How to Estimate the Storage Unit Size You Need

Published on 2/7/2022
RSS

How to Estimate the Storage Unit Size You Need



What better way to get more space in your home than renting storage? You can get most of the items out of the way without getting rid of them completely. Storage units have become popular in big cities where people generally live in smaller homes. You can store anything you don’t use daily and be sure it’s safe and ready for the next time you need it. However, if you’re not careful enough, you can end up paying more money than necessary or getting a unit that’s too small for your needs. So, how do you get it right? Here’s how to estimate the storage unit size you need.

Know your inventory

To find a storage unit of just the right size, you need to know what you want to put in it. However, you should declutter your items first. This will ensure you don’t waste money on bigger storage just because of unnecessary clutter. Go through your items and recycle, donate or throw away the things you haven’t used for a long time. This will give you a clear idea of what you will put inside the unit and make it easier to estimate the storage unit size you need.

Know what you want to store so that you can estimate the storage unit size you need.


Revise your storage situation at home

This is a great moment to declutter your home too. Once you know how much space you have left, you’ll get the idea of how much space you need in your storage unit. Go over your household in sections – room by room - and make sure you get rid of everything that’s eating up your space. Also, review your house’s storage capacity. Maybe there’s a part of it you haven’t used wisely in terms of organization.

Bonus tip: If you need a storage unit because you’re moving, make this task your top priority. Choosing storage should be one of the main tasks on your moving timeline. Creating a relocation timeline will help you stay organized during the move, so make sure you make a schedule and stick to it.

Make an inventory list

Once you have removed everything that is eating up the space, you can make an inventory list. This list should contain all the items you’ll put in the storage unit. It’s best to classify your things. Sort your items into three categories – big, medium, and small. This will help you estimate how much space you need and see if you need to use additional shelves or containers to maximize the space in your unit. Also, check which items from the list need to be placed on the ground and what items you can hang or put on shelves. If you are well prepared, you’ll pack your stuff much faster and leave it organized and accessible for the next time you visit.

Measure

Taking measurements can take away more or less of your time, depending on how many items you have. Either way, this is necessary to estimate the storage unit size you need. You can place all things in one pile and make rough measurements of the pile or measure your items one by one. Some online calculators can help you get approximate measures of common household items.

Take measurements to know how much space you actually need.

Know your options

You need to know your options if you want to pick a suitable unit. Storage units usually come in three sizes - small, medium, and large. They all have special characteristics and pricing, so be sure to get more details from the storage facility representative. Here’s some general info on storage units:

·       Small units usually come in 5x5 or 5x10, which is about 25 square feet, up to 50 square feet. These are useful if you plan to store items from only one room, some seasonal/hobby items, etc.

·       Medium-sized units usually have 75-100 square feet. They can fit belongings from a smaller household, up to three rooms.

·       Large units offer around 200 to 300 square feet. These are pretty big, so they can fit a large household of about four to six rooms.

You should also check the height of your unit in case you plan to store some tall items. In general, most units are about eight feet tall. If that’s relevant information for you, make sure you double-check it before you sign anything.

Research your options to make sure you get the best deal and the unit that will fit everything you need.

 

Pick the unit according to your needs

After gathering all the necessary information, it’s time to narrow down your options and choose the most suitable unit. Decide whether you need a unit that’s small to medium or medium to big. If two units are slightly different in size, we recommend taking the bigger one. These are usually more cost-efficient. A bit more storage space can always come in handy.

As you can see, there are a couple of steps to help you estimate the storage unit size you need. Once you do that, you will be sure that you have the necessary space without wasting money.