What Size of Storage Unit Do You Need: Storage Unit Size Guide
Table of Contents
- 1. What Are the Common Storage Unit Sizes?
- 2. How to Choose the Size of Storage Space You Need?
- 3. What Size Unit Do I Need Depending on the Number of Rooms?
- 4. How to Pack Your Storage Unit Properly?
- 5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Storage units are essential for all long-distance (and in some cases, even short-distance) movers. They provide a secure, lasting space for your belongings so that you can take care of the move and not have to worry about anything getting lost or misplaced.
Nonetheless, choosing the right storage size unit can be a hassle. The moment you are in it, with all the bags and belongings, there is pretty much no way back – that is why all evaluations must be drawn carefully beforehand. SEKA Moving is here to inform you of applicable skills and knowledge.
The quality of the storage space of your choice will depend on the incorporation of multiple factors. How many bags are you carrying with you? Do you only need to pack the items in the living room, or are you relocating large vehicles that will need plenty more space to be stored? Let’s dive into this!
What Are the Common Storage Unit Sizes?
There are different types of unit sizes, and they can vary drastically depending on the substance and quantity of your belongings. As far as unit sizes exist in endless variations beyond the graph we provide here, we will discuss the most common examples: of small, medium, and large units.
Small Units
5 x 5. This is the smallest type of common storage unit, measuring to be approximately the same as the smallest walk-in closets you’ve probably seen in apartments. It’s suitable for holding about 8 boxes in total, lamps, and/or a tall piece of furniture.
5 x 10. Right next to it is a 5 x 10 unit, which is about the size of a regular-sized walk-in closet. It could fit about 10-15 boxes. If you don’t have much stuff to leave behind but are still not sure if you’d be able to fit it all in a tiny walk-in closet, choose a 5 x 10.
Medium Units
10 x 10. The smaller of medium units equal up to the size of a regular one-bedroom (or a large studio), and holds 750 sq. ft. residence.
10 x 15. Slightly bigger than the previous, a 10 x 15 is comparable to two bedrooms and holds an average of 1000 sq. ft. residence. This unit is enough to store most large house furniture.
Larger Units
10 x 20. Sized around 2-3 bedrooms and measuring 1,500 sq. ft. residence, this unit can even hold some smaller vehicles such as regular cars.
10 x 30. Comparable in size to a commercial trailer. Enough to store the items of a two-three bedroom home, as well as a standard vehicle or even a small-sized boat.
How to Choose the Size of Storage Space You Need?
1. Determine How Many Items You Need to Store.
First thing first: you will need to know how many items you will be storing. This can already provide you with some initial hints on your future pick. Count everything up and sketch in your head. Do not worry about preciseness at this point yet, as you will be making calculations later. These first steps are simply for you, to help you evaluate the primary function of your future storage unit.
2. Make a Checklist of All the Items to Be Stored.
In order to keep track of your belongings, you may find it easier to make a checklist of every single item you’re carrying along. This will bring you much-needed relief later, once you have to identify every item during unpacking.
SEKA Moving suggests thinking of how you will memorize your belongings best. It isn’t necessary to have a scripture-lengthy list of every item lumped together. Some may even find such a method unproductive. You can categorize your belongings, dividing them into groups of items (kitchen utensils, artwork, etc), and make small lists. Sketching small maps of where everything is located, or taking pictures of all your stuff are also great ideas to keep track.
3. Determine the Size of Your Items for Storage in Square Feet and Cubic Feet.
Even if math wasn’t your favorite subject in school, do not stress! We are here to assist you with a couple of simple formulas – but feel free to grab a calculator for efficiency, if needed.
There are two methods you could apply, which are either measuring all your belongings individually or positioning them next to each other and finding out their size altogether.
Square feet (sq. ft.): You will measure the length and width of your belongings and multiply the length by the width. For example, for a 5 x 5 feet stock of belongings, you will choose the storage unit with 25 square feet. A 5 x 10, however, would require a more sizable choice of at least 50 sq. ft.
