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Traditional vs. Portable Storage

The days when you had only one storage option are long gone. Now, there’s a new kid in town, and its name is portable storage—but what’s the difference between portable storage and a regular unit? Which one’s right for you? Read on to find out!

What’s the Difference?

Say you’re looking to hold some furniture until you move from your house or you need some summer campus storage for a couple of months while you head back home. You go to one of several locations, choose the size of your locker (or garage), and put your stuff inside. When you need your stuff again, you go back and pick it up.

That’s traditional storage. Portable storage is different. Instead of you going all the way to your storage space, it comes to you in the form of a container or unit. It’s dropped off at your door, you fill it up, and, when you’re ready, it’s picked up and either taken off-site to be stored or transferred to a location of your choice.

Which One’s Right for You?

It may seem like a subtle difference, but having your storage come to you can make a world of difference in many ways. To decide whether you need traditional or portable storage, you’ll have to look at a range of factors.

Costs

First up is cost. With portable storage, you’ll usually have to pay a one-time fee for the storage container to be dropped off at your location and picked up afterward. These units usually come in various sizes, but are generally quite large, and having them stored will normally cost you more than traditional storage—as you’re paying for a bigger space.

Convenience

The greatest advantage of portable storage is the convenience. Since the container comes to you, you’ll save both time and your back muscles.

With traditional storage, you have to handle your stuff four times: once when you load it into a car or truck, again when you load it from the vehicle to your locker, and then the same in reverse when it comes time to collect everything.

Portable storage cuts this handling in half since you only need to load and unload the container. Not only that, but you can take your time to load and unload since you can keep the container there on your property for days at a time.

Access

Another thing to consider is access. Some storage sites will only let you deposit and retrieve your possessions during set hours, which can be a pain if you work full-time. Portable storage comes to you when you want it, and then you can access that container at any hour of the day or night, if your container is on your site. The facility access may be a bit limited, but comes at a ground level!

Climate Control

While they do exist, it’s rare for portable storage containers to come climate friendly, as opposed to a traditional secure storage facility. Traditional storage is normally well protected from the elements, dampness, and temperature swings, which is important to consider if you have especially valuable (or fragile) items.

Time Is Money

Although portable storage might seem like it’s a bigger up-front cost, it’s not necessarily cheaper to stick to traditional lockers. Time is money, as they say, and it’s true with storage as well. Consider the cost of renting a truck, buying lunch for helpers, fuel, and your time—all of which are greatly reduced if not eliminated with portable storage.

What if I Move?

One final and important factor to consider is what will happen if you decide to move while your stuff is in storage. If you go interstate and everything’s in traditional storage, for example, you’re going to face a logistical nightmare as you try to get everything you own back to you.

Portable storage solves this problem because your items are already neatly packaged and ready for transport. Most storage companies can just load up your container and ship it to wherever you like in the country, so you don’t have to worry about it.

Finding the Right Solution for You

If you’re still not totally sure what solution is right for you, don’t worry. At Box-n-Go Moving and Storage, we’re the experts on student self-storage. Whether you’re a homeowner or a student needing campus storage, our friendly and professional team can tailor a package that’s affordable, convenient, and effortless. Don’t leave it to the last minute—call us today at (877) 269-6461 to find out how!