Storage when moving house
bridging the gap between homes

When storage helps during a move

• A gap between completions. You have to leave one home before you can get into the next, and you are staying with family or renting short term.
• Selling first. You are selling before buying so you can move quickly, and need somewhere for your things in the meantime.
• Staging for viewings. Clearing out a third of the furniture makes rooms look bigger in photos and on viewings.
• Downsizing. The new place is smaller and you have not decided what to keep, sell or give away.
• Work on the new home. You want floors, decorating or a new kitchen done before the furniture arrives.

Plan around a timeline that will move

The safest assumption is that your dates will change at least once. Book storage that does not tie you in. Our terms are rolling monthly with a minimum of one month, then one month's notice to leave, so if completion slips by three weeks you are not stuck with a long contract.

Units at The Rock Factory are available from 1 November 2026, and if you pre-book, the first week is free. If your move is planned for late autumn or winter, it is worth booking early so the space is ready before you need it.

Think about the order things will come out, too. If you will be living out of a suitcase at a relative's for six weeks, pack the things you will want during that time separately and put them at the front of the unit.

One move or two?

Using storage between homes usually means moving twice: old house to unit, then unit to new house. That doubles the lifting, so it pays to make the second move easy.

• Label boxes by the room they will go to in the new house, if you know the layout.
• Load the unit so the things you need first in the new home come out first.
• Keep bed parts, the kettle and a box of essentials together and easy to reach.
• If you are hiring a removal firm, tell them up front that it is a two-stage move so they can plan the load.

Our guide to packing a storage unit covers loading order in detail.

Choosing a size for a household

For a whole home, most people look at our roller-shutter units because furniture goes straight in from the vehicle. The 150 sq ft unit at £65 a week often takes a two-bedroom home. The 180 sq ft unit at £78 a week gives more room for a larger household or for a walkway. For bigger homes, the 300 sq ft two-storey unit at £130 a week, or two adjoining units with an interconnecting door, may suit better.

If you are only storing the overflow while you stage a house for sale, a smaller space may do. Our storage pods and rooms open in spring 2027 at guide prices from £10 a week, though they are upstairs, so they suit boxes rather than sofas. The size guide has more detail.

Downsizing without rushing decisions

Downsizing often means deciding about furniture and belongings that carry decades of memories. Doing that in the last fortnight before a move is stressful and leads to regret, either from keeping too much or letting go of something you wanted.

A unit lets you separate the move from the decisions. Take what fits into the new home, store the rest, and sort through it over a few weeks or months once you are settled. You will have a much clearer idea of what the new space can hold once you are living in it.

Set yourself a review date so storage does not drift on for years. Our decluttering guide has a simple method for that.

What to keep with you, not in storage

Some things are best carried with you during a move, even if there is space in the unit.

• Passports, birth certificates, deeds and the paperwork for your sale or purchase.
• Medicines, glasses and anything you need daily.
• Jewellery, cash and small items of high value.
• Laptops, chargers and the hard drive with your photos.
• Keys for the old and new homes, and for the unit padlock.
• Food, plants and pets. None of these belong in a storage unit.

Our list of what not to store covers the full set of banned and risky items.

Working out what the gap will cost

Because terms are monthly, it is easy to cost a move in advance. Taking our weekly prices over a year and dividing by twelve, the 150 sq ft unit at £65 a week works out at about £282 a month, and the 180 sq ft unit at £78 a week about £338 a month. A two-month gap in the 150 would cost about £563, with the first week free if you pre-booked.

Remember the deposit too. It equals one month's rent and is paid at the start along with the first month in advance, so you need that sum available on the day you move in.

Weigh that against the alternatives: a larger removal van kept for longer, paying a removal firm to hold goods, or squeezing everything into a relative's garage. Our storage unit vs garage comparison looks at that trade-off more closely.

Moving-day checklist for the unit

1. Bring your paperworkTo start renting you will need one month's rent in advance, a security deposit equal to one month's rent, valid government-issued photo ID and a signed Direct Debit mandate. Sort this before moving day so loading is not held up.
2. Bring a padlockA good-quality padlock is worth the money. Our security tips page explains what to look for.
3. Load big items firstFurniture to the back, boxes in stable stacks, essentials at the front.
4. Photograph the layoutA quick photo of the loaded unit helps you remember where things went.
5. Check your insuranceAsk your home contents insurer whether goods in storage are covered while you are between homes.

See storage security tips and the storage insurance guide for more.

Questions

Prices are subject to availability. Minimum rental term: one month, then one month’s notice to leave. Electricity usage is charged separately at the supplier rate, with no markup. Business use needs prior approval. Car storage is not permitted.