Everything in London costs more than it should, but storing furniture in London doesn’t always have to break the bank. With just a little research and forward-planning, you can get great value, flexible storage space that works for you.
Money-saving tips for London furniture storage
Here are just a few of the top tips you can use to bring the costs of storage down to a manageable level:
- Have a de-clutter before you store. If you don’t use or need it and are unlikely to in the future, is it worth paying to store it? If you can reduce the amount of stuff you need to store, you can choose a smaller unit and save money. You may even make some money from the sale of unwanted furniture which could pay for a month or two of storage.
- Think carefully about the size of unit you need. It’s not worth paying more for space you don’t need. It’s also a mistake to pay for a unit that’s too small and then have to upgrade to a bigger space. Do your calculations carefully so you’re only paying for what you use.
- Consider sharing a unit with a friend. If you each don’t have much to store, you could split the cost to make the unit more affordable.
- Sign up for a longer stay. Long-term storage, or even signing up for a longer term in self-store facilities, can often work out cheaper. Discounts are offered the longer you stay, so it could be a money-saver if you know you’ll need storage for a while.
- Consider disassembling items (if possible) to save space. Bulky pieces can be stored much more easily when they’re in bits, so you can fit more in your unit.
Beware of false economies
If a London furniture storage facility seems a bit too cheap, it’s worth checking whether it’s up to the job. For example, does it offer full insurance, and what’s the security like? Are the facilities suitable for furniture, particularly valuable or antique pieces? Can you access your unit 24/7 in a location that works for you? It would be a false economy indeed to save money on storage costs only for a valuable piece to be damaged.
How to get the most from London furniture storage
First of all, you need to decide whether you need self-store or long-term storage for your furniture. There are key differences between these two services. Self-store is simply a secure, clean and dry unit which you load and control access to. Long-term storage is managed by a specialist such as Kiwi Movers, where your property is stored in tamper-proof containers with 24/7 surveillance, digital inventory systems and fire protection in place.
It’s really important to choose storage facilities that are suitable for furniture, and to prepare pieces properly for storage. For example, before storing furniture in London you should:
- Take photos of any damage
- Wrap furniture
- Avoid cleaning furniture, as the moisture can turn to damp in a storage environment.
Kiwi Movers offers a range of fully secure, insured, accessible and convenient solutions for storing furniture in London. Call a project manager on 020 8877 9682* to talk about what you need.
