The Top Five Reasons to Rent
a Self-Storage Unit

The U.S. has seen a boom in self-storage in the last 10 years. The reason is simple supply and demand. As people’s life situations change, their need to either temporarily or permanently store their belongings is becoming greater and greater. Below, we list the top five reasons Americans are renting more storage units than ever.

 

Downsizingmoving-truck

Whether it’s kids going off to college, or life events such as job loss taking place, people are downsizing from their big homes into smaller spaces. With this comes the decision of what to do with all the stuff that won’t fit into the reduced square feet of a townhouse, condo, or apartment. While some decide to part with their extra belongings through garage sales or donating them to charity, others are deciding to keep at least a portion of their possessions in storage lockers. This gives them the option of eventually pulling these items out of storage when moving back into a larger home or the choice of giving the items to family members when the time is right.

 

The Vagabond Lifestyle

People are traveling more in the U.S. these days. Whether it be for work or pleasure, it’s the new normal to spend more time away from the house. The Global Business Travel Association reports that 488 million business trips are taken each year in the U.S.  Rather than leave important items in an unoccupied home for long periods of time, people are opting to store them in storage facilities. This gives them the security they need and the easy access they want.

 

Seasonal Storage Needs

As decorating for every holiday becomes a bigger and bigger trend, so do the extreme amounts of decorations that have to live somewhere when not beautifying the house. Increasingly, people are opting to rent storage units to house these extra items. The same holds true for lawn and garden items such as patio furniture, fire pits, umbrellas, outdoor bars, and the like. To extend the life of these, putting them in a climate-controlled storage unit keeps them at a regulated temperature.

 

wooden_toy_collectionCollectors

We’re a country of collectors. In fact, to a certain extent, we’re all collectors of something, whether it be photographs, tickets to ballgames, kids’ artwork, or the more serious collector that collect stamps, baseball cards, books, or a million other things. Some people collect these items for fun, whether it be to relive nostalgic memories, or because they are a fan. Others collect as a way of growing their social lives through going to swap meets and garage sales to engage with similar-minded people. But all this collecting comes at the cost of lost room in the home, garage, attic, or basement. That’s when collectors head towards a storage facility. Melissa Rodgers at West Coast Self-Storage in Lake Oswego, Oregon says that several of his clients are huge collectors. Melissa mentioned that one of their clients has rented five 10×15 storage units, all filled with collections of items.

 

Making Roomempty room with balcony overlooking ocean

There is only so much stuff that can fit in a home before it starts to feel cramped and cluttered.  In the process of cleaning, there may be items that you just don’t feel like getting rid of, but don’t have the space to keep in your home. A storage unit can be a good alternative to throwing items out. This way you have a cleaner, more presentable home while having the option to visit your valuables when you want to.

In short, storage units solve a lot of today’s space issues that people have. Rather than having to part with their valuables and memorabilia, they can keep these items safe and secure for short or long periods of time, while creating the extra space they need in their homes.

About the Author: Derek Hines

About the Author: Derek Hines

Digital Marketing Specialist

Derek is originally from the great state of Wisconsin (go Badgers), but is slowly becoming a Pacific Northwesterner. As part of the Digital Marketing team, he writes extensively on storage, moving and life for West Coast Self-Storage, based in Everett, Washington.