Knowing you need more storage space is obvious when your office space or spare rooms are becoming overcrowded and cluttered with unused or outdated — but valuable or sentimental — business or personal items. Determining what size storage unit you need to fit all of your unused items, however, is another story. To help guide you and ensure you don’t choose too small or too big of a storage unit, we have put together these storage unit steps and tips:
Steps
Determining what size storage unit you need is easy with these three steps:
Step 1: Make a list or compile all of the items you want to store in one space
Before you can choose a storage unit, you must first have a good understanding of what exactly you need to store. If you have a spare room or garage where you can compile all of the items you want to store, that is ideal. However, if that’s not possible, you can also make a list to help you gain a better understanding. Be sure to keep in mind any large or irregularly shaped objects.
Step 2: Estimate or pack your items into sturdy boxes to calculate how many boxes you will need to fit in your storage unit
To help you get a more realistic visualization of how much storage space you will need, pack your items into boxes and stack them as you would if they were inside the storage unit. Keep in mind most storage units are between 8 and 10 feet tall. If you are unable to pack your storage items first, take your best guess.
Step 3: Use our storage guide below to determine how much each unit size will hold
Once you have a fairly good idea of the items you need to store and how much space they will take up, use our Storage Guide below to determine the best-fit unit size. If you need further assistance, feel free to call the on-site manager at your 1st Choice Storage location and they will be happy to help you make the best choice when it comes to your storage needs.
Unit Size |
Equivalent To |
This Unit Will Hold |
|---|---|---|
| 5’ X 5’ (25 Sq. Ft.) |
Regular closet | Personal items, clothes, boxes, skis, children’s toys, small furniture items, business records and sales rep materials. |
| 5’ X 10’ (50 Sq. Ft.) |
Walk-in closet | Small amounts of furniture, sofas, chairs, chest of drawers, boxspring and mattress, business supplies and records. Plus other small items and boxes. |
| 7.5’ X 10’ (75 Sq. Ft.) |
Large closet | Small amounts of furniture, sofas, chairs, chest of drawers, boxspring and mattress, business supplies and records. Plus other small items and boxes. |
| 10’ X 10’ (100 Sq. Ft.) |
Half of a one-car garage | One-bedroom apartment with major appliances, other furniture and supplies. |
| 10’ X 15’ (150 Sq. Ft.) |
Two-thirds of a one-car garage | A two-bedroom apartment or house, including one-car garage appliances, boxes and miscellaneous items and commercial storage inventory. |
| 10’ X 20’ (200 Sq. Ft.) |
Standard one-car garage | A three-bedroom apartment or house, with major appliances, plus lots of boxes. Business storage files and inventory ideal for storage racks. |
| 10’ X 30’ (300 Sq. Ft.) |
Standard two-car garage | A four-to-five-bedroom house with major appliances and room for boxes. Business storage files and inventory ideal for storage racks. |
Tips
Choosing a storage unit size can be stressful, especially if you have never had to store your items at a store facility before. We hope these tips help make the decision a little easier:
Visit 1st Choice Storage In Person
Come say hi! While our Storage Guide is helpful, it’s just a guide, and it can be easier to visualize your storage space and make the decision when you can see the actual storage unit options for yourself. Contact your local 1st Choice Storage location to discuss your storage unit needs with an on-site manager or to see if viewing the available storage units is an option.
Always size up when in doubt
There is nothing worse than getting all of your belongings packed up, organized, and ready to be put in storage just to realize that it doesn’t all fit. When in doubt, always go up a size to ensure you don’t have to deal with the hassle of switching storage units and readjusting your contract.
Use same-sized boxes
Save yourself the hassle of having to play Tetris and get the most out of your storage space by using the same-sized boxes. This will make organizing your storage unit so much easier, as you won’t have to worry about creating a strategy for how everything will fit together — without wasting space. The one thing you should keep in mind when organizing your storage unit, however, is keeping the heavier boxes on on the bottom and stacking the lighter boxes on top. This safe stacking practice will help prevent your boxes from collapsing and causing injury to anyone within the unit.
