A good rule of thumb is to store the pieces you’ll want again and that would cost more to replace than to keep, and to sell or give away the ones that are easy to replace. If you’re not sure yet, storing for a few months can give you breathing space to decide without rushing it.
A few questions for each piece
Deciding what to keep is often harder than the move itself, especially when you’re downsizing or clearing a family home. Taking one piece at a time helps:
- Will I use it again, and roughly when? If you can picture where it will go next, keeping it makes sense.
- What would it cost to buy again? A good sofa or a solid wood wardrobe can cost far more to replace than to store for a while. Flat-pack is often cheaper to buy new.
- Will it fit my next home? Measure before you decide, so you don’t store something that will never have a place.
- Could someone else enjoy it now? Furniture in good condition can make a real difference to a local family or charity.
If you store it
Our minimum stay is two weeks and notice to leave is normally 14 days, so you can store while you decide and give notice whenever you’re ready. It’s worth putting a review date in your diary, say three or six months ahead. Our prices page explains what storage costs. To see what keeping it would cost, get a price online and set that against the cost of buying again. Our room-by-room size guide helps you pick the right size, and our furniture storage tips help it stay in good condition.
If you give it away
Charities such as the British Heart Foundation collect furniture for free in many areas. They can only take pieces they can sell, so check that items are clean and complete, and that sofas, mattresses and upholstered chairs still have their fire safety label attached. Local reuse projects are another good home for furniture. If the environmental side of that choice matters to you, whether self storage is bad for the environment has its own answer.
If nobody can use it
Your local council can usually collect bulky items, often for a fee; search your council’s website for “bulky waste”. If you pay a private firm instead, ask for their waste carrier registration so you know it will be disposed of properly.
Clearing out a unit you already have
Our sites don’t have bins, so book the charity collection or tip run for before your last day, and leave the unit clean and empty when you go.
Whatever you decide, we’re happy to help you work out the size and cost. Call us on 0800 2545585 or get a price online.
Related questions
- How much does it cost to store furniture?
- Should I put things into storage before a house clearance?
- Is there a rubbish bin at storage sites?
Further reading