09 Aug When Your Spare Bedroom Becomes Your Most Expensive Storage Unit
Many of us have a spare bedroom that is no longer really a bedroom.
It starts with a few suitcases or boxes. Then come the Christmas decorations, old furniture, clothes, paperwork, children’s toys and things we might need one day. Before long, the room becomes somewhere we put things rather than somewhere we use.
Your spare bedroom may have quietly become a storage unit. The difference is that it could be the most expensive storage unit you will ever pay for.
What is your spare bedroom really costing you?
When we think about the cost of storage, we usually think about the monthly price of renting a storage unit. We rarely think about the value of the space we are already using for storage at home.
You are paying for every room in your property through your mortgage or rent. You are also heating, decorating and maintaining that space.
Research discussed by the Resolution Foundation found that more than two thirds of households have spare bedrooms. Yet having a spare bedroom does not always mean having useful extra living space. For many people, that room is too full of belongings to be used properly.
If one bedroom is filled with boxes and furniture, are you getting the full value from the home you are paying for?
Why do spare bedrooms become storage rooms?
Most spare rooms do not become cluttered overnight. It happens gradually as homes and lives change.
You may have moved house and never fully unpacked. Your children may have left home but left some of their belongings behind. You might be renovating, working from home or keeping furniture for a future move.
Some items may be seasonal. Others may have sentimental value. You may not use them every day but that does not mean you want to throw them away.
The problem is not necessarily owning these things. The problem is allowing them to take over a room that could be used for something else.
What could you do with the room instead?
Once the stored items have been removed, a spare bedroom can become useful again.
- A guest bedroom for friends and family
- A proper home office
- A hobby or craft room
- A home gym or exercise space
- A nursery or children’s playroom
- A quiet place to read or relax
- A dressing room
You may already have a plan for the room but feel unable to start because clearing it seems like such a large job.
Self storage gives you another option. You do not have to make rushed decisions about what to keep and what to throw away. You can move items into a secure unit and decide what to do with them later.
Is storing things at home really free?
Keeping everything at home can feel like the free option because there is no separate storage bill.
It is not always free when the space could be used for something more valuable.
You might be working at the kitchen table because your spare room is full. You may be paying for a gym membership because there is no space to exercise at home. Friends or relatives might need to stay in a hotel because you no longer have a usable guest room.
Some people even consider moving to a larger property because their current home feels too small. Moving house comes with estate agent fees, legal costs, removal costs and potentially a larger mortgage or higher rent.
A small storage unit may be a simpler and less expensive way to reclaim the room you already have.
The right comparison is not always self storage against free storage. It may be self storage against losing the use of a valuable room in your home.
How much self storage space would you need?
You may not need as much storage space as you think.
Boxes, suitcases and furniture can often be organised more efficiently inside a storage unit than they can in a spare bedroom. Shelving and careful stacking can also help you make better use of the available space.
Our self storage prices and size guide can help you estimate the unit size you may need. As a guide, a 25 sq ft unit can hold the contents of a standard garden shed.
It is worth making a list of everything in your spare room before choosing a unit. Group items into boxes where possible and measure any larger pieces of furniture.
If you are unsure, we can advise you on what you need to store and help you choose a suitable unit. This means you are not paying for more space than you need.
Can clutter affect how you feel about your home?
A cluttered room can become something you avoid. You close the door because sorting it out feels like too much work.
A UK survey reported that 56% of adults had at least one room that was unusable because of clutter. The spare bedroom was the room most likely to be affected. The same research found that many people felt negatively about clutter in their homes.
You can read more about the findings in this UK clutter survey.
Clearing a spare bedroom can give you more than extra floor space. It can make your home feel calmer, more organised and easier to use.
You do not need to become a minimalist. You simply need to separate the things you want to keep from the things you need around you every day.
Questions to ask before using your spare room for storage
Take a look around the room and ask yourself:-
- When did I last use these items?
- Do I need them close at hand?
- What would I use this room for if it were empty?
- Am I paying for space that I cannot currently use?
- Would a small storage unit make better financial and practical sense?
- Could I store these items safely while deciding what to do with them?
The aim is not to get rid of everything. It is to decide whether your spare bedroom is the best place to keep it.
Getting your spare bedroom back
At ReddiStores, we provide secure, heated indoor self storage for people in Redditch, Bromsgrove, Alvechurch, Birmingham and the surrounding areas.
Our storage units can be used for furniture, household belongings, seasonal items, boxes and many of the other things that commonly take over spare bedrooms.
We can also make moving your belongings easier. ReddiStores offers a free Luton van and driver for up to two hours when you move into storage, subject to availability and the offer terms.
You can keep the things that matter without giving up a complete room in your home.
Sometimes, the answer is not a larger house. It is making better use of the home you already have.
Your spare bedroom might be the most expensive storage unit you own.
Need help choosing a storage unit?
View our storage unit sizes and prices or contact ReddiStores to discuss what you need to store.
You can also visit the ReddiStores blog for more practical advice on storing furniture, household belongings and business items.
Email: info@reddistores.co.uk
Tel: 01527 62308
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