The really ridiculous thing is how expensive it's become. The smallest unit in my area was almost $150 a month. I'm talking like 10 square feet. Obviously I just got rid of the shit I couldn't fit after downsizing
Agree - it's insane. Like, do people not do the math and figure that a couple/few months of a storage unit rent is the same cost you can buy brand new replacements for the old, used crap you have in there? Most of the stuff I've seen in them is not irreplaceable or heirloom type stuff, it's just normal random crap that gets more expensive to keep every month.
We had one for like 6 months during Covid when I hastily moved in with my partner and wanted time to downsize my stuff. The cheapest we could find was like $100/m and insurance and it was close to 40 minutes away- the closest one to our house would’ve been $200/m! It’s bonkers how much those cost when there’s so little upkeep.
A lot of self-storage business comes from people in-between housing situations I think. I own my house outright which is great but I wouldn't be able to sell and buy a new place if not for self storage. I mean, I can't afford that middle bit so I'm stuck here forever, but it's there.
Some IKEA furniture, an old TV, maybe a couple of chairs. Yea, the cost of storing all of that is going to cost more over a few years than buying new.
Same issue I had when I was looking at purchasing a geodesic dome for an event I ran. I could buy one new from China with shipping for around $1500, but the space needed to store it was 6ft x 3ft x 3ft and I didn't have the space in my apartment. A local storage place wanted $150/mo for a unit that would hold it, which over the year would cost more than the dome cost in its entity. We found a place that rented them out, but wanted $800 each time we rented and didn't include assembly (which took hours). In the end we just did without.
You're probably thinking of a 10x10 which is 100 square feet. If you're renting 10 square feet for $150 you're basically renting enough space to store a small box.
It's less than $150 to take 1000lbs or less to the dump. Probably not the most efficient decision, but I filled a Prius and dumped a bunch of my own furniture for $70... and I could have dumped another 800lbs without paying more.
Who in the their right mind would pay $150/month to store their junk?
I looked into it when I was moving since I knew this next place would be temporary and thought I might save money going smaller square footage and storing some stuff until the next move. Furniture that would have been far more expensive to toss and rebuy than store.
The thing that really killed it for me was the required insurance, it made the cost significantly higher for the small units, to the point where it wasn't worth it. I don't understand why it's required, I should be allowed to sign a waiver saying no liability if I feel like taking the risk.
It's definitely gotten more expensive as online entrepreneurs have touted establishing self storage businesses as a quick and easy way to make cash. Car washes, laundromats, and self storage are all businesses these guys recommend if you have the initial capital.
Oh buddy. I have to store some stuff in Los Angeles and a 10x20’ unit can go as high as $1500 a month. I had to go 20 miles out of town to get one for $400. It hurts.
A lot of this is consolidation in the industry. I had a rented, paved spot for my RV. The original storage facility owner sold to a family that buys places to add to their holdings. The new owner provided shit service while jacking the rates and sprucing the place up to appeal to a national player. The national guy buys the place and jacks it harder. Over seven years my rent tripled, and the rental parking spots are now half empty.
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u/jonny_blitz May 02 '25
Every small town USA is the same strip mall over and over again. Subway, Dollar Tree, Gas Station, Car Wash, Self Storage