Storage: How much space will you need?

How cluttered is your home? Storage can be a good short to medium term solution to several problems. It is not as expensive as you may think, and a range of size options are available for storing everything from tools and surfboards to cars and furniture. So how do you decide when to use storage, and how much space will you require?

Space Solutions: Storage

The decision to use storage to solve your space problems may be informed by several factors, and storage can be useful in certain situations.

• Storage is generally a temporary solution, and is great for a few months to solve a logistical problem
• It is important to weigh up whether the cost of storing items is worth keeping them
• If moving to a smaller dwelling temporarily or travelling, storage can be a good way to keep possessions and particularly furniture that you will need later
• A crowded house is interesting only on the cover of a CD! If you can't part with any of the extra furniture, clothes, sports equipment or other objects making your living space uncomfortable, storage could be the solution
• The death of a relative can be a difficult time, and storage can put off the decision of what to do with their belongings until a less fraught time
• Seasonal storage of sports items such as surf boards, diving gear or skiing equipment can be a cheap and practical option

When making the decision to use storage, weigh up the cost of the storage against the importance of keeping the items.

How much storage space will I need?

The amount of space you will need naturally depends on what you have to store. You will generally have to pay by the cubic metre, and storage spaces come in anything from the size of a walk- in wardrobe, to a very large garage.

Use common sense to pack as much as possible into the smallest space. Furniture can be manoeuvred to fit together, small items should be packed into boxes (and labelled) or into soft bags that can go in last to fill in spaces. Do an audit and get rid of items you could truly live without before deciding on how much space you will need.

The cost of storage starts at less than $100 per month for 2m X 1.5m (walk- in wardrobe size) to $300 - $400 per month or more for an area the size of a large garage (3m X 6m).

Storage: Other tips

The decision to use storage should be based on a realistic assessment of the value of keeping the items you have, against the cost of storing them. A small storage space can be very affordable, and storage is an excellent solution for many short term problems.