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How to Move Out of a Storage Unit
Ready to move out of your storage unit? For many, using a self-storage unit to store excess belongings is simply a temporary fix. Perhaps you needed a place to store furniture while remodeling your home. Or maybe you wanted to temporarily clear your home of clutter when staging it for sale. Whatever the reason for renting a storage unit, we know those monthly bills add up, and that it’s not always economically sustainable to continue renting a self-storage unit. Fortunately, if and when you’re ready to move out, the process should be fairly straight-forward. Here’s the 411 on moving out of a storage unit.
Moving out of a storage unit
Many self-storage company contracts are designed with short-term renters in mind. In fact, most self-storage facilities typically offer contracts on a month-to-month basis. It’s unlikely that you’ll need to lock yourself into a one-year contract. If you’re currently looking for a self-storage unit, we recommend choosing a company that offers short-term rentals to make the move-out process easier.
Self-storage facility move-out requirements
Here are move-out details from the websites of four of the most popular self-storage units.
Public Storage
U-Haul
Extra Space Storage
CubeSmart
Tips for moving out of a storage unit
- Let the company know in advance – Many storage companies require that you either call the facility to inform them of your departure or write a formal written notice. Most self-storage facilities rent units on a month-to-month basis, making it easy to get out when you want. However, not all storage facilities will reimburse you for days not used, so if you cancel your reservation several days after the last month’s payment, you may still have to pay for the remainder of the month.
- Make a plan for your stuff – What do you plan to do with all of your belongings? Make sure you have a plan for what goes where. We recommend visiting your storage unit and taking pictures of the items to review later. Once you’re home, you can look through the photos and make a plan for each item.
- Bring a van or truck to the storage facility – When it’s time to move your belongings out, make sure you have a large enough vehicle to hold your stored items. This may mean renting a cargo van, pickup truck or larger box truck for a day. For help finding truck rental options, check here. In addition, make sure you have a helper to assist with loading heavy items.
- Clean out the space – Most storage facilities require that customers clean out their storage space prior to leaving. This means making sure that all boxes and items are removed from the property. In addition, customers may want to sweep and lightly clean the space if there is dirt or debris left inside.
- Remove your lock – Most customers use their own lock to secure their storage unit. Don’t forget to bring this lock with you when go. Otherwise, storage facility staff may not be able to access the storage unit.
- Inform the facility that you’ve left – After moving out, many storage facilities require that customers confirm their exit with the office or property manager. Once you’ve moved all of your belongings out of the storage facility, we recommend informing the office asap.
Need to rent a storage unit?
To find self-storage in your area, use Moving.com’s Storage Center. All you have to do is type in the zip code or your city and state of residence and click the ‘find storage’ button. From there, Moving.com will pull quotes from the closest storage unit facilities near your new home to compare. Best of luck and happy moving!