Self storage is worth it when there’s a reason behind it. A move, a renovation or a flat with no room for the skis are all good reasons, and storage for them is money well spent. It’s less worth it when there’s no end in sight and it’s mostly a way of not deciding yet.
We look after other people’s belongings for a living, and we’d still rather you didn’t pay for something you don’t need. Here’s how to tell which side you’re on.
When Storage Is Worth It
Something’s Changing
Most storage starts with a life event:
- You’re moving and the dates don’t line up.
- The back bedroom has to be empty before the builders arrive.
- You’re moving in together, and there are two sofas and one living room.
- You’re heading abroad for a year and giving up the tenancy makes sense.
- Someone has passed away, and the house needs clearing before anyone’s ready to decide what to keep.
They all share the same shape. There’s a reason, there’s roughly a date, and the things are coming back. That’s the strongest case for storage there is.
There’s Simply No Room
The second case has no event and no end date, and that’s fine too.
In a London flat with no loft, garage or spare room, some belongings are in the way for most of the year. The skis, the camping gear, the Christmas decorations, the spare mattress for when family stay, the armchair you’re not ready to part with. None of it needs to be in the hallway in June. Storing it gives you back floor space you’re already paying a lot for.
When It Isn’t Worth It
Storage stops being good value when nobody knows when the things are coming back, or when anyone will next look at them.
It’s an easy pattern to fall into. Something goes in for a good reason, the reason passes, and the payments carry on because cancelling means sorting through it all. We all hang on to things. A British Heart Foundation survey found 84% of people have unused items at home that could be donated, and that we keep them for 17 months on average before letting go.
So ask yourself two questions. When is this coming back? And if you’re not sure, when will you next go through it? If neither has an answer, a clear-out may help more than storage. Our guide to decluttering and making space at home is a good place to start, and you can always store what’s left afterwards.
Working It Out for Yourself
Three questions settle most cases, and you won’t need a spreadsheet.
What would it cost to replace? Not what you paid, but what you’d pay now. A double mattress, a wardrobe, a chest of drawers, a sofa and fifteen boxes of household things soon adds up to four figures.
How long will you really need it? Go with the realistic answer, not the best case. A four month renovation is rarely four months.
What’s the alternative? Usually it’s a bigger place to keep everything in, or selling up now and buying again later.
Say you’re having a loft conversion in Ealing and the top floor has to be cleared for four months. Without storage, you’d sell or skip a bedroom’s worth of furniture and buy it again afterwards. Four months of storage is almost always the smaller number. That’s a clear yes.
Now take away the building work. You’d just like the spare room back, and you’d rather not decide what stays. The items and the cost are the same, but there’s nothing at the end of it. That’s a much weaker yes, and sometimes a no.
Our storage space calculator shows how much space your things would take, which makes the sums easier.
Storage or a Bigger Flat?
London homes are small. The median flat in England and Wales is 43 square metres, which the ONS describes as barely the size of four parking spaces, against 99 square metres for the median house.
So for many households the real choice is storage or a bigger home. An extra bedroom in London adds tens of thousands of pounds to a purchase, or a sizeable sum to the rent every month. Storing the handful of things that don’t fit almost always costs far less.
It comes down to how often you need the space. If you’d use that extra room every day, pay for the room. If what you’re short of is somewhere to put a mattress and the Christmas decorations for ten months of the year, storage is the more affordable answer.
No Car? No Problem
For a lot of Londoners, storage falls at the first hurdle. The usual picture is a hire van, a trip across town and a Saturday carrying a wardrobe down two flights of stairs. If you don’t drive, that rules it out.
We work differently. Our team collects from your door with a free van, does the loading and brings your belongings back when you ask. You don’t need a car, a licence or a friend with a Transit. Need the armchair or a particular box? Let us know and it’ll be with you in a few days.
The Worries People Raise
“Will the price go up?” With a lot of traditional self storage, it does. Introductory offers end, and extras like insurance are often charged on top. Whoever you book with, ask what the rate becomes after any offer, what notice you’d need to give and what’s included. Our guide to London storage costs goes through it in more detail.
“Will I pay more than my things are worth?” Sometimes you would, and that’s what the three questions above are for. If storing it costs more than replacing it, don’t store it. We’d rather tell you that now than take the booking.
“Will my things be looked after?” Damp and mould come from moisture and poor ventilation, so garages, outdoor containers and belongings packed while still damp are where problems start. With us, everything is collected, logged on an inventory and kept in sealed Jam Pods in a secure building under CCTV. We’re also a Which? Trusted Trader, which means we’ve been independently checked.
Making the Decision
If there’s a reason and a rough date, storage is worth it. If it’s bulky or seasonal things in a home with no room for them, it’s worth it too. If there’s no reason and no plan yet, sort through things first and store what’s left. You’ll have a smaller bill and a clearer home.
If the answer is yes, get an instant quote and we’ll take it from there. JamStorage is designed for customers who need storage for at least a few weeks. If you’re only looking for a very short-term option, our service may not be the right fit, but we’re always happy to have a conversation. Call us on 0208 166 1665.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Self Storage Worth It for a Few Months?
Usually, yes. A few months is often exactly what a move, a renovation or a gap between homes needs, and those are the best reasons to store. The length matters less than knowing what happens at the end.
Do I Need Insurance for Self Storage?
It’s worth having. Storage isn’t automatically insured, and home contents policies don’t always cover belongings kept away from home, so check yours before you book. With us, insurance is available covering collection, storage and return.
