There are roughly 2.3 billion square feet of self-storage in the US right now or roughly 7.06 square feet of self-storage space for every man, woman, and child in the US. That’s a lot of storage space. So what are people doing with all this storage? Well, here are the top six reasons Americans rent storage units.
1. Moving
One of the most common reasons Americans rent storage units is as a temporary holding facility for all their possessions between moves. Many times, there is a gap between the time when a family or individual needs to be out of one home and when they can move into another.
- In some cases, there are even unexpected circumstances that keep them from being able to move straight into their new home. In this case, a storage unit holds their possessions until their new home is ready.
- Other times, people need to both downsize and move quickly. A storage unit from a moving and storage company can help them fit what they need into a smaller space while giving them time to sort through their remaining possessions and downsize. This is particularly common with the elderly. Many times when elderly individuals need to move into a care facility of some kind, they can’t sort through and dispose of their belongings on their own before they need to move.
- In many cases, they may have family heirlooms or other valuable items. In that case, their relatives may place their remaining possessions in storage for a time until they can be distributed among family.
2. Traveling
Sometimes, people’s jobs or lives take them out-of-state or out of the country for an extended period of time. Sometimes, this can happen quickly, and it is simply easier to put your belongings in storage and just take a few personal items until you can settle in a more permanent location.
3. Summer vacation
Storage units are a great option for college students on summer vacation. Instead of having to lug all their belongings home for the summer and find someplace to store them at home, they can simply move their things into a storage unit and pull them right back out at the end of the summer.
4. Remodeling or selling a home
In many cases, it is both convenient and economical for people to move their more valuable furniture and belongings into a storage unit while work is being completed. When people are selling a home, they often need to remove excess furniture and other personal belongings to create a more neutral setting for potential buyers to see.
5. Storing seasonal items
Whether it is a boat, a lawn mower or Christmas decorations, most people own something that they only use once a year or for one season. Storage units make a great place to keep these items when they are not in use. Particularly for individuals that live in small homes or don’t have a great deal of storage space in or around their home.
6. Business use
Personal items are not the only things that people use storage facilities for. Businesses also sometimes undergo remodeling, need some equipment only seasonally or even use storage facilities for excess inventory. While there are strict laws in most states about what storage facilities can be used for, some enterprising entrepreneurs are even running their businesses straight from a storage facility.