Storing an entire home for several months?

RJ31205

Has anyone done this? We're in the process of trying to sell our home. We received an offer this weekend. If everything goes smoothly, we could be homeless in less than a month. Our plan is to live with my parents for a few months to save up a decent down payment on our next home (we haven't found one yet). But, that means we have to store everything from our 1600 sq ft home for several months!

 I'm looking at just regular public storage and also Pods, but I'm finding the Pods to be SUPER expensive. Has anyone used them? Or is there another option similar to it? Seems like I remember hearing about another company similar to it, but I can't for the life of me remember the name. Obviously, it's going to cost us a pretty penny to store this much for so long, but we're trying to keep it at a minimum. Likely it'd just be for about 3-4 months, maybe less maybe more.. hard to say... Any suggestions? I'm starting to freak out about so many things and I'm trying to at least keep this one thing below "freak-out" level Thanks!

CoolMoD

We looked into regular storage as well as PODS and PackRat, plus one other company like them that I can't recall the name of.  PackRat, in our area at least, turned out to be the least expensive option, and it meant we only really had to "move" once, since they'll bring it to you at your new place.

sarahbear

All of my mom's stuff has been in a regular storage unit for almost 6 months. She has the largest unit possible, and one of the small units for left over boxes we couldn't fit. She sold her house and is in escrow for a condo (down sizing her). The unit was close to her place, so it didn't take long to drive and she checks on it once a month.

erininhawaii

We just had our stuff packed up last week to be stored for a year while DH is in the Middle East and I go to the East Coast for work training. We're lucky in that our jobs paid for the move and storage costs.

In your situation, I would go w/ PODS/Pack Rat service just out of convenience so you only have to pack and unpack once instead of packing a truck, bringing the boxes to storage, packing the storage unit, then doing the opposite when you move. ?

Mrs.PeachyKeen

We most likely will have to do this since we are moving across the country and will be building a house.  In addition to Pods and Packrat, we have these other companies on our list to contact.

upack.com

getasam.com

doortodoor.com

unitstorage.com

I don't have any experience with any of these companies though.

Sheluvsmuddin

Before getting married and moving into a tiny two bedroom basement thing with DH at MIL (while we paid off wedding and credit cards) I had to stick just about everything into storage. I found public storage unit and crammed everything I wouldn't need immediately into it. (You'd be suprised what you can live without... for going on 2 years now) It costs me about $70/month. Granted I did not have to store major furniture, but it did fit all the rest of my stuff, including an entertainment center, 2 complete twin beds with matress and box springs, all our wedding presants, a generator, a pull behind ATV cargo trailer. . . . . Heck I don't even remember what half the crap is in there.... LOL It is a 10x15 and it is packed to the roof. If you do decide to do a storage unit and can afford it pack the items to go on the bottom in totes, and wrag furniture in sheets and then in plastic, include cedar chips if you can. That has helped us not worry about moths and such bugs. Besides you wouldn't believe the dirt that gets in there. DIRTY! Then stack it logically, heavy stuff on the bottom, and less likely to be used at the back. Good Luck!