What’s In Store? The Most Commonly Stored Items in Self Storage
Did you know that the average household has 300,000 items? This mindblowing stat comes from the LA Times and it refers to American households, but take a look around you at everything from the smallest hair clip to your double-door fridge and you’ll realise that, like our American cousins, we have a lot of stuff too.
Maybe a bit too much for the spaces we live in – so it makes sense that we’d use Self Storage to take some of the overflow to help create sense and order in our lives. Self Storage use this side of the pond is on the rise with 125,000 square metres of self storage in Ireland, according to the Irish Self Storage Association.
So that’s 125,000 sq metres of … what exactly?
Let’s take a look at some of the most common items to be found in self storage.
Seasonal Decorations
We’ve come a long way from the days of a simple cardboard box of baubles and a string of tinsel. Christmas decorations now range from multiple artificial trees with all the trimmings, and elaborate sets of outdoor and indoor lights, to inflatable reindeer, giant Santas, Christmas villages and life-size gnomes.
And our love of seasonal decor doesn’t just manifest in December – what about that scary clown and hanging witch from Halloween? Those colourful eggs and life-sized Easter Bunny? Decorating is fun! And where better to keep these lovely, joyful things than in a self storage unit?! They’re easily accessible when required, and – even better – kept out of harm’s way and in great nick for use year after year. And best of all, they’re not using up valuable storage space at home. It’s true what they say – that everything has a season. Better if everything has its own space too when that season has passed for another year!
See how self storage can help that festive feeling here Keeping Christmas: Elf-Storage … sorry … Self-Storage for Christmas Decorations
Collectibles and Antiques
A collection can span an entire lifetime of dedication and it can be a thing of real beauty – and value. Whether it’s toy cars, stamps, football cards, figurines – whatever weird and wonderful thing people are passionate about, they want to keep it safe from those enemies like theft, loss, fire, flooding – danger! Danger everywhere!
Some collections might even be more personal – family heirlooms and keepsakes like granny’s wedding dress, the christening robe that the family has used for every baby since 1901, or maybe little toys, and clothes that your own babies wore that you can’t part with.
Alternatively, it might be more valuable – artworks, for example; or antiques – they won’t necessarily go on display at home for any number of reasons, including space and taste, but collectors do cherish them and want to keep them safe.
A self storage unit is the perfect haven for these items of sentimental and/or monetary value. Safely monitored against all those threats that can ruin valuables, collectors can rest easy knowing that their investment of time, care and money is safe. It’s for items like these that temperature-controlled storage comes into its own, keeping delicate items in perfectly temperate conditions to ensure their long life and full enjoyment.
Read more about using self storage to better pursue your passions here Pursuing your Passions with Self Storage: Collectibles – from Stamps to Supercars
Furniture and Appliances
Renting a self storage long- or short-term to store these larger items really makes sense. Self storage is a great way to hang on to that dining table that doesn’t cut the mustard from a home decor point of view anymore, but really comes in handy for parties and big gatherings. Or unused pieces like sofas, chairs and beds that could be needed in the future – like when one of the kids moves out into their own place; or to which you’ve got a sentimental attachment – I mean it’s a moth-eaten, flea bitten chair – but you sat in it when your county won the All Ireland – how could you part with that?!
Similarly, appliances will happily hang out in a self storage unit, and out of the way until, say, the refurbishment is complete, or until they’re sold on. Maybe you’ve downsized, maybe you’re in a temporary living arrangement until you find your own place – there’s lots of times that you simply can’t use your own stuff but renting a self storage unit – at surprisingly affordable prices – can make sure its safe and sound until you’re ready to flick the switch again.
See how to optimise your unit with our top packing tips here The Art of Packing: Making the Most of your Storage Unit Space
Physical Media
We live in a virtual world but over time most of us have amassed collections of books, cd’s, records and photographs that we have a deeply personal relationship with, and which we treasure hugely. They do take up a lot of space, however. There’s not much point keeping a display of 500 CD’s that you haven’t touched in 20 years in your living room, or the 8-track collection gathering dust in your bedroom when that space is needed to, well, live. And while books and photographs can have deep memories and emotional attachment, you just may not have the space to have them all on display or on shelves at home, or you might be downsizing your life overall.
Never fear – there’s no need to part with these precious items when you can safely store them in your Self Storage unit and visit – and enjoy them – as often as you wish.
See some upsides to downsizing here Downsize Upsides: How Self Storage Can Make It Easier
Small Business Needs
More and more people are starting businesses of their own – and every budding entrepreneur eventually needs space. It could be for stock, tools and equipment or paperwork – whatever it is, in a lot of cases, self storage can be the solution when office or workspace rental and overheads are through the roof.
Online sellers, in particular, can really reap the benefits of affordable self storage as a place to keep stock safe with 24-hour CCTV monitoring, access for as many or as few staff as you wish, and space galore of any size to keep those items that are going to make your fortune.
Tradespeople, too, can benefit from using a unit as a base to store the tools of their trade, no matter how big or small.
Read more about how self-storage can benefit your home run business here Business Storage Solutions: How Self Storage Can Benefit Your SME
Honourable Mentions
While these are our Top 5 stored items, we have to give honourable mentions to
Clothes – clothes you’re not wearing for seasonal or size reasons really take up a lot of room and it can be very frustrating when your bed is a foot off the ground because everything’s stowed underneath, or you can’t shut the wardrobe door. A good clear out can be very liberating, and stashing what you don’t need right now in your self storage unit can free up your drawers – and your mind!
Toys – Safely store what your kids don’t play with anymore, or have outgrown, in your unit. Try rotating their toy selection – when they’ve grown tired of the Lego or board games at home, swap them out for some old friends they haven’t seen in a while and rejuvenate their interests. Self storage is a great way to reduce clutter in your home. Or maybe even learn how to embrace the minimalist life: Making Less of Life: the Calm of a Minimalist Lifestyle, and How Self-Storage Can Help Achieve It
Baby Stuff – The cot, the babygros, the Moses Basket, the buggy – if you’re planning on expanding the family – but not just yet, or waiting for the littler ones to grow a bit – a self storage unit puts all of those cumbersome, but vital items, safely out of the way until you’re ready for the next one. And the next …
Learn more about how self storage can help you as your family grows Modern Family – Self Storage As Your Kids Grow
Hobby Equipment – musical instruments, sporting equipment, train sets, hiking gear – we all have our interests and passions and with them comes gear. Whether we don’t need that gear in constant use, or we’re saving something for when our interest, or someone else’s, is sparked, a self storage unit is a great way to keep everything out of sight and in-or-out of mind, whatever mood you’re in! Learn more here Tackling Storage for Seasonal Sports Equipment
Unlock the freedom of extra space. Get in touch with Storage World today or get a quote online.
