Do places exist that offer *small* storage options?

May 20, 2016 1:09 AM

I live in Los Angeles and there are a ton of businesses that offer storage here but I have yet to find any that offer anything smaller than a 4x4x~12. The amount of actual stuff I need to store is a fraction of that and I can't seem to find something where I'm not going to be paying for a bunch of space I won't use. So what are my options?

I've considered sharing the unit with someone else but I'd rather not depend on someone else's ability to be responsible and respectful with stuff. Leaving this stuff with family or friends isn't really an option (nobody really has space). I've found a couple of services that will take your stuff, lock it up in a box, and put it in a warehouse but I need to be able to access my things.

posted by Socinus to Work & Money (7 answers total)

Try searching for "mini storage."
posted by xyzzy at 1:56 AM on May 20, 2016 [1 favorite]

Mini-Storage is good, also it's pretty cheap. So even if you don't need a whole bunch of space, just get the smallest they have, put your stuff in it, and move on.

Pick one that's air conditioned, and that's close to you. Buy the insurance!
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 3:45 AM on May 20, 2016 [1 favorite]

How much stuff, exactly? Safe deposit boxes are like $40/year.
posted by rabbitrabbit at 4:35 AM on May 20, 2016 [3 favorites]

Try adding "locker" to your search? That helps me find units down to 2x2 near-ish to me. But FWIW around here at least a 5x5x4 only costs a few dollars a month less than a 4x4x12, so although you would be paying for extra space, you wouldn't necessarily be paying as much as it seems for that extra space.
posted by mskyle at 6:27 AM on May 20, 2016

Depending on how long you'll be storing things, you might even be able to do it for nearly free -- a lot of storage facilities offer the first month's rent free/cheap. Check around for discounts.
posted by asperity at 7:46 AM on May 20, 2016

In Miami, we have a place called Stow Simple. I'm almost certain I found a similar place in LA when I was doing research, but that was a few weeks ago and I've forgotten. Maybe call them and ask what the industry term is for what they do?
posted by mrfuga0 at 8:35 AM on May 20, 2016

I've found a couple of services that will take your stuff, lock it up in a box, and put it in a warehouse but I need to be able to access my things.

Do you need to access your things 24/7?

I had a similar problem a few years ago. I'm not sure where you are, but I found a place called California Storage Masters in El Segundo, just on the other side of LAX. They do take your things and lock it away, but you can access it by calling a day ahead. They pull the container and when you're finished they put it back. I had the same sized container that's on the home page (the smallest) and while it was a lot bigger than I needed it was a fraction of the price of other storage places.

I can't recommend them enough. It's a family-run business so they were willing to be flexible about stuff once in a while. Plus, they are Great Dane people and there are usually a few lounging around the office or walking around the property with their people. (Coming from Santa Monica via Lincoln I almost never hit traffic during off-peak hours or weekends. Really!)
posted by Room 641-A at 4:03 PM on May 20, 2016