The Moving & Storage Guide

Most moves don’t go from old house to new house in one day. Here’s how to handle the in-between, what to store vs. what to bring, and how to time the whole thing.

The two-minute version

If you’re scanning:

Most moves involve a 1-30 day gap between move-out and move-in. Storage handles that gap.
Size your storage at 80-90% of estimated need. Most people under-pack their storage estimate.
Climate-control sensitive items (wood, leather, electronics, art) but not basic stuff (vehicles, sports gear, plastic-stored decor).
Time the storage move-in 1-2 days before your final move-out so the truck isn’t your bottleneck on the last day.
Label boxes by ROOM at new house, not old house. You’ll thank yourself later.

If you want to skip ahead:
– The 8-week pre-move timeline
– Sizing your storage unit for a move
– What to store vs. what to bring with you
– The “moving company + storage” combo math
– Long-distance move logistics
– Storage during a renovation or rebuild
– Frequently asked questions

The 8-week pre-move timeline

Most successful moves start planning 8 weeks out. Here’s the schedule that minimizes stress and surprise costs.

8 weeks before move

Confirm move-out date with your landlord / closing date with your buyer
Confirm move-in date at the new place
Identify the gap — how many days are you between places?
If gap is >2 days: start researching storage at your destination
Decide on moving method: DIY truck rental, hire local movers, hire long-distance movers, or full-service (movers + storage in one)

6 weeks before move

Reserve your storage unit if needed — popular sizes book up in college towns during summer, in resort areas during seasonal turnover
Get 2-3 moving quotes if hiring movers
Schedule the truck rental if DIYing (peak weekends book out)
Order packing materials — boxes, tape, bubble wrap, mattress bags, box cutters
Start packing seasonal/rare-use items — out-of-season clothes, holiday decor, library books, kitchen items you rarely use

4 weeks before move

Confirm utilities transfer/disconnect (electric, gas, water, internet) at both addresses
Submit address change at USPS, banks, insurance, employer payroll
Pack everything you can live without for the next month — by now your home should feel half-packed
Decide on furniture disposition — what goes to storage, what comes with you, what gets sold/donated/trashed

2 weeks before move

Confirm your storage unit reservation
Confirm movers / truck rental
Pack daily-use items that aren’t critical for the last week (most kitchen items, secondary bathroom, most clothes)
Begin disposal: Donate, sell, or trash everything you decided you don’t want to move
Refill prescriptions at both old and new pharmacies if changing locations

1 week before move

Confirm storage unit access — note the gate code, manager phone, hours
Pack the “essentials box” — the box you’ll keep with you (not in the moving truck): toiletries, change of clothes for 3-5 days, basic kitchen kit, important documents, chargers, medications, valuables
Defrost the freezer 48-72 hours before move
Confirm everything’s labeled clearly by room at new location

Move day(s)

Storage unit move-in first (1-2 days before final move-out) — heaviest, biggest items go to storage if they’re not coming with you immediately
Final move-out day — only what’s coming with you (essentials, plants, valuables, pets)
Move-in at new home — only what arrives that day; rest stays in storage

Post-move

First week: Get the new place functional — beds, kitchen basics, bathroom, work setup
First month: Retrieve items from storage as you need them; ideally most stuff out within 4-6 weeks
By month 3: Storage unit should be empty or contain only items you’re keeping in long-term storage for specific reasons

Sizing your storage unit for a move

Use this as a starting point. Adjust based on what you’re storing vs. taking with you.

From a one-bedroom apartment

If you’re storing 60-100% of your apartment contents (gap move):
– 5×10 if you’re keeping a lot of stuff with you
– 10×10 for most one-bedroom moves
– See the Size Guide for exact specs

From a two-bedroom apartment or small home

10×10 if storing about half
10×15 if storing most
10×20 if storing virtually everything

From a three-bedroom home

10×15 if storing about half
10×20 for most three-bedroom moves
10×25 if storing everything

From a four+ bedroom home

10×20 if storing about half
10×25 or 10×30 if storing most
Multiple units OR a large drive-up unit if storing everything

Sizing for vehicles in addition

If you’re storing a vehicle PLUS household:
– Add a 10×20 minimum for the vehicle
– Or use outdoor parking ($35-80/month at most Forward Storage locations)

Pro tip: size up if you’re not sure

The cost difference between adjacent sizes (e.g., 10×10 to 10×15) is usually $30-50/month. Renting too small and having to upgrade mid-move adds hours of work and stress. Worth the extra $30 to have buffer space.

What to store vs. what to bring with you

A common mistake: dragging every box of stuff to the new place and tripping over it for weeks. Better strategy: only bring what you’ll use in the first 2-4 weeks at the new place; store the rest until you’ve settled.

