Self storage has become a convenient and accessible solution for many people needing to store items for short or long periods of time. If you have a selection of possessions or items that you do not want to get rid of but still need access to at some point, then self storage makes perfect sense.

With many independent self storage companies and larger chains covering the country, self storage has become an accessible solution for people who need somewhere to put something for a period of time, whether it’s a few months or a few years.

Below, we take a look at why self storage has become so popular over the past few years.

Price – Due to competition and availability, the price of self storage has dropped quite a bit over the past few years, which has increased the popularity and reach of self storage. Many companies now offer decent discounts for long term storage, which allows people who do wish to store their goods on a more long term basis more opportunities than ever before.

Location – As we mention in our availability point below, there are now far more self storage centres compared to many years ago, which means you are now quite likely to be within easy reach of one, especially if you live in a built up area or city. Even if you live in rural areas, more and more self storage centres are being built to make sure that they are able to cope with the increasing demand.

Availability – Thanks to the increase in the number of self storage centres and also the availability of more land, there tends to be far more availability of self storage than ever before. Going back a few years, you would had to have driven some distance to find a convenient storage location, but now you should have a good choice of units within a 20 mile drive at least.

Sizes – Thanks to the bigger units, self storage has now become a perfect solution for goods and possessions of all sizes, which means that you can store a whole household of items if you really needed to. Many self storage units also offer outdoor storage for things like caravans and mobile homes that can not fit onto the owners drive, so it can be worth asking about this should you be facing this problem.

Convenience – One of the main reasons that self storage has become so popular is because it is a convenient solution for many people who have things to store but do not want to get rid of them and simply do not have enough room at home. With self storage now more affordable than ever before and with more centres cropping up in nearby towns, self storage is fast becoming a convenient and accessible solution for people who need storage of any type or duration.

If you have driven by a self storage unit or centre and wonder “what do people put in there?”, well, you might be surprised! Self storage is used for everything from house possessions to caravans, from stock items to archive items. This storage solution is very flexible and is ideal for people needing short to long term storage facilities.

Self storage continues to be a growing and valuable solution for people and businesses who do not have enough space for their equipment, furniture, possessions or documents, with many needing a bit more space but lacking the capital to expand to the necessary requirements.

So, what else do people store in self storage units?

Many people often think that it self storage is only for personal use, when in fact thousands of businesses also regularly use self storage to store old documents (known as archive storage) and things like furniture or office equipment that they do not need at that moment in time but could well require one day in the future. Self storage can be a fantastic friend for small and medium businesses, who do not have the capital to expand into bigger premises but still find themselves with too many things for their current offices.

Document storage is a common use of self storage, because most businesses and self employed people have to keep many documents for a certain number of years, and if you are operating from home or a small office, putting these documents into self storage will save you space.

Some self storage units are big enough to allow for things like caravans and other small motor homes, which can be an ideal solution for people who want to own a caravan but lack the drive way or area to park it when they are not using it. For many people who live in the city, owning a caravan is a fantastic idea so that they can escape to the countryside or beyond, but they often do not have anywhere to park it which is where self storage can be the perfect solution.

When you are moving house, most notably to a smaller property, it can be quite common for people to store all of their possessions in self storage and then spend the time sorting out exactly what they want to keep and what they no longer need. If the property deal is quite rushed and you need to be gone quickly, it makes perfect sense to hire a self storage unit and keep your possessions safe and secure until you get time to deal with them.