Getting Your Move Right: Why Storage Isn't Just About Stuff
We've been helping families move house since 1984, and we've seen it al
Let's be honest - moving house is a nightmare. We've all been there, standing in a room full of boxes, wondering how we accumulated so much stuff and where on earth it's all going to go. After watching thousands of families go through this exact moment over the past 41 years, we've noticed something: the moves that go smoothly usually involve storage. Not as a last resort, but as part of the plan.
It's Not About Having Too Much Stuff (Well, Not Always)
Here's what really happens. You find a house you love, put in an offer, and suddenly you're part of a chain. Mrs Flint down the road can't move until her buyer sorts out their mortgage, which means your buyer can't complete, which means you're stuck. Meanwhile, your current house sale is going through, and you need to be out by Friday.
This isn't poor planning - it's just how house moves work. They're messy, unpredictable, and rarely line up perfectly. Storage gives you options when everything else is falling apart.
The Real Reasons People Need Storage
When chains collapse:
Your sale completes but your purchase doesn't. You need somewhere to go, and your furniture needs somewhere safe to wait.
Renovation reality:
That "move-in ready" house needs more work than you thought. Try living with builders while keeping your sofa dust-free. It doesn't work.
Size doesn't match:
Moving from a big family home to something smaller? The maths rarely works out. You'll need time to figure out what stays and what goes.
Life gets complicated:
Divorce, job changes, elderly parents moving in - sometimes you need breathing space to work out what comes next.
How We Actually Use Storage (The Practical Bit)
Most people think storage means renting a unit and driving back and forth with a van. That works for some situations, but it's not always practical when you're in the middle of a move.
Mobile storage changes everything. We bring a container to your house, you fill it when it suits you, and we take it away. When you're ready - whether that's next week or next month - we bring it to your new place. No van hire, no multiple trips, no stress about fitting everything in one go.
For longer-term needs, traditional self-storage makes sense. You get access whenever you need it, perfect for seasonal stuff or things you're not sure about yet.
Getting The Timing Right
Most people leave storage too late. They call us the week before moving, panicking about where everything will go.
Here's what actually works:
Start thinking about it when you put your house on the market. Not because you're being pessimistic, but because you're being realistic. House moves rarely go exactly to plan.
Book storage space early. Good facilities fill up, especially in spring and summer when everyone's moving. You can always cancel if you don't need it.
Begin moving things you don't need daily about a month before your move date. This isn't just about creating space - it's about reducing the chaos on the day itself.
What Nobody Tells You About Storage
Storage isn't just about solving problems - it's about buying yourself time to make good decisions.
When you're not panicking about where to put your dining table, you can actually think about whether you want it in your new house.
We see this all the time. Customers store things they think they can't live without, then realise after a few months that they don't actually miss them. It's liberating, and it often leads to a cleaner, less cluttered new start.
Making It Work Without Going Mad
Keep it simple. Label boxes clearly - not just "kitchen stuff" but "everyday plates and mugs." Take photos of anything valuable before it goes into storage. Keep a list of what's where.
Set yourself a deadline for getting things out of storage. It's not a permanent solution, and those monthly fees add up. Decide upfront what you're keeping and what you're letting go of.
The Truth About Moving
After four decades of helping people move, we've learned that the smoothest moves aren't the ones where everything goes to plan - they're the ones where people are prepared for things to go wrong.
Storage isn't admitting defeat or accepting that you have too much stuff. It's acknowledging that moving house is complicated and giving yourself the flexibility to handle whatever comes up.
Your move doesn't have to be perfect. It just needs to get you from where you are to where you want to be, with your sanity and your belongings intact. Sometimes that means taking the scenic route through a storage facility, and that's perfectly fine.
The goal is to end up in your new home, with your belongings, feeling satisfied with the whole experience. If storage helps you get there, then it's done its job.
We've been helping families move house since 1984, and we've seen it all. From last-minute chain collapses to surprise renovation discoveries, we know that every move is different.
That's why we offer flexible storage solutions alongside our removal services - because sometimes the best plan is having a backup plan.
