Self-storage: how much it costs, and how to save money

If you're running out of storage options at home, or bursting at the seams because of your growing business, you might have thought about self-storage.

The UK self-storage industry has tripled in size since 2005 and is set to get bigger, as more households and businesses look for flexible ways to manage space.

Finding storage that fits your needs isn't always straightforward, though. Read on to find out more, from how much self-storage costs and what size unit you need, to whether you can use a unit to run your business from.

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How much is self-storage?

Monthly storage costs vary depending on where you live, the size of unit you need and whether there's an introductory discount. Some providers may offer 50% off for the first eight weeks, while others offer the first month for only £1. 

However, there isn't a centralised site that enables you to compare like with like – it's a case of going online to see what's near you and either using an estimator tool to work out costs per square foot or contacting facilities directly for a quote. You may also get a cheaper rate for long-term storage.

According to the Self Storage Association UK (SSAUK) Annual Industry Report 2025, the average cost of renting a self-storage unit in the UK in 2024 was £29.13 per square foot. This was lowest in the West Midlands and Wales, where it cost just over £20 per sq ft, and highest in London, where it cost nearly £45 per sq ft.

How much is it to store furniture for a month?

Ultimately, this depends on how much furniture you're dealing with. 

For example, if you're storing the contents of a one-bedroom flat, including a sofa, bed, mattress and several boxes, a unit of around 40 sq ft could be suitable. For drive-up self-storage, this would typically cost around £100 to £130 per month outside London, rising to £160 to £230 or more per month in London.

How much does storage cost for a three-bedroom house?

To comfortably fit the contents of a typical three-bedroom house, you'll likely need around 150 sq ft of space. You can expect to spend between £200 and £350 per month outside London, rising to £400 to £600 or more per month in London.

How much is storage-by-the-box?

Storage of a small box with Lovespace is around £9.65 per month, but can soon ramp up if you need to store more – for example, storing two small boxes and a suitcase for one month with Lovespace is around £41. Add two medium-sized boxes, and that total rises to around £65.

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How to save money on self-storage

• Contact storage facilities directly – you can have direct conversations about availability, plus arrange a visit to check unit sizes for yourself. You can also check whether there’s any wiggle room on price, and don’t forget to ask about special discounts for NHS staff, military personnel, emergency services workers or teachers, if applicable.
• Look at facilities out of your area – your nearest storage facility might seem good value, but one that's a bit further away could turn out to be cheaper – especially if it's slightly out of the urban sprawl.
• Take advantage of introductory offers – if you only need a small amount of storage, or are lucky enough to have a choice of self-storage providers in your area, consider moving your stuff to another provider when your introductory offer expires. 
• Ask to move to a smaller storage – you might find you need less storage over time, so ask to downsize so you're not wasting money. Shifting stuff sounds like hard work, but storage facilities have trolleys you can use. Plus, ask if there's an adjacent unit or at least one on the same floor to make the process easier.

Popular self-storage companies

With more than 2,900 self-storage stores in the UK, there are plenty to choose from. Here are some of the most popular ones and what they offer.

• Access Self Storage – over 50 stores nationwide, with sizes from 9 sq ft to 500 sq ft, and accessible seven days a week. The website advertises discounts of up to 50% off for up to eight weeks’ storage. Storage types include self-storage, locker storage, warehouse storage, vehicle storage and business storage.
• Big Yellow Storage – more than 100 UK stores, with unit sizes from around 9 sq ft up to 500 sq ft or larger, depending on location. Introductory offer of 50% off for up to eight weeks. Storage options include personal and business storage, lockers, archiving and wine storage at selected sites, as well as flexible office space.
• easyStorage – operates in hundreds of locations across the UK, offering flexible storage that can include collection, secure storage and return of your items. New customers can get around 50% off their first eight weeks’ storage on selected units. The brand's mobile storage service uses easyPods (standard units of about 35 sq ft) that are delivered to you to fill, collected and then stored in secure facilities, with return delivery available on request.
• Safestore – around 140 UK locations, with unit sizes from 10 sq ft to 500+ sq ft. Introductory offer of 50% off the first eight weeks, plus long-term discounts for those staying more than a year. Storage types include self-storage, external drive-up units, business, commercial, stock, tool, document and archive, and lock-up garages.
• Shurguard – over 80 UK locations, with sizes ranging from 10 sq ft to 300 sq ft. Some selected units are £1 for the first month's rent for new customers and up to 50% off every month. Self-storage contracts are flexible – just inform Shurguard 15 days before moving out. Storage types include self-storage, business (such as archive, stock and equipment) and student.

Self-storage unit sizes

Unit sizes range from as small as a 3 square foot locker up to a footprint of 5,000 sq ft or more, although the average unit size is roughly 80 sq ft.

There may be online descriptions of what you can fit into a unit, but these aren't standardised across different companies. For example, Shurgard says a 50 sq ft unit can store the contents of a studio flat, whereas Safestore says it's ideal for a large one-bedroom flat. 

