BellaOnline Forums Home and Garden Organization Storage Units: What's Your Take?

Hi everyone,

My latest article is a challenge to reconsider rented storage units: are they really necessary, or are they simply a way of wasting money that could be much better spent (or saved) elsewhere?

Read the article here: Reconsidering Storage Units.

And then let me know what you think. Do you have a storage unit? Is it honestly useful to you, or is it a place where stuff you don't necessarily want or need goes to die (or at least to sit in limbo for a long time)?

If you didn't have a storage unit to pay for, how would you use the money you currently have to shell out for rent?

I look forward to hearing your thoughts and perspectives!

Best,
Emily

I can definitely understand having a storage unit if you move into a smaller apartment temporarily. This lets you make it through the transition period smoothly.

Also if you have a hobby with large items - say a kayak or motorcycle - I can see having one as a "garage". That way you can enjoy your hobby without having a kayak in the middle of your living room.

I personally have never owned a storage unit though. I've been lucky enough to always have hobbies with relatively small items involved

I, on the other hand, have ALWAYS had storage units. Usually multiple ones in different states. It's kinda ridiculous. But I have moved over 90 times and quite often didn't move into a new place - ie: living in an apartment, then getting a job as a wilderness leader in another part of the country and living in my truck for a season...then staying with the parents for a few months after the gig was up, followed by another apartment somewhere nowhere NEAR my storage...

My life has been weird. :-p

I have storage out in AZ from when I lived there that's been sitting for YEARS. And now i have a new one in CA from downsizing into an RV.

I want to move the AZ one into the CA one and eventually get rid of most of the stuff in it. But i fear this will take a long time. I am in no hurry to go in and mess with my stuff - it's the opposite of a good time.

I think a garage sale would be a good idea, but am not sure it will be worth the effort. It will end up being a long, frustrating process. I should just keep the valuables and donate the rest to Goodwill. What do people think?

I understand that it will be incredibly stressful for you to deal with. Dragging everything out and managing a big garage sale also sounds stressful.

If it was me, here is what I would do.

I'd go up to the storage unit and take out the 10 coolest things that I thought other people would really treasure - special gifts to send out into the world as a thanks for having such a cool RV. You want to give karma back to the universe.

Take pictures of each one. Then put each one on CraigsList at whatever price you think is fair and let people come to you to take them. When each person shows up, think of it as a "giving ceremony" - like what heifer.org does when they pass a gift of an animal from one person to another. You are sharing the wealth and helping a new person achieve their dreams.

That way it's not about dealing with clutter or negative stuff. It is about just ten items - ten special items - that you are sending out to new wonderful homes.

I like that! Thank you. I can't have people come to the RV parks - they would not be allowed in - but I can see if my mom or sister would be willing to hold onto the stuff for me and let people come take them.

Hmmm. Yes, so pictures of the things and only ten things...that sounds manageable.

Storage units have been a bane of my days for so long that it's really quite a comfortable rut. When I have them all cleared out, I will have to really celebrate with something amazing.

Ah ok that's interesting, I was thinking that people coming to you would make it very easy on you. I didn't realize they were so secure in an RV park!

Yes maybe one of your relatives could handle the transactions!

It depends on the RV parks. My membership parks that I can use for free are all extremely secure - to the point where even friends/family have to pay a $5 day use fee just to get in and visit me.

But the For-pay ones (like the ones I will have to use in Flagstaff here) are different - not secure, people can drive in and park wherever. So i think using Craigslist while I am here can work.



This is an excellent idea. I will have to look at my storage stuff tomorrow after a good night's sleep and think this through.

Oh, and I will have to get some kind of roof rack for my kayaks before I leave Flagstaff. That will be about a hundred plus tax and install for an RV roof rack, so not sure it's worth it at this time. A roof rack on my car, esp bought on Craigslist, would be cheaper, but then I would have a kayak on the roof everywhere I went.

Perhaps I should consider selling my kayaks and buy a 'new' used one when I am more settled or have more cash flow.

Which idea seems best?

I would sell them for now. You can get a perfect one for you later. Kayak technology keeps improving and once all your money flows start to kick in in a few months you could get one you've always dreamed of! Don't deal with the hassle of maintaining one / carrying one for now.

Unless some of the campgrounds you are planning on going to have some wicked rapids nearby and you plan on doing kayaking. I know how active you are. If ther are just going to sit on top - yeah, get a better one later!