With one child newly married and the other almost finished with college, Mike and Nancy Thompson finally had a bit of room to breathe. They no longer had the prospect of paying for college hanging over their head. Big expenses like new cars, insurance, and cell phone bills were gradually being transferred over to their children.
But during all those years of raising their children, there was one thing that always took a backseat—updating their home.
It was finally time to turn their 3-bedroom Tudor into a new kind of nest—one where they could have friends over for dinner in a dining room with French doors opening onto a new stone patio. One where the kitchen cabinets didn’t stick, the walls weren’t chipped with paint, and the carpet wasn’t faded from years of repetitive wear and tear.
They had the financing, they had a plan, but they also had a problem: What would they do with all of their belongings while they renovated?
Self Storage to the Rescue
After doing a bit of research, Mike and Nancy decided that the easiest, quickest, and safest way to get their renovation done on time was to rent a self storage unit. That way, they wouldn’t have to worry about paint getting on her living room sofas, her great-grandmother’s armoire getting scratched, or anything getting lost or misplaced.
What’s more, with most everything cleared out of the house, it would allow the renovation to proceed more smoothly and more quickly. And as an unexpected bonus, it gave them a chance to take inventory of everything they had and decide what to keep, what to sell and what to remain in storage for future use by their children.
This left only one thing to decide: What size unit did they need?
Storage Unit Size for Homeowners
Mike and Nancy sat down and made a list of everything they’d be moving into storage. Because they planned on having even their closets repainted, they truly planned on moving everything. Their plan was to keep just their bed and the clothing they needed, which they would move into another bedroom while theirs was redone. They’d set up a makeshift kitchen in the dining room with just a card table, fridge, and microwave. They’d be getting all new appliances in the home, as well as a new kitchen table and chairs – meaning all of their old furniture would need a new home.
Their list of things that needed to go into storage looked like this:
• Dining room table and chairs
• Two sofas, two armchairs, and an ottoman
• Leather sectional and coffee table
• Entertainment center
• Antique armoire
• Two televisions
• One bed and dresser
• 10 boxes of clothing
• 12 boxes of household goods
By looking at a storage unit size guide, they decided on renting an extra-large storage unit that was about 300 square feet. Although they could possibly have squeezed into one size smaller, they knew they’d only need the unit for a few months—and appreciated having the extra wiggle room to go through all of their belongings.
Mike and Nancy’s story ended with a beautifully renovated new home—and the happy news that their married daughter was expecting. That meant they had just one more project to do: Get a nursery ready for their new grandbaby.
About StorageMart
This story is just one example of the many reasons people turn to StorageMart during home renovations. At StorageMart, all of our units can be rented on a month-to-month basis—and they’re always clean, well-lit, and easy to use. Need more info? Learn how easy it is to rent a unit online today.