Self-storage space estimators

• Access Self Storage – you'll find a tool with a slider that helps you easily see how different-sized lockers and units look and compare.
• Big Yellow Storage – the storage unit size estimator gives examples of what you might be able to fit into different sizes of unit. You need to enter further details to get a price.
• easyStorage – you can start adding items on the space calculator to estimate 'pod' size or choose from a list of presets, including a four-bedroom property.
• Safestore – online information includes photos, video guides, and walkthroughs to help you compare sizes and get a rough idea of how much you'll be able to fit in.
• Shurgard – the size calculator allows you to choose a room type and select items from a list (including storage boxes, sofas, fridges and beds).

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Things to consider when you're looking for self-storage

• Does the company collect as well as store? Some brands will do this – for example, JamStorage (a Which? Trusted Trader), offers a 'self-store to your door' service where it brings a wooden 'Jam Storage Pod' to you, loads your belongings onto it, then takes it to a depot where you can access it at any time.
• Do the hours work for you? Look at the opening times, including weekend times, as these may differ from those during the working week. It may also be possible to pay for extended-hours access, but this tends to be discretionary, based on customer need and is generally a chargeable cost.
• What's the security like? It's worth finding out if there's 24-hour recorded CCTV coverage, regular security checks, intruder alarms and a smart-entry system. 
• How accessible is it? Check whether you can drive up to the facility and access a ground-floor unit without hauling items down long corridors. Also consider whether you’d feel safe visiting, especially if it’s open late or located on a remote industrial estate.

Avoid these self-storage traps

• Don't pay for time you don't need – this means keeping an eye on when your renewal date is and understanding what kind of notice you need to give. Although you can go and clear your things out on the day you choose, if you haven't notified a company that you no longer need the facility, you may end up paying for an additional month if your moving date is close to the billing date. 
• Don't leave it to the last minute – storage needs can arise unexpectedly, but if you know you'll need one in advance, book as soon as you can to get the unit size you're after. This will prevent you from having to possibly upsize to a bigger unit you don't need.
• Don't buy boxes and packaging from the storage facility – you'll find they are generally way more expensive than if you buy them elsewhere – for example, on Amazon. Another (planet-friendly) option is to look on local free marketplaces to see if someone is passing on their used boxes and packaging material. Don't forget you'll need a heavy-duty padlock, too, which you can also buy elsewhere.
• Don't overpack your storage unit – tempting though it is to squeeze everything in, leave space, such as a path through the boxes, so you can access all areas without having to haul everything out. Also, while it makes good financial sense to use the vertical space (some units are around 10ft tall), you don't want to pile things so high that they're at risk of toppling over.
• Do pay regular visits to your unit. Check your belongings are in as good a condition as you left them and not being damaged by an unexpected leak, damp or an infestation, such as moths or mice from a neighbouring unit. The Self Storage Association UK (SSAUK) recommends you do this once a month if possible. 

Storage insurance

Although you're not legally required to insure your belongings while they're in storage, the storage provider has the right to refuse your business if you don't, says the SSAUK. You might find they offer you their insurance as you're signing the contract, but there are other options which may turn out to be far more economical. Verify their requirements if you want to use your own. 

If they insist that you have to use their insurance, they're in contravention of the Financial Conduct Authority, which regulates insurance in the UK. 

Who offers storage insurance? 

Various FCA-regulated insurance companies offer storage insurance as a specialist policy, including:

• Insurastore.com
• Merthyr Self Storage
• Store and Insure
• Surewise.

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What can I use self-storage for?

You can store almost anything you'd keep in your own home and in all kinds of situations – from storage during a property renovation or if you're an Airbnb host, to storage if you're off travelling or running out of space for hobby or sports equipment.

However, there are also rules about what you can't store – primarily for the safety and security of all customers and their goods.

Can you run a business out of a self-storage unit?

Whether it's your side hustle or an established business, if you're an online seller, tradesperson or contractor, or work in events, you could be joining an army of people who actually use self-storage for work or even run their business out of it.

'20% of business customers run their business primarily from their self-storage unit and don't have any other physical presence,' says Rennie Schafer.

From storing stock and equipment to packing and fulfilling orders, you can do this in your unit, with advantages such as avoiding business rates and a lease. You also have the ability to scale up or scale down when needed, plus, some storage companies offer inventory management to help fulfil orders from your customers.

What can't I store in a self-storage unit?

You can't store:

• illegal or illicit goods such as counterfeit/smuggled tobacco or alcohol, or anything unlicensed or unsafe
• combustible or flammable substances (for example, gas, paint, petrol, oil, cleaning solvents or compressed gases)
• chemicals, asbestos or other potentially hazardous substances
• firearms, explosives, weapons or ammunition
• food or perishable goods, unless securely packed so they're protected from and don't attract vermin
• cash or valuable works of art (unless agreed by the storage company in advance).

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