Moving · 6 min
Moving doesn't have to be chaos. This guide shows how to use self storage as a bridge to gain time, protect your furniture and arrive calm at your new home.
Before stacking boxes, list what's in each room. Use your phone to photograph big furniture and valuables — useful for insurance and to remember what you have later.
Split into 3 piles: goes to the new home now, stays in storage for X months, donate/sell. A good move starts by subtracting, not packing.
Don't guess. Use a [size calculator](/en/calculator/) that considers the specific furniture you'll store. A 2-bedroom apartment fits in ~9m³; a full 3-bedroom house may reach 14m³.
Buy the size that fits plus 10% slack — packing right to the limit makes reorganising painful later.
Use same-size boxes whenever possible. They stack better, take less room. Don't fill a box only with books (weight) or only with pillows (dead volume) — balance.
Bubble wrap for dishes and frames, large covers for sofas and mattresses, thin cardboard between table tops to avoid scratches.
Number each box (1 of 47, 2 of 47…) and describe the contents. Keep a master spreadsheet on your phone — you'll thank yourself when you need to find that specific charger.
Colour-code by room: red kitchen, blue bedroom, etc. Speeds up unpacking 3x.
Operators have demand peaks at month-end and contract-flip dates (Jan 1, Jul 1). Book 10–15 days ahead to avoid surge pricing or losing the right size.
[Compare operators](/en/directory/) in your area before booking. Prices vary a lot.
First-out at the back, last-out in front. Sounds obvious but most people reverse it and then have to dismantle everything to grab a single box.
Create a central aisle, push rarely accessed items to the sides. Use the height: stack vertically.
Book the moving truck and self storage transport in the same window. Instead of loading twice, split the load directly: one side new home, other side storage.
Keep handy: box key/PIN, operator receipt, printed contract, first-night kit (toilet paper, soap, toothbrush — for the first night at the new home).
Moving is a logistics op with overlapping deadlines. Self storage buys time: you don't need the old and new lease to perfectly align.
Need help choosing the box? [Ask our concierge](/en/contact/) and we'll send a curated shortlist of operators in your area within 2 business days.