, but all insurers exclude storage facilities. There is no cover under your house policy for your contents when in a storage facility,” she says.

Some storage facilities will offer insurance for an additional cost. “The storage facility would have insurance on the units, but limits could be small and you would need to read through the terms and conditions of the contract with the storage facility,” advises McCarthy.

The worst can and has happened. In 2015, a major fire at the Store It self-storage facility in Ballymount near Dublin’s M50 wiped out the belongings of many householders. One customer of the facility was a returning emigrant who had just shipped the entire contents of his San Francisco home to Ireland and was storing it there while house hunting. Another family in the process of moving house had stored their entire belongings in a unit. Furniture, paintings, kitchen contents, decades of books, records and photographs were all lost in the fire. While items were insured, the limit on the policy was a fraction of their value. Items of sentimental value of course were irreplaceable.

Storage unit users can also purchase insurance separately themselves. The facility provider may ask you to bring details of the insurance policy with you when you are signing the contract.

How to store

Items should be stored in good-quality boxes and many storage facilities offer these for sale. Put some thought into how you pack too. “I see it time and time again, where people put boxes with cushions on the very bottom and boxes with heavy books on top of them and it should be the opposite. Put heavy items at the bottom,” says Hefferon.

Packing carefully will also help you fit the most in, potentially saving you from having to rent another unit. While they come at a cost, removal companies are skilled at packing and stacking a room in a professional way so that everything is protected while also maximising space. “They do it a bit like a 3D jigsaw, they can use every last cubic foot of space. Your cost of storage will be reduced, but obviously there is the increased cost of the removal company, but I think it’s a good investment,” says Hefferon.

Make a plan before you store, advises Elephant storage. Big items go into your room first as they take up most of the space. Use the height of the storeroom as much as possible, then your small items can fit on the large items and between gaps.

Taking time to pack the storage unit in an organised way will mean fewer headaches in the long run. Pots and pans, extra glassware, the good silver or other items you may need to access should be kept to the front of the unit. “It happens all the time, someone’s passport is in one of the boxes and they are going on holiday and there is a panic,” says Hefferon. “Label the box and leave it accessible.”