Self storage is used by many different types of people for many different reasons. Self storage can make a house move or house renovations easier. It can be the perfect place to store business stock or equipment. It is excellent for giving peace of mind if you decide to go travelling for a few months/years and need a secure place to store your belongings. Self storage will help with all of this and much more. 

Over the years there has been a growing need for self storage. The pandemic put a lot of things into focus for people, leading more people to head off travelling or to downsize in order to have extra money to do the things they enjoy. The past few years have put it into stark reality that life is short and we do not know what is around the corner so we must strive to live a happy, fulfilling life, in whatever way that looks for each of us. 

When it comes to choosing self storage solutions you will have to make some decisions, in particular, do you need short-term or long-term storage?

Within this article we are going to discuss both short-term and long-term storage to help you figure out where you stand within the short-term vs long-term debate.

Understanding Short-Term Storage

Short-term storage is typically defined as anything less than 3 months. It is often used by people when they are moving house, redecorating their current home or when their children are coming home from university for the long summer holiday. It is an affordable and efficient way in which to keep your belongings safe for a short period of time. 

The Ins & Outs of Long-Term Storage

Long term storage is typically defined as the use of a storage space for anything more than 3 months. Long term storage is often used by businesses for storing stock, equipment or documents but it does also have many domestic uses. Many people use long term storage in order to store seasonal clothing, sports equipment etc. or whilst they are travelling for an extended period. 

Cost Considerations: Short-Term vs Long-Term

Depending on what company you go to for your storage, long-term storage can come with a large and immediate price tag. Some companies want customers to pay upfront for their long-term rental period which will be a hefty amount of money and may limit your ability to leave your unit early, if you ever need to. 

Short-term storage can be deemed more cost-effective as you will only be paying for a short period of time. 

When looking into short-term vs long-term storage, you could look at the pricing of each and figure out what works for your storage needs but also your finances. The better thing to do will be to look for self storage companies which offer flexible rental agreements. Flexible rental agreements allow you to upgrade or downgrade your storage, if or when you need to. They will also allow you to leave your unit before your rental period has expired. 

At Cinch Self Storage, we only offer flexible rental agreements, allowing our short-term and long-term storage to work with our customers and their changing needs. If you do want to leave your unit before your rental period has expired, we just need 14 days notice. 

Size and Accessibility Needs

When it comes to short-term vs long-term storage, you will also want to consider what size unit will work best for you. This can also determine how long a rental period you sign up for because as the size of the unit increases so too will the rental price. At Cinch Self Storage we have a variety of units in a range of sizes. Please find your local store on our website to find the unit sizes we have available. 

With our units, whether you decide to go for short-term or long-term storage, your ability to access your unit will stay the same. Within some of our stores we do offer extended opening hours of 6am to 11pm. Please check our website to see if your local store has these extended opening hours. 

Security & Protection Features

Short-term vs long-term storage decisions cannot be made on the basis of security because, along with our accessibility being the same, all of our units are fitted with the same security features.

Every one of our units is equipped with an intruder alarm and smoke and fire detection systems. There is 24/7 CCTV surveillance around all of our facilities. No matter what length of rental period you go for, your belongings will be safe and secure within our self storage units.

Short-Term vs Long Term Storage

If you choose the right self storage company, short-term vs long-term storage really won’t come down to much. With the right storage company, even if you sign a long-term rental agreement, this will not mean a large chunk of money needing to be paid immediately and it will not mean you are stuck paying for a unit you know longer need. All good storage companies will offer monthly payment options and flexible rental agreements. And the security for both short-term and long-term storage should always be the same. Whether you are using a storage company for a month or three years, you should know that your belongings are secure.

What the short-term vs long-term storage debate really comes down to is your personal or business needs. You need to consider these carefully and evaluate what length of rental period will really work for you. 

And then find a storage company that can offer you that plus affordability, security and flexibility. We promise that we will offer you all of that.

If you would like to know more about the short-term and long-term storage we have on offer, please click here to find your local store.