Ever wondered about why there are new storage facilities popping up all over the place? Clearly there’s a high demand for storage units, but you might be wondering why people use them other than when they are moving house. The reality is, there are many reasons why people might need to use some storage space. And even if you won’t be needing a storage unit yourself anytime soon, chances are you might need one in the future.

Here are some of the top reasons why people need storage space:

Moving house

The most obvious reason people need storage space, and the one most people will be familiar with, is when you are moving house. Sometimes there’s a couple of weeks or months in between moving out of one house and into another so all the furniture and clothing needs to go somewhere safe and secure in the meantime. A storage unit is the best solution for this problem and is the most popular reason people hire storage units both for short term and long term.

Even when people are moving straight from one house to another they might still need to use a storage service. For example, when moving in with a partner, there’s often excess furniture that needs to be sold or stored. Sometimes combining two houses worth of items turns out to be more difficult and emotional than expected and people choose to store excess items until they decide if they need to keep them or sell them.

Decluttering or downsizing

Sometimes people use storage units when they are downsizing their homes. If you’re moving from a large house into a smaller one, chances are you won’t be able to fit all of your existing furniture and items into your new place. Downsizing is not always done by choice so putting larger or excess items into storage gives you some time to settle into your new place and decide what you want to do with the excess items in the long term without having to make all of the decisions straight away. If you’re only downsizing temporarily it’s a good idea to keep your items for when you move again anyway.

Decluttering your home is a lengthy task and some people choose to use storage units to help with this process, keeping items in storage while it’s being sorted out. Some people choose to keep seasonal clothing in storage indefinitely to free up some space in their wardrobe and cupboard. Especially if you live in a warmer climate, it can be helpful to store jumpers, overcoats and blankets in a storage unit rather than having them take up space in your house all year long.

Storing sentimental or personal items rather than getting rid of them due to lack of space is also an important reason people choose to use storage units. If it’s an item you only use very occasionally, it doesn’t matter if it’s not stored at your house.

Going overseas

If you’re going overseas for an extended amount of time you might want to put your furniture into storage until you come back again. This can be an easier and more convenient option than trying to sell everything before you go and then buying new furniture again when you get back.

Sometimes people choose to rent out their Australian home while they are overseas and use storage units to keep their furniture and valuables safe until they return. Even if you rent out your place with the furniture provided you might still want to keep some sentimental or valuable items safe while you’re away.

Storing a loved one’s items

The death of a loved one is a sad time. Clearing out their house is an important but overwhelming step in the process. Rather than making emotional decisions so soon after death, some people choose to store personal items for a while before having to decide what to do with them.

Families sometimes choose to keep sentimental items such as furniture or vases and glassware for future generations to enjoy, keeping them safely in storage until they are needed.

Keeping large or bulky items

Storage units are sometimes used to store large or bulky items people don’t want to store in their homes or garages. This can include surfboards, boats, bedding, wine and sports gear. When you only need to access items occasionally it can make sense to store them in a different location, freeing up space in your home for items you use every day.

Do you need storage for any of these listed reasons, or for something else entirely? Hire Storage offer modern facilities with 24/7 CCTV, on-site security personnel and alarms so you can rest assured your belongings are safe and secure. Our facilities are conveniently located centrally in each capital city. You can access your items anytime between Monday to Saturday from 7 am to 5 pm by only providing us with 24 hours’ notice. Our rates start from a low $160 per module per month. we offer secure 10 cubic metre storage modules and also have storage options available for oversized items so you only pay for the storage you use.

For more information on how we can help you with your storage needs, call us today on 1300 358 700 or request a quote via our website.