You’re about to start an internship abroad or in a different city? Or you’re planning to travel the world for a couple of months? What will happen with your apartment? If neither you nor your landlord have a problem with it, you can sublease your apartment for the duration of your absence. You simply need to store your personal things, otherwise everything can stay the same. It’s a different matter, though, if you prefer to give up your apartment altogether and terminate your stay there. Everything will have to go. But don’t worry, there are many possibilities to store your furniture.
Saying farewell to your favorite chair – but for how long?
To find the best storage for furniture, you should consider the following questions beforehand:
- Do you need to store everything or just some of the furniture?
- How long do you need to store the furniture?
- Do you need access to the furniture from time to time?
The suitable kind of storage for your furniture depends on the answers to those questions.
First step: ask your family and friends
Always ask friends and family if they have any idle capacity. Maybe one of your friends has a huge attic, where you could put your stuff? The biggest advantage in this case are the costs. Your friends most likely won’t ask for money. It isn’t recommended to store your things at different places. That can easily lead to chaos and you won’t remember, where you put which pieces of furniture.
Self-storage: 24/7 access
Nowadays self-storage is quite common. You can store your things in different sized storage rooms. They can be as small as one square meter and as big as 50. Whatever you prefer. Since self-storage rooms are heated and dry, you can also store things that are sensitive to temperature there. So there is no need to worry about moldy smell when you come to get your things after a longer time.
Another big advantage is the access to self-storage. You will receive your own key to the storage unit, which will be secured with video surveillance. Only you will have access to your room and that 24/7. If you are not sure how long you need to use the storage service, the duration can be extended on short notice. The providers often also have furniture lifts. Hence, a large cupboard does not have to be carried to the fifth floor by yourself. One example of self-storage providers is Zebrabox. Zebrabox has self-storage units in Bern and Zürich among others.
The prices for a self-storage room naturally vary from company to company. Most of the time you pay a month’s rent, similar to an apartment. The prices are calculated according to the cubic meters that your furniture and boxes occupy. This kind of temporary storage is not a cheap option, though. After all, all this comfort has a price. Let them make you an offer in advance and then think about whether it is the best option for you. Generally speaking, the longer the rental period and the more space you need, the higher the costs.
Conventional furniture storage: Warehouses
You’re sure that you don’t need the furniture and boxes you want to store for a while? And they aren’t temperature-sensitive? Then a warehouse is a good option for you. Those are usually operated by moving companies. You can deliver your belongings and the company will create an inventory list with every box and piece of furniture. The company is then also responsible for storing your goods. You should check beforehand what the temperature in the warehouse is like. In most cases, however, the storage rooms are regularly checked for moisture, parasites and dust.
By the way, you can now only access your boxes, pictures and carpets after prior registration. The warehouse operators usually charge an extra fee, if you want to access your things. If you only want to store the items for a short period of time, warehouses might not be the best option. In most cases though, the total fee is lower than self-storage. Storage in a conventional warehouse is therefore recommended if you are well organized, don’t need your things for a longer period of time and can plan ahead already.
Containers for furniture storage
Not very chic, but incredibly practical: good old containers. Sounds strange at first, but it’s a good idea. It is advantageous if the house or apartment is being renovated and you only need to temporarily store the household contents. A container fits into the front yard, which saves you the transport and longer distances. Perfect! Construction, logistics or special contractors offer storage containers for rent. Including delivery and collection of course. Who else would be able to lift that?
Containers are also suitable if you would like to store your household goods in a warehouse for a longer period of time. If the container is full, have it picked up and taken to its destination. The goods in the container are well protected from rough weather and moisture. A big advantage is the space containers offer. Furniture from a medium-sized household can easily be stored in one standard container.
The cost of the steel boxes varies greatly. Especially the delivery and collection of goods is a big part of the budget. It is best to contact a company near you directly.
Storage boxes for small quantities
Not only huge inventory needs space for temporary storage. Often it’s just a few important documents and folders that have to be stored. There are small, lockable storage boxes in air-conditioned rooms that you can rent. The right temperature is particularly important for documents, so that they won’t get damaged. Regular access is also no problem with those small storage boxes.
And now?
As always, it is important to get offers. The best option depends on how long and how many things you need to store. Some advice: At locations like Bern or Zürich, storage is often more expensive. If the furniture has to be stored for a year or more anyway, then this could be done at a cheaper location, right?
