# Storage Unit?



## cranki (Jun 11, 2006)

Looking for some advice here, trying to clarify my thinking. I moved aboard less than 2 years ago and am staying put in CT for the next 4 or 5 years. Am divorced and have a bunch of stuff still at my ex house I need to deal with. Furniture, tools, camping and skiing gear, TV and stereo gear, artwork, books, etc.

I can rent a storage unit for approximately $100 per month. This doesn't sound too bad on a monthly or yearly basis but when I think long term I would be shelling out 6k for 5 years. 

I plan to retire and cruise around in 5 years, but I would like to keep my stuff as I will likely purchase a small condo in the mountains and I like the furniture I have. A lot of it is antiques I refinished myself, and while nothing is extremely valuable, it is good stuff and there is sentimental value as well.

I already know the correct answer which is just get rid of everything but am having a hard time coming to grips with that.

Any help? Compromise solutions?


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## FourthCoast (Oct 14, 2013)

I can hold on to the tools, TV and stereo for the next five years if you want 

Scott.


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## RainDog (Jun 9, 2009)

cranki said:


> I would like to keep my stuff as I will likely purchase a small condo in the mountains and I like the furniture I have. A lot of it is antiques I refinished myself, and while nothing is extremely valuable, it is good stuff and there is sentimental value as well.


That means keep it if you can afford to. You have concrete plans to use it again and it has enough value to you to make the cost worth it. Store it. Maybe shop around for a cheaper storage shed (look in small towns in the boonies).


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## deltaten (Oct 10, 2012)

How much stuff??A garage full? A room-full? A large-ish closet?
A lot depends on volume needed and location. Possibilities include; but not limited to buying an enclosed trailer, a used const..office trailer and a CONEX box. All those under 2500$. Possibly have friend with property stow it for you out behind or in thegarage or rent a piece of ground. Exterior storage seems to be a bit cheaperthat the row-stows. 
Crate or pack the small stuff. Wrap the furniture in used shrink-wrap, if ya can find it. Get rid of everythingnthat has no intrinsic value or personal memento value. 

I am selling off the house and prepping to live a aboard. I had a hard time parting with anything.. I have found that starting with a "Key" piece , making the rest of that set irrellavent. Getting shed of that makes disposing of the rest a lot easier. Consider what you would do if you had to.be your own Executor and close out your estate  Another way to look at it is to figger what you'd leave for your heirs and friends and dispose of the rest.

A few mementos go a long way! Always new mementos to gather  

HTH


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## Delta-T (Oct 8, 2013)

PODS...they will bring container to you, pick it up, store it and deliver it anywhere you want. I'm sure they also offer conditioned storage as well. Self Storage Containers and Portable Storage Units | PODS

Your boat yard may let you keep a storage unit on site. http://outbackstoragecontainers.com/shipping-containers-for-sale?gclid=CIWV_piy_rwCFewRMwodqRUAeA


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## Torch (Dec 9, 2013)

"Furniture, tools, camping and skiing gear, TV and stereo gear, artwork, books, etc."

You made a good case for the furniture but does any of this other stuff have sentimental value? I'd get rid of anything not sentimental. The TV and stereo gear might be obsolete in 5 years anyway. The tools can always be purchased later as can the TV, books, etc.

Another option would be to loan it to somebody you trust that may actually need it. Have you got grown children that you can leave it with? Everything but the furniture can be stored in an attic or closet and not really get in the way.


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## cranki (Jun 11, 2006)

If storing I want it accessible and climate controlled...let's out pods or container on someone's property. I have 2 sisters with big houses and both my brother in laws are complete pack rats: one storing the households of his deceased parents and 2 aunts, the other collects a wide assortment of architectural features from old houses, everything from doors and moldings to..well to whatever. So they don't seem to have room for my furniture.

If I store the furniture, I may as well hold onto everything else because I will be able to fit it into the size storage unit I need to fit the furniture.

Other considerations: Seasonal stuff like skiing gear - right now I keep it in my car because it is winter and I am using it. Not gonna stop skiing anytime soon so I need to hang onto it. Also seasonal clothing. Tools I will need as I am working on the boat.

Sounds like I am talking myself into the storage unit. Save me some $$ and talk me out of it!

I forgot to mention the 5 or 6 guitars. (another reason for accessable, climate controlled storage) 4 are on the boat with me, 2 are at my girlfriends small apartment. 1 or 2 are for sale but I have noticed a severe lack of a Gibson Les Paul in my small collection and may have to remedy that soon.


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## Markwesti (Jan 1, 2013)

About 5yrs. ago we were forced to make a decision . Because of our personal economy. Mrs. Westi and I decided to get rid of stuff and down size. I won't go into details but lets just say we had a lot of stuff. We got rid of every thing (but not the boat !) bought a tiny town house , no garage . We got new furniture , but we didn't need much. We still have 2 cars. . My SUV doubles as a storage bin. So my point is and I'm only saying it worked for us .It feels good to have a simpler life .


