How to pick the right storage unit size

The single most common storage mistake is guessing on size — renters either overpay for a unit twice as big as they need, or underestimate and end up stacking boxes to the ceiling. A few minutes of planning fixes both.

Start with what you're actually storing

Walk through each room and make a rough list: furniture pieces, appliances, boxes. You don't need exact counts — just enough to know whether you're storing the contents of a closet, a bedroom, or a whole house.

Match it to a size range

A 5×5 unit holds the contents of a small closet — seasonal items, a few boxes, sports gear. A 5×10 fits a studio or one bedroom's worth of furniture and boxes. A 10×10 comfortably holds a one- or two-bedroom apartment, including a couch, bed frame, and appliances. A 10×20 is closer to a two-car garage — enough for a three- or four-bedroom house or a vehicle plus household goods.

Leave room to move

Whatever size you land on, don't plan to fill it edge to edge. Leaving an aisle down the middle means you can actually get to the box you need in month three, instead of unpacking half the unit to find it.

When in doubt, size up slightly

The price difference between adjacent sizes is usually small relative to the cost of renting a second unit later, or the hassle of a mid-lease upsize. If your list is right on the line between two sizes, the larger one is almost always the better call.