Bring with you (essentials)

Daily basics:
– 5-7 days of clothes per person
– Toiletries and medications
– Phone chargers, laptop, work essentials
– Important documents (passports, birth certificates, insurance, mortgage papers)
– Pets and pet supplies (week’s worth)
– Plants (don’t put live plants in storage — they die)

Kitchen basics:
– Coffee maker, microwave, basic pots/pans
– Plates, cups, utensils (a few of each)
– Spices you actually use
– Cooking oil, salt, pepper

Bedroom basics:
– One full bed setup per person (mattress, frame, sheets, pillows, blanket)
– A dresser per person if possible

Bathroom:
– Towels, basic toiletries, toilet paper, hand soap

Office (if WFH):
– Computer, monitor, basic desk, chair

Store (everything else)

Seasonal:
– Out-of-season clothes (winter coats in summer, etc.)
– Holiday decorations
– Seasonal sports equipment
– Patio furniture (if moving in winter)

Furniture you’ll use eventually but not immediately:
– Guest bedroom set
– Dining table (if you have a temporary smaller one to start)
– Bookshelves (until you have shelves of books to display)
– Large area rugs

Decor:
– Artwork, framed photos (wait until you’ve painted/decorated new place)
– Knick-knacks
– Vases, decorative items

“I’ll deal with it later”:
– Filing cabinets and old documents
– Books you don’t reach for daily
– Office supplies / printer
– Sports equipment (depending on season)

Specialty / hobby:
– Tools you don’t need this week
– Crafting supplies
– Musical instruments you’re not playing currently
– Collections (hold off displaying until everything’s settled)

Donate / sell / trash (don’t move it at all)

This is the move’s hidden upside: it forces a culling. For everything you haven’t touched in 12 months:

Donate: clothes, kitchen items, furniture, books
Sell: big-ticket items (Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, eBay) — a month of garage sales before a move can fund the moving costs
Trash: broken stuff, half-used products, expired anything

Moving 30% less stuff = 30% smaller storage unit = 30% smaller moving truck = 30% less labor. The savings compound.

The “moving company + storage” combo math

If you’re hiring movers, you generally have three options for storage:

Option 1: Movers’ own warehouse storage

Most moving companies (Two Men and a Truck, Allied, United Van Lines, Mayflower) offer “storage in transit.” Your stuff is loaded onto their truck, taken to their warehouse, held for X days, then delivered to your new place when you’re ready.

Pros: One-stop shop. You don’t touch the boxes between move-out and move-in.

Cons: Expensive ($1-3/cubic foot/month). Limited access during storage. Tied to one moving company.

Option 2: Self-storage (Forward Storage etc.) + movers deliver

Movers take your stuff from old place to a Forward Storage unit you rented. When ready, you arrange to move from storage to new place (yourself or hire local movers at destination).

Pros: Cheaper monthly storage. You can access your stuff anytime. Flexibility.

Cons: Two separate logistics steps. May require you to be present at storage for the move-in.

Option 3: Self-storage you load yourself

Rent a truck (U-Haul, Penske, Budget). Load it yourself. Drive to Forward Storage unit. Unload there. Repeat for new place.

Pros: Cheapest. Full control.

Cons: Hard labor. Risk of injury or damaged items if you’re not experienced.

The math for a typical 2-bedroom move with a 30-day storage gap

Option	One-time cost	Storage cost (30 days)	Total
Movers + their storage	$1,500 (move both ways)	$300-600	$1,800-2,100
Movers + Forward Storage	$1,200 (move into storage) + $400 (move out of storage)	$80-150	$1,680-1,750
DIY truck + Forward Storage	$200 truck + $80-150 storage	$80-150 (already in above)	$280-350

DIY is dramatically cheaper but requires labor and risk. For most middle-income households, the “movers + Forward Storage” option hits the right balance: professional moving (less back pain, faster), affordable storage, flexibility to access your stuff.

Long-distance move logistics

When you’re moving across multiple states (and especially across the country), the storage equation changes.

The classic long-distance scenario

You’re moving from City A to City B, 1,500 miles away. You can’t easily access stuff during the gap. You don’t know your final delivery date precisely.

Recommended approach

Pack everything that’s going to City B in the moving truck.
Anything you DON’T need in City B (gifts to family in City A, items going to friends/relatives, items going to a different storage location) — handle separately before move day.
Use storage at the City B end, not the City A end. You want stuff close to where you’ll be when you need it.
Rent storage in City B before move day so the destination is ready when the truck arrives.

What this looks like for movers vs DIY

Hired movers (long-distance): They typically deliver to your storage unit OR new home directly. Coordinate with them so the truck doesn’t sit while you figure out where things go.
DIY (PODS, U-Pack, or self-driven truck): You’re driving the truck to the destination. Have the storage unit (or new home) ready to unload.

