Start with a list, not a guess
Walk through your home and list what will go into storage: furniture piece by piece, and an estimate of boxes per room. Large items take most of the space, so count them carefully. Boxes stack, so they take less floor space than people expect.
Common unit sizes
Self-storage units are usually described in feet, such as 5x5, 5x10, 10x10, 10x15 and 10x20. As a rough guide, a 5x10 holds a few pieces of furniture and boxes, a 10x10 holds roughly the contents of a one-bedroom apartment, a 10x15 holds a two-bedroom home and a 10x20 holds a larger home. These are only starting points; how well things are stacked matters as much as the size.
Height is space too
Most units have tall ceilings. Stacking boxes in stable tiers and standing items like mattresses and tabletops on edge uses the height and saves floor space. Same-size boxes stack best.
Leave an aisle if you need access
If you will need to reach things during storage, leave a narrow aisle down the middle or along one side, and put the items you will need sooner near the door. An aisle takes some space, so size up slightly if you need one.
Moving and storage versus self-storage
With moving and storage, the movers load your things, keep them in storage and deliver when you are ready. With self-storage, you rent a unit and fill it, or have movers load it for you. Moving and storage saves carrying things twice; self-storage gives you access whenever the facility is open.
Climate and the South Bay summer
San Jose summers are hot, and inland areas such as Morgan Hill and Gilroy are hotter still. Wood furniture, electronics, photos, documents and musical instruments do better in storage protected from big temperature swings. Ask the facility what kinds of units are available.
What not to store
Food, plants, flammable liquids, paint, propane and anything that can leak should not go into storage. Keep important documents, jewelry and irreplaceable items with you.
Packing for storage
Wrap furniture to keep dust off, cover mattresses, pack fragile items with extra padding and label every box with its contents and the room it will go to later. A numbered list on your phone makes finding things easy.
Storage during a remodel
Remodels and rebuilds, common in Willow Glen, Palo Alto and Los Altos, often run longer than planned. Plan for a little extra time, and keep things you might need, such as seasonal clothes, near the front.
Downsizing
When moving to a smaller home, storage can hold pieces for family or for later decisions. Be honest about what you will really use. Storage costs add up month by month, and sometimes donating is the better choice.
Ask for help sizing
If you are unsure, send a list or a short video of what is going into storage and ask for a recommendation. Our moving and storage page explains how loading, storage and delivery work, and our storage unit movers can load or empty a unit you rent yourself.
How long you will store
The longer you store, the more it is worth sizing the unit carefully. For a short gap of days or a few weeks, convenience matters more than squeezing into the smallest unit. For months, paying for the right size, and no larger, adds up to real savings.
Furniture that takes more space than expected
Sectional sofas, recliners, dining sets with leaves and bed frames take a lot of floor space unless they come apart. Taking legs off tables and standing bed frames on edge can free up a surprising amount of room.
Boxes versus loose items
Loose items such as lamps, rugs and sports gear take more space than boxed items. Boxing what you can, and rolling rugs tightly, helps everything stack and keeps things clean.
Insurance and protection
Check whether your homeowner's or renter's insurance covers items in storage, and ask the facility about its own protection plans. Keep a list of what is stored, with photos of valuable items.
Visiting your unit
If you will visit often, a ground-floor, drive-up unit near the entrance saves time. Ask about access hours before you rent, since some facilities have gate hours that may not match your schedule.
Moving out of storage
When it is time to move out, an organized unit makes the last move faster. Items loaded in a sensible order, with the most-needed things near the door, come out quickly and go straight to the right rooms.
Downsizing before storage
Storage is a good moment to let go of things. If you would not move an item into a new home, it may not be worth paying to store it. Donation and resale before the move often save more than they cost in effort.
A quick sizing example
Picture a two-bedroom apartment: a queen bed and a twin bed, two dressers, a sofa, a dining table with four chairs, a desk, a television and around forty boxes. Stacked well, with beds and tabletops on edge and boxes in tiers, that load usually fits in a mid-size unit. Add a large sectional or a garage full of tools and you may need the next size up.
Ask before you rent
Before signing for a unit, ask about the move-in date, access hours, any required lock, the cancellation terms and whether the price changes after the first month. A few questions now prevent surprises later.