If you've found yourself in a position where you're considering renting out a self-storage unit, the next question you need to ask yourself is how much self-storage space do you actually need?
Whether you're going through a house move or decluttering, are a student moving back home from university, or you need somewhere to keep your business inventory – there's a ton of reasons why people need self-storage. Storage units come in various sizes, from small lockers to huge rooms. It's wise to figure out how much storage you need beforehand to avoid renting too much or too little space.
Before you start looking for a storage unit, take some time to work out exactly how much stuff you have that needs storing. It helps to look at everything you want to put in storage once it has been organised and packed away, not when it is all spread out.
For example, let's say you're a student and need somewhere to keep your belongings outside of university term time. Pack up what you can in your room first, and you'll soon see that the physical space your things take up is far less than it was when everything was out in your room. This will help you make a more informed decision when choosing self storage unit sizes.
Make an inventory of everything you want to put in self-storage – this way, you're less likely to forget about something, and it can be used as a reference if you're going to discuss your storage needs with the staff at the self-storage site. Making a list is also a great way to keep track of all your belongings whilst they are being moved between locations.
If you're able to organise everything you want to put in storage into a pile or stack, you can measure the stack to determine how much space you're going to need. You can measure both the square footage and the cubic footage:
This method is great if you're storing boxes of things that are easily stackable and measurable. If you've got bulky, oddly shaped items like pieces of furniture, and you're struggling to visualise how they will fit into your storage unit, try measuring the items individually.
You can always take your measurements to our teams at one of our storage facilities, where they will be more than happy to advise on what size unit you need.
So, you've got your measurements – but how do we match those to the size of the storage unit you need? Ideally, you want to get a great balance between efficiently using the space to save you money but you also need enough to store your items safely; after all, if you have a box that can’t be stacked, you’ll need extra space.
However, you might be surprised by just how much space you get with our storage units; for example, below is a before-and-after image of one of our smaller units to give you a sense of what you’ll find.
Here's a quick summary of our most popular sizes of storage units and some examples of what size and amount of items would typically be stored in them.
This compact storage locker is ideal for storing small overflow items you want occasional access to. The lockers are big enough to store about 12 small boxes or 10 archive boxes. That is similar to what you could fit in the boot of a small car.
For example, regarding student storage in Dundee, Glasgow, or Edinburgh, this unit is perfect for stashing extra belongings that won’t fit in their university accommodation. It’s great for storing items like textbooks, a small suitcase of off-season clothing, or even musical instruments.
For those moving home, it’s an ideal spot to temporarily keep fragile or valuable items like photo albums, important documents, or electronics such as backup disks. Landlords can use this space to securely store keys, legal documents, small maintenance tools, or a few pieces of spare décor like cushions or small appliances.
This unit can accommodate items equivalent to what you'd fit in a small transit van or garden shed. Roughly around 50 boxes on average. It’s perfect for storing seasonal items, such as Christmas decorations, summer garden furniture, or lawn care equipment.
For students, this is a great space for storing larger items during the summer break, like a bicycle, a mini-fridge, or a couple of boxes of kitchen utensils and bedding.
Those moving home can use this unit to hold boxes of kitchenware, small furniture pieces like chairs or coffee tables, or even outdoor equipment like a BBQ set or sports gear. Landlords can utilise this space to store maintenance equipment, spare furnishings like lamps or side tables, or a selection of appliances for future tenants.
This choice offer is what you want to pick for long-term storage as they have enough room to store larger, bulkier items or the contents of a small flat. Think of half the size of a typical single garage that could store the contents of a large Transit van or around 150 boxes.
For students, this size is ideal for keeping furniture like a bed frame, mattress, desk, and a couple of chairs alongside boxes of clothes, books, and personal items over the summer.
For people moving home, this unit can temporarily hold larger furniture pieces like sofas, wardrobes, or dining tables while you redecorate or wait for your new place to be ready. It’s also a practical option for landlords needing to store complete room furnishings, spare appliances like a washing machine, or even several boxes of paperwork and files.
These units are the size of a roomy single garage, which feels like the full contents of two Transit vans or a medium-sized removal van. It would take around 200 boxes to fill this space. If you're a student with large furniture or multiple boxes of possessions that won’t fit in your accommodation during term breaks, this unit is perfect.
For people moving house, it offers ample space for storing the contents of a one- or two-bedroom flat, including beds, sofas, large appliances like fridges, and plenty of boxes. Additionally, landlords might find this size useful for storing multiple sets of furniture from a property undergoing renovations, bikes, seasonal furnishings like patio furniture, or even equipment for property maintenance.
This unit is nearly the size of a double garage and can take the full contents of a large removal van or an average of 300 boxes. It can hold large furniture items like beds, wardrobes, dining sets, and several appliances. For students moving between accommodations, this space is perfect for storing nearly everything from a shared flat, including multiple beds, desks, sofas, and kitchen appliances. Landlords can use this unit to store entire sets of household furniture and spare white goods or even to hold stock of items like carpets, curtains, or replacement kitchen fittings for multiple properties.
These units are spacious enough to hold the contents of a typical double garage. It can take the full contents of a large removal van or the average equivalent of 400 boxes. These are the most popular choices for families during a move as you get all the space you could need and get to avoid stacking if you want. You can store everything from large furniture sets to multiple appliances, along with numerous boxes of personal items and décor.
For landlords, this size is ideal for storing large amounts of stock, whether it’s extra furnishings for multiple properties, archived paperwork, or even bulky items like construction materials or commercial-grade appliances. Students involved in end-of-year moves or international study, perhaps transitioning between university accommodation and home, will find ample space to store all their possessions, including large furniture, sports equipment, and multiple boxes of personal items.
These are just a handful of popular storage unit sizes – here at Kangaroo, we have everything in between, all the way up to 500 ft2 Units. Knowing what size unit you need, will save you money and a lot of stress when the time comes to move items into your unit.
We hope you found this information useful. Of course, if you're still scratching your head over which unit is suitable for you, give us a call on 08000 121528 or fill out our enquiry form for honest, straightforward self-storage advice. You're bound to find one local to you as we have many storage facilities to choose from or a nationwide network, including:
