Did you know that 1 out of every 10 American households rents a storage unit? There are a lot of reasons to rent self storage units, whether as a step in the moving process or as a long-term storage solution.

No matter what your reasoning, the last thing you want to do is spend more money than necessary on storage.

Let’s take a look at 7 smart ways you can save money when it comes time to rent a self storage unit.

1. Be as Organized as Possible

If you don’t take the time to organize personal items before throwing them in storage, you’re likely going to be paying to store things you don’t want and don’t care about.

Also, if your possessions are in chaos, it’s far more likely that you’ll put something in storage that you actually actively need. Save yourself the time and headache of driving back and forth to your storage unit. Getting organized can be a chore, but in the end, you’ll have bought yourself a lot of peace of mind.

2. Get Rid of Everything You Don’t Need

Before moving a bunch of stuff to a storage unit, go through everything. What do you really need? What have you been holding onto for decades but haven’t actually touched in years?

Take this opportunity to have a garage sale or make a donation to a thrift store or charity.

Once you’ve done this, you might find that you have far less stuff to put in storage than you thought.

3. Rent the Smallest Storage Unit You Can Get Away With

If you’re going to be renting long-term storage and you’re not planning on accessing it regularly, you can get away with renting a smaller unit. When you don’t have to keep going into your unit, it’s less important to leave aisle space to access your items. Even if this is your plan, though, you’ll still want to make sure you put the items you’re most likely to need closest to the door.

Don’t just rent any old storage unit. When choosing self storage units, it’s worth taking the time to figure out just how small of a space you can comfortably get away with.

4. Pack as Efficiently as Possible

It’s amazing how much extra space can be taken up with inefficient packing.

If you’ve ever watched professional movers packing up a room, you know the power of proper packing for condensing items. You’ll save money by renting a smaller unit if you take the time to pack as efficiently as possible.

Not only will it take up less space in the storage unit, but this will also mean you won’t need as big of a truck to make the move. It also means fewer boxes to carry! Cut yourself a break in more ways than one and don’t skimp on learning techniques for packing and keeping your unit organized.

5. Find Somewhere Else to Store Bulky Items

Having a couple of big furniture pieces can really cost you in storage. Consider asking a close friend or a family member if you can leave your sofa or bookshelf in their garage. You may even be able to lend the items to a local institution for a period of time.

Even if it seems fair to throw your sister or best friend a few bucks for the inconvenience, an arrangement like this can really save you some money. By doing this, you can leave the storage unit space to more compact items like clothes, books, and smaller personal items.

6. Share Space With Someone You Trust

While it’s great to get the smallest storage unit possible, you get the best deal per square foot for a larger unit.

If you have a close friend or a family member that you can trust and who also has storage needs, it can be a great deal to split a unit with them. This could save you as much as 25-50% off of your storage unit rent.

7. Take Advantage of Discounts

Keep an eye out for discounts and promotions offered by self-storage companies. It never hurts to ask a company if they offer any discounts, even if you didn’t see one advertised.

Deals of this nature can save you anywhere from 10-25% off of the standard storage unit price, and sometimes the promotion includes several months of free rent.

Many people don’t realize that it’s possible to negotiate reduced storage rental fees with some facilities. Owners and managers of storage units might be willing to give you a deal, particularly if you’re able to commit to a longer-term contract. If you are one of the one-third of renters that will keep their storage units for 2+ years, negotiating the fees is definitely worth a shot.

Depending on how long you’re planning on having stuff in storage, this can save you quite a bit of money over time.

Saving Money on Long-Term Self Storage Units is Worth the Time and Effort

If you’re just putting a few pieces in a unit for a month in between apartments, maybe it’s not worth the effort to run around and try to save a few bucks.

On the other hand, if you’re going to have quite a bit of stuff in storage for the foreseeable future, it’s definitely worth trying to save where you can. Monthly storage fees can add up, and you’ll feel foolish if you’re paying to store stuff that you don’t want or stuff that’s inefficiently organized.

No matter how big or tiny your storage unit is, you’re going to want to make sure your stuff is insured. Get a free quote today to find out how you can insure your self storage contents!