Cubic feet (cu. ft.): Now let’s carry on to the next step – the size of your items in cubic feet. You will multiply the length, width, and height of your belongings altogether. For instance, if you’re left with a 5 x 5 x 5 formula, your requisite choice would be at least 75 cubic feet of storage.
4. Identify the Largest Items.
Your next step would be identifying the largest items on your list. Is it something as sizeable as a small boat, or remotely medium as a common bedroom wardrobe? Do you only need to relocate the contents of a children’s room, and the heaviest thing you’re carrying along are parts of a disassembled bed?
Whatever the case scenario, use these answers as your key towards identifying the size of the storage you will need. Do not risk fitting everything in chaotically, if you are doubting a size unit. If you find yourself fluctuating between two sizes, choose the larger one.
5. Choose Your Packing Materials.
At this point, you will be choosing the packing materials for your items. These can include, although are not limited to: card boards, boxes, plastic containers, bubble wrap, and so on.
If you are including any vehicles on your list of items, make sure to think about them as well. For example, if you are storing a car, you may need a stand to transport it into the storage unit.
6. Choose the Size of the Storage Unit: Small, Medium, or Large.
Time to choose which size storage unit would accommodate the needs of your moving experience best. Take into consideration every factor which you have evaluated: accessibility, research, your largest possessions being stored, the overall number of items, etc.
You can use the size guide reference, which we have described a few paragraphs before. If you have any friends or acquaintances who have used storage units before, talk to them about the items they carried along and the size unit they have chosen.
7. Research Specific Measurements.
It’s highly recommended to call your storage unit and check up on specific measurements. Consider all your conclusions, and ask about the largest items the unit typically stores. Carefully these particular measurements, so that you don’t end up choosing a unit with too much leftover space, yet also aren’t left with anything on your hands.
8. Visit a Storage Facility Before Reserving.
In case you are worried about reserving yourself a place immediately, SEKA Moving reassures you that you have no reason to rush. Instead, pay your storage facility an extra visit and evaluate it beforehand. Check for quality and reliability, read reviews and comments, and make sure you’re comfortable with the traveling distance. You can even discover multiple storage facilities in your area and choose the one most suitable for you.
What Size Unit Do I Need Depending on the Number of Rooms
Another efficient way to analyze and conclude the optimal size unit for you is to consider the number of rooms you are packing. Assuming you are not leaving much, if anything, behind in your old home, it becomes easier to calculate all the belongings which currently fill up your rooms. This can bring you further insight and direct you towards the most satisfying choice.
- For a 1-Bedroom Apartment. If you’re calculating by the number of rooms, check for storage unit size descriptions. A 1-bedroom apartment would be most suitable for a 10 x 10, for instance.
- For a 2-Bedroom Apartment. A 2-bedroom apartment is probably not as complex to classify for a larger-sized unit, but it indeed requires plenty more space. If you’re moving your two-bedroom belongings, go a size up from the previous option – hence 10 x 15.
- For a 3-Bedroom House. Moving from a house pretty much automatically guarantees you will be dealing with a unit from the larger category. We recommend choosing a 10 x 20 unit to store all your 3-bedroom items.
- For a 4-Bedroom House. Finally, for a 4+ bedroom house, you would need a 10 x 30 – and possibly even bigger, depending on your belongings and, if there are any, vehicles.
How to Pack Your Storage Unit Properly?
By this point, you are either completing the steps as you read, or educating yourself ahead of time. In either case, let’s skip ahead to the relief of soaking in: the hardest step is now done, and you may shake the heavy weight off your back.
Yet now you still have to pack the storage unit, which is a big step in itself. We generously offer a few guidelines which can provide you with valuable solutions.