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## MikeOReilly (Apr 12, 2010)

We are transitioning to full-time boat life. To store our land stuff we bought a covered storage trailer:










It will allow us to move our stuff around in the future if need be, and thanks to friends who will store it on their land, we won't have any ongoing costs.


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## jimgo (Sep 12, 2011)

I think you really need to consider how much of the stuff you'll be storing could be re-purchased for the $6K, especially if you throw in the money made from selling off the current stuff. That buys you a lot of tools and other stuff. When you're living aboard, will you still be skiing frequently? If not, sell the skis and buy newer equipment when you're ready. Hell, if you have my luck, somewhere around year 4 I'd wind up breaking my leg while aboard and doing enough damage that I can't really ski any more, and I'd have wasted the storage cost for that stuff.

Even the furniture is an issue. After 5 years in storage, it's not going to be the same, even in a good, climate-controlled unit. Bugs get in. Mice, rats, birds, etc. get in. There's a good chance that with THAT much time, your stuff isn't going to be worth a whole lot, and you'll want/need new anyway.

I'm sentimental and tend to hold onto things (my wife will tell you that that's an understatement), but if you're going to downsize, then downsize. Bite the bullet and do it. It will be painful, but in the end I think it would be worth it.


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## miatapaul (Dec 15, 2006)

Think long and hard about how much it is worth. I just got rid of a my storage unit. Stuff was not in great shape and I filled a dumpster. I was like I spent thousands to store stuff that I should have thrown away a long time ago. If it has real sentimental value perhaps allow the X to use it with the understanding that if you ever need it you get it back. I am doing that with some of my kitchen stuff. I got a commercial mixer for college graduation and she will use it till I need it again. But most of what I stored was not worth saving. But going through the separation I thought I could not live without it. It felt really good to pitch most of it. Cheap children's bikes were given away, computers pitched. Stereo stuff given away. Sold two cars and left a lot just there to be taken by people. Went from a three car garage to a shed on the X's property. (house is in my name so I will just keep it there for now) Really the "sentimental stuff" fit in a few boxes.


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## kentobin (Mar 31, 2007)

Sell it or give it away. I could have replaced everything I had stored in my two lockers and still had money left over after 6 years at $100/locker.

Some of my friends kept larger power tools for me (jointer, chop saw, power planer) but it's still cheaper to buy new ones or have someone cut wood to size than figure out how to get access to my equipment. It's not only distance to the tools but gridlock in the urban areas my friends live and work in.

I only regret losing two lithographs I gave away to friends but I have no where to hang them in my boat even if somehow they never got water damaged. 

Move on.


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## PNWvagabond (Jan 17, 2013)

My girlfriend and I just went through a similar situation with our storage unit. We've had one for about 5 years, and have spent about $4200 on it. We probably only have about 4k worth of stuff in there. So it's now a waste of money keeping the stuff. We could've replaced it all since then.


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## tankersteve (Jun 22, 2007)

We've got similar concerns. We are heading off in 3 years or so, and it is rather interesting when I start making lists of what we may keep.

We traveled a lot, so we have some rather unique items. Several Persian rugs, some very nice oak furniture from France, etc. I may look at having the rugs professionally cleaned, then plastic wrapped and placed with the specific furniture items. 

We also have a lot of framed art. Some have sentimental value. Many are from travels thru a military career. Not sure what we would do with these - again, mirror boxes and keep?

Tankersteve


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## jimgo (Sep 12, 2011)

Steve,
Do you have any friends with houses that need some artwork rugs, etc.? Otherwise, be very careful about the storage unit you pick, especially if you or someone you trust won't be able to check on it for a while.


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## cranki (Jun 11, 2006)

I have decided to go with a smaller storage unit to keep personal items like books, camping gear, off season clothes, extra guitars, amplifiers, tv's etc. Some good friends have offered their basement for the furniture I want to store. I am going to get rid of about half of what I have though.

I will still be spending about $80 per month to store my stuff and I am willing to do that for a few years. Still thinking I will have a ski condo to furnish at some point and I like my stuff.


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## chucklesR (Sep 17, 2007)

We are making that transition. If it doesn't fit on the boat it gets given to family, sold or otherwise let go of. 
We decided that if/when we become land lubbers again we'll buy again rather than pay to store for years. 
The first step is indeed the hardest, but it needs done. Anything you haven't used, looked at or needed for a year goes out first.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

I've moved quite a bit. I've never paid to store anything that ended worth the amount I ultimately paid in storage. I would store things of sentimental value or that I must have, but don't fit in the house/apartment/boat. I would never save a thing for economic reasons again.


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## downeast450 (Jan 16, 2008)

MikeOReilly said:


> We are transitioning to full-time boat life. To store our land stuff we bought a covered storage trailer:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I am with Mike,

I bought a 22' Interstate tandem trailer. I could store my car in it if I wanted to. I built some shelves and a work bench. It is mobile. It never gets any road use so it stays new. You can resell it for about what it cost you when you are done. I found a used one a carpenter had as a mobile shop. It probably hasn't traveled 5K miles. If you spend 5K on one of these up front you will get it all back in 5 years. The other nice thing is the convenience of not having to travel to a storage facility or move all your stuff if you relocate.

