Moving and having to live between homes can be tough, especially if most of your time preparing to move is spent figuring out how you’ll survive the transition. To make the whole moving process easier on you and your family, we recommend utilizing short-term self storage. It’s a great way to bridge the gap between homes while you’re trying to get settled. Check out our guide below for helpful moving and storage tips, as well as advice on how to pick the best short-term storage option for your needs!

What Does & Doesn’t Go in Short-Term Storage?

Photo via @organizewithkelley

If you’re in the process of moving out of your current home and moving into temporary housing, it’s best to start separating your items into groups before relocating everything to self storage. How exactly do you break these groups down? Focus on items you need every day and items you don’t!

Do Move These Items to Temporary Storage

• Furniture and home decor
• Large and small household appliances
• Seasonal clothing
• Lawn equipment
• Miscellaneous items (e.g., books, magazines, kids toys, etc.)

The only exception here is if you’re moving into a temporary home that doesn’t come furnished, in which case, you’ll need furniture, appliances, and some miscellaneous items for your short-term stay.

Don’t Move These Items to Temporary Storage

• Clothing
• Toiletries
• Electronic devices
• Kitchen utensils
• Perishable foods

What you keep with you can depend on the type of temporary housing you choose. For example, you might not need kitchen utensils if you move into an extended stay hotel for a few months, as this housing option typically has everything you’d need for preparing meals. Regardless, try to only bring the items that you need to get through your temporary housing situation so you don’t have to move things multiple times.

Also, be sure to check out this list of items that can and cannot be stored in self storage.

Finding the Best Short-Term Self Storage

Photo via @lock7development

After you’ve determined which items need to go into temporary storage, it’s time to find self storage! Keep in mind that you’ll need to consider more than just the location of your storage facility. You’ll also want to determine the best unit size for your belongings and what self storage amenities you’ll need.

Storage Unit Size

Only storing small items and a few boxes? A 5×5 storage unit should do the trick. Moving the contents of an apartment? Look at 5×10 and 10×10 sizes. Need to store everything from a multi-bedroom house? A size like 10×20 or 10×30 may be a better option. Check out this interactive storage unit size guide from Extra Space Storage to get a better idea of how much room you’ll want for your things!

Self Storage Amenities

• Climate-Controlled Storage: Climate control is ideal for storing temperature-sensitive items like antiques, paper documents, wood or leather furniture, electronics, and more.
• Drive-Up Access Storage: Drive-up storage makes storing large, heavy items like furniture and appliances easier because you can pull a moving truck right up to your self storage space.
• Indoor, Outdoor, & Covered Vehicle Storage: Vehicle storage is a good amenity to have if you need to temporarily store a car, motorcycle, camper, trailer, boat, RV, or other recreational vehicle.

Whether you’re building a house, moving to a new city, or between homes, Extra Space Storage is here to make your temporary transition easier! With more than 1,500 storage facilities throughout the U.S., we’re your go-to self storage partner for short-term storage needs. Find a storage facility near you!