Self Storage for Long Term Travel

Man in suit rolling suitcase about to board a plane.

Today, more and more people are traveling overseas for business for extended amounts of time. Likewise, many people are traveling great distances, calling themselves “location independent travelers”, seeing the world while not being tied down to belongings or a home.

For these types of travelers, renting a self storage unit is a perfect place to store personal belongings and keep them safe until you are home and ready to settle back into a normal routine. Of course you can sell or donate some items before you leave, but cherished family heirlooms and other personal items should be kept safe in a self storage unit until you are able to claim them again.

Storage space in other countries is also a lot smaller than you’re used to here in the States, and while you love your book or vinyl records collections, it’s not entirely practical to try to move these types of items across the ocean with you.  You probably won’t need to reference them while you’re working on your year-long project in Switzerland, after all. International moving is far too expensive to consider if you know you’ll eventually be able to return for all your belongings.

Tips for Renting a Self Storage Unit for Long Term Travel

Here are some great tips to consider when you’re renting a self storage unit for a long term trip:

1)      Find an affordable self storage facility. National Storage have many convenient and affordable locations. Pick a location that is easy to access from a major highway so when you need to return to your unit to pick up your items, it will be no problem to get to it no matter where you might end up.

2)      Prepay for your unit. Many self storage companies, National Storage included, offer a prepayment option with the pay online option on their websites. Paying in advance online will eliminate the possibility of forgetting to pay your rent and helps keep you stress-free while you’re abroad.

3)      Downsize before you go. Before renting your unit, go through your belongings and decide what is absolutely necessary to keep. You can have a garage or yard sale and sell excess or high-ticket items, or donate your belongings to the Salvation Army or Goodwill.  Another option is to allow a family member or friend to “borrow” your belongings- like small appliances or a bedroom set- with the understanding that you’ll be reclaiming them someday. Once you have a better idea of how much stuff you’ll need to store, you can pick the correct storage unit size to meet your needs.

4)      Pack your storage unit in an organized manner. This means correctly packing boxes as well as the storage unit itself. Utilize vertical space, placing heavy boxes on the bottom and lighter boxes on top. Keep items you might need access to in between trips towards the front of the unit and leave a walkway to get to the back. Begin the purging and packing process at least two weeks before you leave to ensure you won’t be rushing to get things done.

Keep your belongings safe for any amount of time in a secure storage unit at one of the many National Storage locations!

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