Storing a One-Bedroom Apartment's Contents

September 4, 2007 8:25 AM

How much space do I need to store the contents of a one-bedroom apartment, and should I fork over the extra cash for climate-control?

My graduate program has stuck me in a dorm for a year...ugh. Thus I need to store my apartment away until one becomes available at school.

In the meantime, how much self-storage space am I going to need?

Apparently "climate controlled storage" is all the rage now. Is this a waste of my money? Or an essential storage need?

posted by jefficator to Home & Garden (5 answers total)

Climate control: depends on what you're storing. If you're going to be storing artwork, computer equipment, or furniture that contains stuffing/padding, then I'd go climate-controlled.

...because mold/mildew sucks. It sucks even more when it's on everything you own.

The only way to really decide this is to look at what you intend to store, and what the weather in your area is normally like (year-round).
posted by aramaic at 8:34 AM on September 4, 2007

Climate control means that the space is heated during the cold and chilled during the heat, probably like your apartment is now. Un-climate controlled storage is the equivalent of a shed in someone's backyard (and may in fact be exactly that). Making the choice between them is a matter of knowing how durable your stored items are. My family kept large amounts of our stuff in storage (moving from a 5 bedroom house to a 3 ROOM apartment will do that...) and the only things that we paid to keep in climate controlled was the antique furniture. Everything else was just a regular unit.

How much space? Well, how big was the last vehicle you used to move? If it was a single moving truck, this should give you an excellent idea. (for comparison purposes, I live with my girlfriend in a 1 and 1/2 bedroom place, and my guess is that we would need a 10x15, possibly a 10x10 if we wanted to play tetris while we packed it)
posted by schwap23 at 8:39 AM on September 4, 2007

Response by poster: Thanks for the posts so far! The storage facility would be near my parents in Alabama--where the summer heat is unbearable. I won't store artwork or electronics, but stuffed furniture, yes.

I actually lived in a packed-to-the-gills studio apartment.
posted by jefficator at 8:50 AM on September 4, 2007

We stored a bunch of stuff in a climate-controlled storage space over the summers in North Carolina - I honestly can't imagine not storing my stuff in climate control in the south - I'm sure you know, real summertime heat like we've been having the last few weeks can melt nearly anything, and a few other things you didn't think of besides. I would go with climate control simply because I wouldn't want my couch to go all slimy.

Also, be sure the place is as clean as you can possibly imagine. Dirty=pests and also =pests probably in your furniture. Ew.
posted by Medieval Maven at 9:15 AM on September 4, 2007

Climate control also makes the storage more attractive to pests, by the way. Mice will seek heated buildings in winter, so if you go that route, make sure they have traps, bait, good doors, or whatever.

I just moved from an outdoor 10x15 uncontrolled unit to an indoor 10x20 climate-controlled, and went from $167/mo to $150/mo in the process. So prices vary, and climate control doesn't necessarily add a premium.

Ask around in the local area, as some places have "refer-a-friend" programs where somebody makes $100 or so on the deal. Split the difference and enjoy a nice dinner after moving day. :)
posted by Myself at 11:34 AM on September 4, 2007