Choosing the right storage for your needs is crucial, and this includes the length of time that you will need it for. Generally speaking, this will be determined by the types of items you intend to store, and the reason.

Whether you’re a business owner or looking for personal storage, there are a lot of different aspects to consider. This article analyses the uses and best practices for long term storage.

Difference Between Long-Term and Short-Term Storage

When it comes to self-storage, understanding the differences between long-term and short-term storage can help you choose the option that best fits your needs. While they’re pretty similar, outside of the time a lot of the differences lie in the purpose of the storage.

So what are the differences?

How long the storage is used

Short-Term Storage is typically used from a few days to a few months. This type of storage is ideal for temporary needs such as during a move, or while decluttering your home.

Long-Term Storage on the other-hand, is designed for extended periods, usually beyond six months and up to several years. This option is suitable for storing items that you don’t need access to on a daily basis but still want to keep safe.

The Purpose

Short-Term Storage in this instance include moving to a new home, temporary storage during renovations, or storing items for a short-term project.

Long-Term Storage is generally used for more permanent or semi-permanent needs. This includes storing family heirlooms, business inventory, long-term travel, or keeping seasonal decorations that you won’t need for several months.

Storage Unit Features

Short-Term Storage may have shorter contracts and easy access. Features might include drive-up access for convenience and standard storage units.

Long-Term Storage usually involves longer lease agreements and might offer features like climate control for sensitive items, higher security measures.

Why people choose to use long-term storage

There are many reasons why individuals and businesses might opt for long-term storage solutions. For example, People often choose long-term storage when downsizing their home or moving to a new location, especially if they’re unsure about what to keep or if their new home has less space. Some other reasons include:

• Travelling
• Relocating
• Storing seasonal items
• Storing inventory (businesses)
• Preserving items
• Decluttering

Choosing the right type of storage depends on your specific needs and circumstances, but you might also be wondering, what sort of things people store in long term storage, and if that differs to short term.

Common items stored long term

There are a range of different belongings and items that people may choose to store long-term, and while these might not differ massively from short term storage, there are some that have more of a need for longer storage solutions. For example, if you intend to go travelling for a year or two, storing large pieces of furniture won’t be ideal at a family or friends house. Here is a list of some items we see placed in storage for longer periods of time.

Furniture: Regardless of your reason for needing to store your furniture, this is one of the most common belongings we see stored. Storing it for longer periods of times helps as furniture can often be big, and difficult to store elsewhere.

Seasonal belongings: People and businesses might often store items that are specific to seasons, such as office Christmas decorations, or outdoor furniture for the summer.

Business inventory: This can range anywhere from spare office chairs, to a tradesman tools.

So, what are some belongings you might not want to store long term?

Food: We’re sure you could have guessed this one, but simply put, outside of the obvious expiration dates, storing food also attracts insects and rodents (pests), while there might be some food you can store like sealed tins, you should speak with your storage unit provider, as a majority of storage businesses don’t allow individuals to store food.

Plants: Once again by storing plants you’re at risk of attracting insects, but outside of this they require regular maintenance and likely won’t survive in storage long term (unless it’s a very hardy plant like a cactus)

Electronics: these belongings are put in storage very often, usually during moves and decluttering. The problem lies in their requirements, extra care needs to be taken to ensure they are packed in a way that won’t cause them damage, whether from the elements or simply from time. Afterall, electronics are not designed to sit unused without power, and might not last for months on end.

Items with specific requirements: This includes, wine, art, books. All of these items have specific ways that they need to be stored, for example for an art collector you’d need to consider, what materials you’re packing it in to let it ‘breathe’, and even the climate. If you want these items to last long term, either more steps need to be taken for preparation, or you need to consider other options.

Best Practices for Long Term Storage

When it comes to choosing long term storage, there are a few more considerations than that of short term, or temporary storage options. For one, there are a few more limitations on what you can and can’t pack, and there are some more preparations that need to be made to get the most out of your storage solution.

Clean your items before packing

With items going into storage for an extended period of time one thing we recommend you do is to clean your items before packing. The reason for this is Items that are stored clean are more likely to remain in good condition as dust, and grime can degrade materials over time. This also removes the hassle of the eventual removal of your items not needing to be cleaned. Not only will cleaning before packing remove the hassle of any retrieval of items, it also helps people to have some peace of mind that their things are well-kept, and not sat in the same condition (however bad that is) they were packed in.

Careful Packing

Pack very carefully and be organised (label, bubble wrap etc) This is a point we mention a lot, but that’s because it’s such a big part of storing your items. What careful packing ultimately comes down to is creating a system that makes your life easier both now and when you need to retrieve your items later.

• Lists
• Labelling
• Wrapping belongings
• Boxes

Start with lists. Making an inventory of everything you’re storing helps keep track of your belongings. It might seem tedious at first, but it’s invaluable when you’re trying to remember whether you packed that extra blanket or where you put the holiday decorations. Detailed lists save you time and stress, ensuring you know exactly what you have and where it is.

Next, move on to labelling. Clearly labelling each box with its contents and the room it belongs to will make a world of difference. Use a permanent marker to write directly on the box or, better yet, use printed labels!

Bonus tip: For added organisation, consider colour-coding your labels based on categories or rooms. This small step pays off big time when you’re trying to find specific items in a sea of brown boxes.

Wrapping your belongings is another crucial step. Fragile items need extra care, so wrap them in bubble wrap, packing paper, or even soft linens to protect them from breakage. Seal your boxes tightly with packing tape to keep out dust, moisture, and pests. This not only protects your items but also keeps them clean and ready to use when you retrieve them. Choosing the right boxes is also key. Use sturdy, high-quality boxes to ensure they can handle the weight and stacking that comes with storage. Opt for smaller boxes for heavy items like books, and larger ones for lighter, bulkier items like blankets and pillows. This makes handling and stacking easier and prevents your boxes from collapsing under the weight.

You can also use container bins in order to pack things, we recommend you mix up your boxes depending on your belongings. Heavy belongings might be better in plastic container bins over cardboard boxes.

Vacuum Seal Your Belongings

Assuming you might have a few bags to go into your storage, we recommend you switch them out for vacuum sealed bags ; Vacuum sealing your belongings is a game-changer for long-term storage, offering both protection and additional space. By removing the air from the bags, you not only compress bulky items like clothing, bedding, and blankets but also shield them from potential damage caused by moisture, and dust. This method can help to prevent mould. Plus, vacuum-sealed bags are stackable and take up less room, making it easier to organise your storage space. It’s a simple yet effective way to keep your belongings in top condition.

Regular visits and maintenance

Having regular visits and performing maintenance tasks in your storage unit is crucial for keeping your belongings in top condition over time. For example, you might schedule check-ins every few months that allows you to inspect your items for any signs of damage, so you can take action before those small issues become major problems. During these visits, one thing you can do is to rotate your items. By moving boxes and containers around, you avoid creating musty, stagnant areas, but also for moving around and distributing weight, which can help avoid warping or damaging of cardboard boxes (if you have stacked heavy belongings) that might otherwise bear too much load for extended periods.

Final Thoughts

Long term storage has a range of uses, from being ideal for business inventory to helping people store their seasonal belongings. While there are a few aspects to consider when it comes to storing your belongings long term, as long as you know the best practices for long term storage it should be very beneficial for you.