Travel · 5 min
Long holidays, study abroad, months of backpacking. Leaving the place empty wastes rent; renting it out means clearing your stuff. Self storage solves both, if you plan before you board.
Long travel creates a silent housing problem. You have three paths, and all hit your belongings:
Keep the lease empty, paying months for an empty home. Expensive and pointless.
Rent it short-term (Airbnb), becomes income, but you must remove personal and valuable belongings.
Give up the place, saves everything, but what about the furniture and a lifetime of stuff?
In the last two cases, self storage is the missing piece: it holds what doesn't travel with you, securely, for the exact length of the trip.
The math shifts with duration. For a 1-3 month trip, it might be worth storing only essentials (documents, electronics, valuables) in a small unit and closing up the house. For 6 months or more, study abroad, project, sabbatical, it often pays to give up the place and store everything, saving months of rent.
Use the calculator to size it. And if the trip might turn permanent (you're 'testing living abroad'), read about moving abroad before deciding what to keep and what to let go.
Unlike storing near home, here you won't be able to drop by to check. So security matters more:
Choose an operator with 24/7 surveillance and alarm. Use your own steel padlock beyond the unit lock. Photograph the contents before closing (insurance record). Consider the operator's insurance for valuables, you'll be far away to handle any surprise.
Long-stored items need different care than 'storing for a week':
Appliances clean and completely dry (fridge door ajar prevents mould). Furniture with breathable covers, not sealed plastic. Clothing in vacuum bags with silica gel. No perishables, obviously, nor that perfume or product that leaks in heat.
The right supplies at /en/packing-supplies/.
The classic mistake is leaving it to the last week. Book the unit ahead (operators peak at month-end), organise moving your belongings calmly, and leave the PIN/contract with someone you trust, in case you need to handle something remotely.
Not sure which operator to pick near home? Ask our concierge with your city and travel length and we'll find the best options with a solid security track record.