Down


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## boatpoker (Jul 21, 2008)

sold the house as is including tractor, snow blower, 62 jag, 61 mga, bonneville 750, bonnevile 650, daytona 500 and all furniture. We took our clothes and family photographs and left.
20 years later ... no regrets.


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## MarioG (Sep 6, 2009)

If you have stuff that you won't need to use for 5 yrs, what can it really be worth? I don't mean to sound harsh about it, but it is only stuff and if you really needed it then you would take it with you. 
We sold and gave away everything that we didn't need on the boat, this included some classic cars that I will never be able to replace. After a short time on the boat we found its much nicer not to have the 10 tons of stuff clutering our lives.
!


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## tankersteve (Jun 22, 2007)

Well, I think when we pull the plug, we'll go with the option of buying a covered trailer. I never thought about just parking it at my father's house, or on a military base storage facility. Should be very little cost to me, and when we finish our cruise, I can get a truck and move all our stuff to our new location. Then get some money back from selling the trailer. Thanks for the ideas.

And yes, everything I really want to keep is furniture or art. I may keep some tools, simply because I'll have easy room to store them. Decluttering and clearing out is important, but it isn't always easy to convince 2 little girls and the wife.

Tankersteve


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## hellosailor (Apr 11, 2006)

$100 a month won't buy you a 10x10 climate controlled in the boonies. I'd guess it will inch up to $150-200 and be a fast ten grand over the next five years as they raise prices annually.

Condo in the mountains...mountains in or near CT? Condo?! My condolences, you'll have a hundred "landlords" each trying to run your life and tell you that you can't wash your car or hang your laundry.

But any kind of real estate at this point is probably going UP to finish the recovery and continue from there. I'd say don't waste your money on the storage, buy now and use your new condo as the storage spot. Or buy it and rent it out (if the condo allows you) and use an attached garage as storage.

If you can't afford to buy it now, then SELL THE STUFF and put it towards buying SOONER. The money you save by buying sooner and cheaper, can buy you new stuff.


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## ehmanta (Sep 12, 2006)

Some good advice so far and here's another additional strategy: sell as much as you can (might make a couple of grand), take the amount of money that it would have cost you for your storage space say, $5K add them together and put it into an investment account, maybe an index fund or money market so when you swallow the anchor, your money has been working for you all that time. Just don't touch it until you get back!


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## CaptainForce (Jan 1, 2006)

We've let some acquired things go now and then, but we've never faced this big downsizing dilemma. We found that living aboard without stuff suits us well. I must confess that my wife did have a large Samsonite suitcase full of a 12 place set of dining ware that was a gift from her parents. This suitcase sat in my in-law's attic for thirty years until we gave it to our daughter and son-in-law. Now, my daughter is about to move aboard with her husband and child. The 12 place setting of china was sold last month at a garage sale. During the 44 years that this stuff was in our family's possession it was used for two Thanksgiving dinners at my daughter's house.

There is a great freedom in non-ownership! - I'd get rid of the stuff!


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## outbound (Dec 3, 2012)

I'm just about the last one standing. Will be retired in two weeks. My basement is filled with stuff from my parents prior house/app't. and my sister's estate. We have stuff from when my wife's parents moved to Florida and from her/my kids although they have long since moved out. House has furniture I made and antiques even after various estate sales. My 92 y.o. mom would be devastated if I clear the basement/house of the stuff from my sister and parents prior residences before she passes. Cost of heated storage is huge. For present dodging the issue as need to keep the house for another two years until wife fully retires. Then antiques/valuables to wife's daughter. Wood/metal shops prepped for long term storage but left in place. Artwork in airtight boxes. Rent house. Eventually we all need to swallow the anchor. So then can come back to my own house and replace what the renters destroy with the income from what rent generates. Fortunate in that have family in place to serve as renting agent and live in touristy town near a active metro area.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

outbound said:


> ......Eventually we all need to swallow the anchor. So then can come back to my own house......


While there are many way to deal with this point, it is one that is often left out of the encouragement for people to go cruising, liveaboard or sell all their stuff.

No one way is right for everyone, but the odds are strongly in favor of one returning to shore one day.


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## boatpoker (Jul 21, 2008)

Minnewaska said:


> While there are many way to deal with this point, it is one that is often left out of the encouragement for people to go cruising, liveaboard or sell all their stuff.
> 
> No one way is right for everyone, but the odds are strongly in favor of one returning to shore one day.


Too true ! I have recently been forced to become "dirt people" again. The house I sold 20 years ago for $475k would cost over $2mil to buy back.


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## outbound (Dec 3, 2012)

Thanks Minnie and Boatpoker. Think this is a hard issue for people to consider when they are so excited about bugging out. 
As I sit here doing the financial chores for the week note the bride has laid new hardwood in one room (Brazilian rosewood no less), had a landscaper bring in heavy equipment to finally settle an issue with a hill behind the house and redone some irrigation.
"It's alright honey...will mean more rent and less trouble renting it"

Oh well. As Muddy Waters said "I'm a poor boy married to a rich mans wife"


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