5 Full-Service Storage Companies You Should be Using

Moving soon? Whether you’re a student looking to store your things for the summer or you’re simply downsizing to a new city apartment, you’ll most likely need to rent a storage unit. Fortunately, a new trend is on the rise that will make storing your belongings easier than ever: on-demand, full-service storage.

These “valet-style” services take the self-storage process one step further by actually picking up your things and delivering them to the storage unit for you. They also allow you to request and schedule a pick-up or return at the touch of your fingers via your smartphone and other devices. That means one less trip to make and one more thing to cross off that to-do list.

Not sure where to find these on-demand, full-service storage options? Here are 5 popular companies to consider next time you move.

MakeSpace

Those moving or simply looking to clean up their clutter should give MakeSpace a try. The full-service storage company is available in New York City, DC, Chicago, and Los Angeles.

How it works: MakeSpace provides customers with free bins and wardrobe boxes. All the customer has to do is pack the bins with everything they wish to store. The company will then retrieve all items and deliver them to a secure storage facility. Additionally, MakeSpace will deliver any and all bins back to the customer once they schedule a delivery on the website or on MakeSpace’s mobile app. MakeSpace uploads high-quality photos of the various bins and boxes in the storage unit, so that customers know what they have in storage at all times. Need somewhere to store larger items, such as beds, couches, bikes, and exercise equipment? MakeSpace will pick those up for you and store them as well.

In terms of pricing, MakeSpace charges customers for the amount of space their items use. Storage plans and prices vary by city, however. So make sure to check your specific location for details. For those unsure of which storage plan is right for them, check out MakeSpace’s easy-to-use storage calculator on their website.

Clutter

This tech-enabled, full-service storage company manages the pick-up, storage and delivery of a customer’s things from beginning to end. Clutter is currently available in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, New Jersey, Chicago, Seattle, San Diego, Santa Barbara, and Orange County, California.

How it works: Customers schedule a first-time pick-up from Clutter by phone. All subsequent pick-ups and deliveries can be made online. The company offers six different storage plans to choose from including: an item plan, a closet plan, a garage plan, a studio plan, an apartment plan, and a custom plan – where the customer can work out the storage size needed with Clutter. Once the customer has chosen the plan that works for them, the company will provide packing supplies. After the customer has packed their belongings, Clutter’s movers will take photos of the contents of each box for the customer’s photo inventory. The movers will then stamp each item being stored with a unique barcode. This makes it easier for customers to retrieve something specific when needed. Finally, the movers will verify that each box is packed correctly before loading everything onto the truck.

Similar to MakeSpace, Clutter will also return any and all items to the customer when they need them. All they have to do is log in to their Clutter accounts, select what they need delivered, and schedule a return. The company offers $1,000 and $2,500 protection plans for a low monthly rate as well.

RedBin

Live in New York City? Consider enlisting RedBin to store your belongings. This on-demand storage service specifically focuses on “the needs of urban residents facing the issue of having too many items cluttering their living space,” according to the company website.

How it works: RedBin delivers clean plastic bins to the customer’s door. Once customers have packed their bins, the driver will take an overhead photo of each bin. After these overhead photos are loaded into the customer’s account, they can itemize all inventory online. When the customer is ready, RedBin will pick up the bins for delivery to their Brooklyn distribution center, where all bins will be processed and placed into a secure, climate-controlled storage warehouse. All customers are able to request the delivery of a bin or item whenever they want.

Finally, whether the customers rent one bin or many, RedBin will charge them $5.00 per storage bin monthly. Seasonal items, such as golf clubs, skis, AC units, etc cost $25 per month to store. Redbin also provides all transportation services for free on the first order.

Trove

Recently launched by an early Uber employee and former Facebook engineer, Trove offers residents in the Greater San Francisco Bay Area a convenient, full-service storage option.

How it works: Customers schedule their pick-up online or by phone. Trove will send free packing supplies right to their doorstep either before the move or the day of. The storage service also partners with local movers to provide a professional and customized storage experience. Trove’s partner moving companies can assist customers with packing up their belongings as well, including wrapping and disassembling furniture at no extra charge. Your items will be photographed, loaded onto the truck, and transported to a secure storage facility. Trove also includes a personal inventory of photographs that lets customers keep track of everything in storage.

Whenever the customer wishes, they can access Trove to schedule a return for any of the items. According to the website, storage can be returned in as soon as 48 to 72 hours. Trove’s rate is $2.50 per square foot per month. This includes packing materials, all packing, moving, and monthly storage. A four month storage commitment and 50 square-foot storage minimum applies.

Cubiq

Servicing the Greater Boston Area, Cubiq describes themselves as a “personal storage concierge.” What makes this full-service storage company unique is that they provide customers with durable and commercial grade cubes for packing. All of Cubiq’s team members are referred to as “concierges” as well.

How it works: Once the customer has signed up and ordered their cubes, a Cubiq concierge will deliver them on the day of the customer’s choosing. Cubes measure 22″ x 18″ x 12″. Cubiq provides customers with seven courtesy days to prepare and pack their cubes. Customers will also be provided with inventory cards, so they can record what is inside of each cube. Concierges will ask customers for their permission to photograph each cube’s inventory. Once all items have been properly recorded, the cubes will be security-sealed and transported back to the warehouse for safe storage. Finally, all customers will be able to access their account online and on their smartphone to view, organize or request the return of cubes at any time.

Cubiq’s pricing structure is slightly different from other on-demand storage options. According to the website, the company’s pricing was “designed with volume discounts in mind.” Customers can purchase cubes individually or they can purchase one of three plans: Tier 1 ($29 for 4 cubes), Tier 2 ($59 for 8 cubes), or Tier 3 (16 cubes for $99). For more information on Cubiq’s pricing, check here .

Want to see more storage options near you?

Use Moving.com’s ‘ Find Storage Now ‘ tool to locate self-storage facilities in your area. Just type in the zip code or your city and state of your residence and click the ‘find storage’ button. Moving.com will pull quotes from the closest storage unit facilities near your new home to compare. Best of luck and happy moving!