Declared interest: Storage Index is run by the team behind BoxSpeed, which is a collection service. The numbers below are the same ones our calculator uses, and where the unit wins, it says so.
| Self storage unit | Collection storage | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Per square foot of floor | Per box or item |
| Small loads | Smallest unit about £27.40 a month plus van | From £7.95 a box, £29 minimum |
| Access | Walk in whenever the store is open | By return delivery, booked ahead |
| Transport | You, both ways | Included, both ways |
| Time cost | About 6 hours over 2 trips | Opening the door twice |
| Big or bulky loads | Strong: a 100 sq ft unit swallows a house | Caps out around a container's worth |
The access question decides it
Be honest about whether you will visit. Most people storing between moves never do; then access is worth nothing and the unit is an expensive garage. If you dip in weekly (business stock, tools, kit), the unit's walk-in access is worth every pound.
On money alone: with van hire, collection storage is cheaper up to about 100 boxes over 3 months, and about 100 boxes over a year. Past the line, the unit wins on cost and keeps winning as the load grows.