Moving house is universally recognised as one of life’s most demanding events and using temporary storage units can help ease stress. Between managing contracts, finalising legal work, and trying to sort your life into cardboard boxes, the pressure can feel overwhelming. Increasingly, savvy movers across the country are turning to temporary storage units as their secret weapon. Whether you need to declutter to sell, bridge a gap between moving dates, or need breathing room to renovate your new home, a secure storage container gives you the flexibility to move at your own pace. While many moves only require storage for a short period, it is worth planning ahead, as many storage providers, including ourselves, have a minimum rental period of three months.
The Pre-Move: 8 to 12 Weeks Before
The most successful moves are those that spread the effort over time, so start early by treating your current home as a pre-storage zone. Before you even reach for the packing tape, your first critical task is to declutter ruthlessly. Sort your belongings into four distinct categories: keep, sell, donate, and recycle. It is vital to be brutally honest with yourself. If you haven’t used an item in over a year, do you really want to pay to move it, store it, and then unpack it again?
Once you have slimmed down your possessions, identify your “storage first” items. This involves creating a list of bulky, non-essential belongings that can be moved into storage weeks before your actual moving day. Perfect candidates for early storage include spare furniture like guest beds or side tables, seasonal items such as Christmas decorations or winter and summer wardrobes, non-essential kitchenware, books, and garden tools if your new home won’t immediately have a shed available.
This early phase is also the time to finalise your logistics. Research the necessary unit size, keeping in mind that movers frequently underestimate the space required, forgetting how much can be achieved by stacking safely. We offer a variety of sizes nationally. For general guidance, a 75 sq ft unit holds a Luton van load, typical for a 2 bedroom home, while a 20ft shipping container (160 to 200 sq ft) typically accommodates the contents of a 3 to 4 bedroom home. Finally, establish a comprehensive move budget, estimating costs for removal companies, van hire, packing supplies, and your temporary storage unit rental fee.
Packing for Storage: 4 to 6 Weeks Before – Hire Temporary Storage Units
Packing for temporary storage units is slightly different from packing for a direct move, as your focus must be on long term protection and accessibility. Gather high quality supplies first. Do not skimp on boxes. New, sturdy corrugated cardboard boxes stack safely and are less likely to collapse under weight than used grocery store boxes. You will also require heavy duty packing tape, bubble wrap, and furniture dust covers.
When choosing containers, remember that cardboard is breathable. For items stored for three months or more, cardboard prevents moisture from becoming trapped, which significantly reduces the risk of mould or mildew compared with plastic bins.
When filling boxes, ensure you pack them to the very top. A partially filled box can easily be crushed when stacked. Disassemble any furniture possible, such as bed frames, tables, and large wardrobes, which will save significant vertical space in your unit. Be sure to keep all screws and fittings in a clear, labelled bag taped securely to the relevant piece of furniture.
Labelling is critical when it comes to loading up your temporary storage units. Mark two sides of every box with the intended room and a quick summary of the contents, and clearly mark fragile items on all sides. For soft furnishings like clothes and bedding, vacuum packing is excellent, while mattresses and sofas should be protected with proper covers.
Organising the Unit: The Final Week and Moving Day
The way you load your unit dictates how easy it will be to empty it later. Approach it with the mind of a warehouse logistics manager, not a garden shed packer. In the final week, confirm your inventory, ensuring you have a simple list of everything going into the temporary storage units, and take photographs of particularly valuable pieces for insurance purposes.
Also, separate an “essentials box” containing everything you need for the first 24 hours in your new home, including medication, chargers, a kettle, and toiletries. Keep this with you personally, not in the unit or removal van.
On moving day, if you have planned your storage carefully, you will have more time and less stress. Try to move non-essential items in the weeks before the main move, which significantly lightens the workload on the official moving day.
When loading the unit, always place heavy items forming the base layer at the very back of the container, stacking similar sized boxes together safely. Utilise your vertical space by storing protected furniture, such as sofas, on their end.
Crucially, do not pack the unit solid. Create a centre aisle so you can access the back without unloading everything, and place any items you might need sooner closest to the doors. Once loaded, always take a photo of your organised layout for future reference.
All information correct at the time of publishing on 5th August 2026.
