Okay, let’s be real for a minute. Picking a storage unit size is like trying to guess how much food to make for a party – everyone gets it wrong the first time. I should know – my first storage unit was a disaster.
I rented this tiny 5×5 thinking “how much space could my one-bedroom apartment stuff really need?” Famous last words. Picture me, 2 hours into loading, sitting on the pavement surrounded by everything that wouldn’t fit while my girlfriend glared at me. We had to upgrade that day, which meant unloading everything and starting over. Not my finest moment.
That’s why I’m passionate about getting this right for you. Let me save you from my mistakes.
The Stuff You Don’t Need Is Costing You Money
Before you even think about unit sizes, do this one thing: get rid of stuff. I’m serious. Go through everything and ask yourself:
When was the last time I used this?
Would I pay $5 a month to keep storing this? What about $10?
Does this actually make my life better?
I held onto college textbooks for six years. SIX YEARS. I paid probably $600 in storage fees for books worth maybe $20. Don’t be me.
What the Sizes Actually Feel Like?
Forget the dimensions for a minute. Let me describe them how I wish someone had described them to me:
- The 5×5 is basically a parking space. It’s perfect for that “I just need to get this out of my house” stuff. Christmas decorations, a few boxes of important papers, maybe a bike. But if you’re trying to fit your couch in there? Forget it.
- The 5×10 feels like a walk-in closet that got ambitious. You can fit a surprising amount here – your mattress, a dresser, that bookshelf you love, plus boxes. This is what most people actually need for an apartment move.
- The 10×10 is where you can breathe. This is a proper room. You can walk around, organize things, actually get to your stuff without performing archaeological digs. If you’re moving a one or two-bedroom place, this is probably your sweet spot.
Anything bigger than that and you’re storing serious furniture or a vehicle. Unless you’re moving an entire family house, you probably don’t need the big boys.
Here’s the Secret Nobody Tells You
- It’s not just about fitting everything in. It’s about being able to actually USE your storage unit.
- If you pack it wall-to-wall, ceiling-to-floor, you’ll never get anything out. I learned this the hard way when I needed my winter coat in November and had to unpack my entire unit to reach the one box it was in.
- Leave yourself an aisle. I know it feels like wasted space, but trust me – future you will be so grateful when you can actually walk in and find what you need.
The Money Part Hurts
Getting the size wrong costs you in two ways:
- If you go too small, you end up like me – paying for an upgrade, wasting a day moving everything, and dealing with the frustration. That “cheap” small unit suddenly becomes very expensive.
- If you go too big? You’re literally paying for air. I see people do this all the time – they get a huge unit “just to be safe” and then use half of it. That’s like buying two entrees at a restaurant and only eating one.
Here’s What We Actually Do Differently
At Accent Self Storage, we’ve started doing something simple but effective. When someone comes in unsure about sizes, I walk them through our empty units with a tape measure. We literally map out where their couch would go, where the boxes would stack.
It takes five minutes and saves so much headache. Because here’s the truth – I don’t want you to get the wrong size either. I don’t want you stressed out in our parking lot. I want you to actually be happy with your storage solution.
So here’s my advice from someone who’s been in your shoes: Be ruthless about what you really need to store. Then come talk to us. Let us show you the spaces. We’ll help you figure it out without the guesswork.
Because nobody should have to relive my pavement-sitting, girlfriend-disappointing storage unit disaster.
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