The “snail mail your stuff” alternative

For some scenarios, a hybrid works:
– Ship books, files, decor via UPS / FedEx / USPS in advance
– Drive yourself with daily essentials in your own car
– Movers / PODS take furniture
– Storage unit at destination handles the rest

Useful for academic moves, military PCS, or anyone with substantial-but-shippable belongings.

Storage during a renovation or rebuild

If you’re remodeling part of your home or rebuilding entirely, storage handles the displaced contents.

Quick renovation (1-3 months)

Storage size: 5×10 to 10×10 for a kitchen or bathroom renovation
Climate control: Yes, especially if your renovation creates dust/debris that could damage fabrics
What to store: Everything from the renovated room, plus anything in adjacent rooms that needs to be moved out of the way

Major renovation (3-12 months)

Storage size: 10×10 to 10×20 depending on house size
Climate control: Yes, especially for longer storage of wood furniture, leather, art
Plan for access: You’ll need things — extension cords, tools, occasional items. Pick storage close to home.

Full rebuild after damage (fire, flood, hurricane)

Storage size: Whatever you need; insurance often pays
Important: Document everything with photos before storing (for insurance)
Climate control: Always, for items that survived the damage
Duration: Likely 6-18 months

In all rebuild scenarios, talk to your insurance company about storage cost coverage. Many homeowner policies cover storage during covered losses.

Common moving + storage mistakes to avoid

Mistake 1: Underestimating storage size

Pack a “test” storage unit visualization at home — measure out the dimensions of your planned storage size on the floor with tape, and physically place the items you plan to store in that area. Most people are surprised by how much space their stuff actually takes.

Mistake 2: Skipping climate control on sensitive items

Climate control adds 20-30% to monthly storage cost — but a destroyed leather couch or moldy mattress costs vastly more than the savings. For anything sensitive, climate-control.

Mistake 3: Labeling boxes by OLD room instead of NEW room

Your boxes go from old home → storage → new home. By the time they reach the new home, the “OLD room: Kitchen” label is useless. Label by intended room at new location: “NEW: Kitchen — Pots and pans.”

Mistake 4: Not having an essentials box

You’ll need toiletries, a change of clothes, your phone charger, and your medications RIGHT NOW after a long move day. Pack a labeled “open first” essentials box and keep it with you (not in storage, not in the moving truck).

Mistake 5: Renting storage at the WRONG end of a long-distance move

Storage in City A you’re leaving is useless. You won’t be there to retrieve stuff. Rent at City B (destination), not City A (origin), unless there’s a specific reason.

Mistake 6: Forgetting to insure stored items

Storage facility insurance covers the building, not your stuff. Either:
– Your homeowner’s/renter’s insurance “off-premises” coverage (usually included; check the dollar limit)
– A separate storage insurance policy (offered at storage facility check-in)

Don’t store $20,000 of belongings on a $5,000 off-premises rider.

Frequently asked questions

How long can I keep stuff in storage?

As long as you keep paying. Forward Storage units are month-to-month with no maximum duration. Some renters keep units for years (vehicle storage, seasonal businesses, document archives).

Can I get into my storage unit any time?

Most Forward Storage locations offer extended-hours access (5am-10pm or 24-hour). Check the specific property page for your location.

What if I need to extend storage longer than I planned?

No problem. Forward Storage is month-to-month — just keep paying. There’s no penalty for extending or shortening.

What if my movers arrive before I’ve rented storage?

Tell the movers to delay or partial-load. Don’t try to “figure it out at the storage facility” — most facilities don’t allow truck unloading without a confirmed reservation.

How do I store mattresses?

Wrap in a mattress bag (or large plastic sheet). Store on its side, not flat (saves floor space). Avoid stacking other heavy items on top.

Do I need to drain appliances before storing?

Yes:
– Refrigerators / freezers: Defrost 48 hours; leave doors slightly open in storage
– Washing machines: Drain hoses; disconnect water
– Lawnmowers / gas equipment: Empty fuel tanks; some facilities don’t allow gas equipment with fuel

Can I move items into storage gradually?

Yes — that’s actually the recommended approach. Start with seasonal/non-urgent items 4-6 weeks before move; pack and store gradually; final move day only handles essentials.

What’s the best day to move?

Mid-week (Tue-Thu) is cheaper for movers and truck rentals. Mid-month is cheaper than first/last (apartment turnover demand). Off-peak season (October-March) is cheapest in most markets.

Ready to plan your move?

Find a Forward Storage location near your destination →

Or call 888-684-4933 to discuss your specific move — we’ll help you size the right unit and confirm availability.