1. Pack Your Belongings in Sturdy Boxes or Plastic Storage Containers.
As a storage unit customer, your likely main concern is to guarantee that all your belongings are sealed securely, and stored safely. The best vessels for packing your items would be either sturdy cardboard boxes or plastic containers. The material of both these choices is, in the vast majority of cases, durable and reliable.
Both options have their advantages and disadvantages, so it’s really up to preference. For instance, cardboard boxes are easily accessible, as well as a financially smart pick. Plastic containers, nonetheless, may come in clear variations, allowing you to always see the contents prior to unpacking.
2. Group the Boxes by Weight and Fragility.
Next, you are going to categorize every box by its weight, as well as determine how fragile the contents are. It is best to group items together and label the boxes, so you know where your most fragile items are located.
Remember that larger, heavier boxes must always go on the bottom. Small and fragile containers must be placed carefully on top of the heavier, to avoid being damaged or crushed. This also applies to any containers with rare or sentimental items which behold special value to you, if you have nonetheless risked keeping these in a storage unit.
3. Do Not Put More Than Four Boxes in One Tower.
When evaluating the efficiency of space, you may consider filling the unit upwards more than spread out wide, to save yourself space. Actually, this is not a solution, but a common mistake. As tempting as it is to fill the space vertically, it can be equally misleading!
Avoid making towers that are too tall, for they don’t make for a very reliable base and increase the risk of tipping over. Four boxes in one tower are enough. It’s best to leave with solid, sturdy box stands which aren’t Eiffel Tower high, rather than outdo yourself and later uncover that a huge mess has originated in place of your carefully assembled towers.
4. Plan Your Unpacking in Advance.
Just like you have taken many little steps to strategize your packing, We encourage you to think of how you’re going to accomplish the reverse. In a while, you will save yourself time by planning ahead your unpacking.
Ask yourself the questions that will most likely matter first at the new apartment. Where do I begin, what are the essentials? What do I reassemble within the next couple of weeks? Which items will require almost immediate access – and which do I not need to worry about so much?
For example, you listed the items you’ll need most urgently: bedroom or kitchen supplies, gifts for your friends, etc. Pack them into a box or container which will go on top of box towers, so that you won’t have to reconstruct a tower later searching for an item so out of reach.
At this point, you are probably optimistic about the storage size you’re choosing – and we congratulate you! It is also okay if you aren’t – you can always catch up later. SEKA Moving is only grateful to make your move an easier experience, thanks to these tips and recommendations.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What Size Storage Unit Do I Need for a Car?
Cars are among the most popular moving possessions – no wonder you likely have plenty of questions about their storage. In most cases, a 10×15 ft. unit would be territorially enough to store a regular, small vehicle, yet please take into consideration the fact that you have to leave space for your other possessions.
SEKA Moving recommends choosing a 10 x 20 to fit your car successfully. There are some car models which may require an even larger space, depending on their length and width. It would be wise to consider its precise measurements before choosing a storage space.
How Much Does a Storage Unit Cost?
The cost of a storage unit can be very different, depending on its quality, company, size, location and other factors. It is estimated that the median average in the United States varies from $110 to $180. However, in total, prices of storage units can range anywhere from $70 to $300. SEKA Moving advises you to choose wisely, at your own discretion and judgment.
What Can I Fit in a 10×10 Storage Unit?
A 10 x 10, measuring 100 square feet, is among the most common, standard unit sizes. It is typically used to fit the contents of a bedroom or kitchen, without including any extra belongings such as vehicles, but enough to store plenty of small and average possessions.
You can easily fit two queen-sized mattresses or one king-sized mattress, as well as dressers, lamps and shelves. If, for instance, you need to store the contents of a kitchen, you can store your chairs, fridge, microwaves, coffee machines, kitchen utensils and so on.
How Tall Is a Storage Unit?
An average storage unit tends to be 8 feet tall, although some select facilities provide 10 feet units to accommodate unusual items such as large vehicles with tall equipment. Larger cities, however, will often have locker sized units with reduced height (less than 8 feet).
