Have you ever looked at your home or business and thought I need more space? There are several reasons why you may want to move your belongings into self storage; from a new addition to the family, to an older family member moving in, to home renovations, and more.
Regardless of the reason as to why you need more storage space, keeping self storage prices as low as possible will be at the forefront of your mind. Whilst the average storage unit cost is very reasonable, it is always good to make sure that you have done everything you can to rent the most suitable self storage for your needs.
Step 1 – Organise your belongings and your current storage space
The first step towards finding more space, is to organise your belongings and the room you have available. Does your loft, attic, or under stairs cupboard, have items in it that you haven’t used in a decade? Have you got a piece of a furniture on its last legs that is no longer fit for purpose?
Sort out and rearrange the items that you want to keep. You could either go full Marie Kondo, or settle for the traditional approach and sort your belongings into ‘to keep’ or ‘to dispose of’ groups. If you are very thorough at this stage you may be able to lower your storage unit cost considerably. Depending on the level of clutter you have around the home, aiming to get rid of at least 50% is usually a good starting point.
Step 2 – Considering selling what you don’t need
If you have items that you no longer need or want but that have some antique or usable value then you may want to consider selling them. Approaching auction houses and antique or collectors shops are ideal for items of value. If the item has usable value then local social media ‘sell and seek’ groups are an excellent way to get rid of items that others may need.
Step 3 –Donate unwanted items that are in good condition
If the items that you wish to dispose of are in good condition, you may want to consider donating them to charity rather than selling them. Many charity shops now do pick ups for large pieces of furniture. Whilst smaller items can often be donated directly in store.
You may also want to check whether you have a family member or friend that could use any of your items. As well as lowering your own self storage prices you could be helping others and the environment by giving your items away.
Step 4 – Size up the storage space you need
Once you have organised your items given away or sold the items you no longer want you will have a better idea of the size of the storage unit you need and therefore, the associated storage unit cost.
This is your opportunity to have one good last look over the items you are considering for self storage before securing your unit.
Step 5 – Could you share storage space?
Another way to keep your self storage prices low is to rent a unit with family or friends and share the space to share the costs. If your family member or friends follows steps 1-4 above you can get together to assess the size of the unit you need and how you will split the costs.
Chelsea Self Storage
Chelsea Self Storage we have 30 years experience in providing the ideal storage solutions for businesses. We understand the optimal storage methods for archived documents and records and can help you calculate the right size of unit you’ll need to maximise your budget. With some of the lowest competitive rates in the capital, we’re convinced that we can offer a file management solution that’s just right for your business.
We are conveniently located near Kensington, a short walk from the Kings Road in Fulham, and have satisfied clients right across London who can testify to our capability and customer service.
If you need to reclaim valuable office storage space then contact us today and we’ll be happy to help you archive your records safely and securely.
