Home renovation projects often mean better living situations and resale value down the line; however, they come at an unexpected immediate cost that catches many homeowners off guard. Where is everything supposed to go?
For full access to cabinets and drawers, protected from the dust, and an open floor plan as walls come down, furniture and belongings must be packed up and moved. Unfortunately, this doesn’t happen since our homes are filled with furniture, clothing, makeup, kitchen essentials, etc. When walls come up (or down), the functionality we once knew is no longer available, but all of our stuff is still there.
This happens during kitchen renovations, bathroom redo’s, and whole house renovations in which an owner truly cannot live in their space anymore, not merely out of inconvenience but because it’s half finished. Thus, they cram everything into un-renovated rooms until those rooms are so packed that one hardly has a home anymore. When this happens, it’s time to talk about storage. But a lot sooner than one thinks.
Why Renovations and Storage Go Hand in Hand
It’s more than just a need to dust everything in the living room (which will still happen anyway) that equates a home improvement project to a necessity for storage. Dust from renovations travels far and wide from its source with most homeowners unaware that when they do a project in one room, they’ll be dealing with dry wall shavings, saw dust, and paint fumes three rooms away as well.
Doors do not stop drywall particles. Thus, the need to prepare those items and furniture for their foray into dust is compounded by plastic sheeting that oftentimes, when the magnetic strips fail, does nothing to keep what it should contain contained.
It’s also the time aspect. Most homeowners underestimate how long it will take to complete their projects. What they estimate for a kitchen renovation in three weeks often spans six weeks, or longer, when permits take time to secure, materials are delayed in shipment and people have to get behind the wall to discover water damage. Living without a kitchen for two months while one’s dining room table (and chairs) is shoved into the living room, and now needs to be sacrificed because we had just hoped for a few weeks of inconvenience, is compounded stress.
The cost of self storage units varies based on size and duration, but planning for this expense upfront prevents scrambling when construction delays extend your timeline. Climate-controlled options cost more yet provide essential protection for wooden furniture, electronics, and anything sensitive to temperature swings during summer or winter renovations.
What Needs to Leave
Not everything needs to go from the construction zone. However, there’s a difference between what must be removed entirely, from the home, what can temporarily be displaced, and what can withstand construction with covers.
Furniture that is in construction or adjacent areas of construction must be removed; people say it can stay with covering but couches, beds, and dresser tables in proximity to power tools actively using construction materials are no-nos as things will get scratched up. The same goes for items that are one room away; a worker needs space to set down equipment so worker fabric should be removed as well.
Kitchen appliances are tricky too. A fridge needs power and water; unless you’re creating a workspace in your garage or basement (temporary kitchen), small appliances, displaced dishes, and displaced pantry items will require removal as counter space will be non-existent for weeks and/or months.
However decorative items can stay, but should leave anyway. Paintings on walls/family photos/collectibles/unique crafts should not be around construction; as this risk is never worth it even if covered.
How Much Do You Need?
This is where most homeowners miscalculate space. A small 5×10 storage unit might suffice for small kitchen appliance need with displaced dining furniture but whole house renovations could require 10×20 units or larger. This volume should be assumed based on what rooms will be renovated, what’s in there? Walk each room and separate items by categories of definitely gone, maybe staying and can stay with protection.
Most people find they need more space than anticipated once they’re actually boxing things up to go. Rooms undergoing renovations will be void of furniture or items so it’s easier at this point to box things up anyway; just look first.
Climate control becomes a choice at this point too; you can save on basic units but temperature extremes and humidity get to things; wood warps, fabrics go moldy, and electronics fizzle out. This isn’t worth it so maybe deciding on climate controlled might be best, but those options run about 25-50% more monthly.
The Timeline No One Asks Early Enough
Most homeowners get storage thinking they’ll only need it for the time duration quoted for renovations scheduled. This rarely comes true, but optimistic planning occurs every time. Timelines stretch for a million reasons, weather delays, material buying issues, permits not coming through, damaged wood discovered by studs mid-project.
And smart planning includes 30%-50% on top of the quoted timeline for contractors when securing storage costs as it spreads them out if overages occur because by assuming a two month job was actually three months means you’re not scrambling to extend storage rentals or worse, having to bring things back without proper plan per rental due date.
The month to month plan with storage is always best, for a slightly higher monthly fee since fixed term agreements rarely give back when it’s time to leave prior to allotment time in the month; common sense but rarely applicable, especially when my renovations run longer than expected regardless of someone’s expectations of them.
Some storage facilities will give you options if you commit for longer, but that’s also hard based on timing for renovations.
How Much Does This All Cost?
Ultimately it depends on local markets and relative relevance per individual need. A small 5×5 might be $50-75 monthly across the board for small bathroom contents being boxed up; 10×10 units will range from $100-200 once they get bedroom/kitchen equivalent contents involved. 10×20 spaces could run $200-400 monthly or greater depending on urban facilities.
Climate control adds $30-100 monthly based on unit size, and insurance adds another option through storage place or rider through personal homeowners’ policy but it’s not worth the hassle of crazy circumstances that no one wants to envision happening.
Thus, this costs add up quickly; a three-month kitchen renovation’s climate-controlled atmosphere may amount to $500-900 just for the storage component; whole house renovations can extend beyond six months into thousands, that no one budgets for other than project estimate.
Making It Smoother Sailing
Organization before boxing up makes doing it easier later, to avoid frustration. Label boxes with contents and which rooms they came from. An inventory makes sense even for valuable stuff! Be sure to keep what you may need access to during reno near the front of the unit.
Get bigger than assumed; there’s no reason to box things up smaller than needed just because it saves $30-$50 monthly; you’ll want space, to walk into your unit months later without emptying it all out just to find your Christmas China that only gets taken out once a year.
Many people find that purging what’s not needed makes sense too as renovation forces everyone into an evaluation of what’s truly used and needed versus what’s been collecting dust. If it’s not even seen light of day in years, maybe moving it again isn’t worth it either (or paying storages costs).
The True Timeline Most Don’t Consider
After the renovations are finished, getting back into your space still takes time. Cleaning needs to happen before moving furniture back in; painting needs time to set; floors need time; any accessories need completion before everything that left goes back in.
Generally, another week, two weeks max beyond completion date means that storage costs extend during this interim period, a factor no one calculates at this point either but it’s not worth rushing it back inside since new surfaces can’t take any damage or things can’t go back until they’re truly ready.
The good news is that most storage places pro-rate daily after the initial monthly allotment. So if you come back before the first of next month, you only owe for days used, not the full month.
