If you must leave your old home before you can enter the new one, plan two things separately: where you will stay and where your belongings will go. For the belongings, agree collection, storage and eventual delivery as one connected plan, even if different companies handle them.
Choose an arrangement by access and transport as well as price. A place to put furniture is only part of the answer if you still need to retrieve something during the gap or organise its final delivery.
Why moving dates misalign
You may have a tenancy ending before the next begins, a purchase date that is still provisional or a planned move-in that has changed. Start with your actual circumstances rather than choosing storage against a date you hope will work.
Write down the date you must leave and the earliest date you can enter the new home. Mark which are confirmed. If the end of the gap is unknown, ask providers how an extension would work before making the booking.
Keep the people coordinating the move informed. Ask your agent, landlord or conveyancer, as appropriate, what they can confirm about your dates. Ask the mover and storage provider what notice they need for changes. Do not assume that changing one booking also changes the other.
Your four storage options compared
These are four arrangements to investigate, not a list of services that Move & Store promises to supply. Ask each provider what it actually offers in your area and under its terms.
| Arrangement | Consider it if… | Check before agreeing |
|---|---|---|
| A self-storage unit you arrange | You want to investigate access to belongings during the gap | Access hours, loading arrangements, unit suitability and transport both ways |
| Storage arranged by your removal company | You want to ask one firm to coordinate collection, storage and delivery | Whether access during storage is available and how redelivery is booked |
| Collection-and-storage service | You want a provider to collect items for storage | Item restrictions, collection area, retrieval process and delivery charges |
| Space offered by friends or family | Someone has offered suitable room for a limited period | Their agreement, access, protection of belongings and the plan if dates slip |
Do not assume the minimum rental period, cover or access arrangements are the same across these options. Get the answers for the particular space or service you are considering.
If you are considering space in a garage or spare room, inspect it before deciding what to put there. Discuss what happens if you need longer than expected. Be explicit about who will move the items in and out, and who can access them while they are there.
For commercial storage, ask what you may store and how items must be prepared. Describe anything the provider needs to assess rather than assuming ordinary household storage accepts every possession.
What storage costs per fortnight
We do not have a verified price range that applies to your location, volume and dates. Instead of using a national estimate, request written quotes for the same inventory and period.
A fortnight can be a useful comparison period if that matches your plan, but ask how the provider actually bills. Have it state the total payable for your proposed dates and what would be payable if you stayed longer. Do not turn a quoted weekly price into a fortnight total until you know the minimum charge and other applicable costs.
Ask each provider to show:
- The storage space or service covered by the quote.
- The rental period, minimum charge and billing basis.
- Collection, unloading, retrieval and redelivery charges, where applicable.
- Required cover or other compulsory charges.
- Any introductory offer and the charges that apply afterwards.
- Extension, cancellation and notice arrangements.
- The total payable, including any applicable tax.
Keep storage and transport costs together on your comparison sheet. Ask for any missing part rather than treating a blank as free. If you are arranging transport separately, obtain that quote before judging which storage option fits your budget.
Planning a move with a gap
Start with a contents list and divide it into three groups: things you need with you, things you may need to retrieve, and things that can stay packed until delivery. Use that split to explain your access needs to the provider.
Use our moving house checklist to keep the rest of the move organised.
Confirm the route for your belongings. Who collects from the old home? Who unloads at storage? Who books the next collection and delivers to the new home? For each handover, keep a contact and a written description of what is included.
If the new date is uncertain, ask how much notice is needed for delivery and whether the company can accommodate a change. Do not assume a storage booking reserves a future removal crew.
Build a fallback into the plan. Ask what happens if the gap lasts longer, the intended unit is unsuitable or the new address is not ready for delivery. Keep the extension terms and the contact details somewhere you can reach while your main belongings are packed away.
Before collection, photograph the items you want a record of and keep your inventory accessible. Give the company current access details for the old home and tell it what is still unknown about the new one.
What to pack for storage first
Begin with belongings you are confident you will not need during the gap. Label boxes so you can identify them without opening everything, and keep a separate contents list if that suits you better.
Pack the items you may need to retrieve as a distinct group. Ask the provider whether you can access them at all, and how retrieval works. Do not plan to visit freely unless that has been agreed.
Keep your moving paperwork, keys, essential documents, chargers and everyday household belongings with you. Prepare clothes and supplies for the place where you will stay, rather than packing everything for the final destination.
Ask the provider for its packing and preparation requirements before sealing boxes or dismantling furniture. Check its restrictions directly. If something needs particular handling or conditions, describe it and get an answer before collection.
Put your move details in one place, then return to your draft when it suits you. This is a survey, not a quote or a booking.