Life doesn’t always give you time to plan for what’s next. During these periods of transition, it’s natural for your home to feel more crowded than usual. From finding storage for baby items to organising belongings during a house downsizing or separation, managing everything on your own can feel overwhelming. At Attic Self Storage, we’re here to help, supporting families across London with facilities in Harrow, Enfield, Marylebone, Bow and beyond.
Whether you need temporary storage during a period of change or a longer-term solution, your belongings will remain safe and accessible until you’re ready for them again. Self storage for families and life changes can help to:
- Give you time and flexibility to make decisions at your own pace, without feeling pressured to sort through belongings straight away.
- Reduce household clutter to help you create a calmer and more organised living space.
- Provide a secure place for important belongings, furniture, documents and sentimental items. At Attic Self Storage, our facilities feature state-of-the-art security, including 24-hour CCTV, perimeter fencing and app-controlled locks.
- Keep your belongings accessible whenever you need them, with complimentary 24-hour access available across our storage facilities.
What life events can self storage help you navigate?
Here are some of the most common situations where self storage can provide extra space for families:
Bereavement
When dealing with the death of a loved one, we understand that you really want to be able to focus on family and the grieving process. We all have different ways of dealing with bereavement but however you deal with it, you need to make sure you create time and space to allow yourself to go through this process.
The practical side of bereavement can be difficult too, as there are often many things that need attention during this time. You may need to sort through possessions, retrieve important documents, make arrangements for any property, organise a funeral, and notify relatives, all while coping with your loss.
Bereavement self storage solutions can help take some of the pressure off during a difficult period, especially when:
- You inherit a home: When someone passes away, their belongings are often left in the family home. If you inherit the property, sorting through these possessions can be both emotionally and practically challenging. Bereavement storage provides a secure place to keep items until you feel ready to decide what to do with them.
- You’re navigating a house move: If you’re planning to relocate to be closer to a support network, self storage offers a temporary or long-term place to keep your belongings, giving you one less thing to think about while you settle into your new surroundings.
- You need extra space: Grief can make everyday tasks feel more challenging than usual. If managing a full house feels overwhelming, placing some belongings into storage can help create extra room and make day-to-day life feel more manageable.
Renting a self storage unit can often bring flexibility to the process by giving you the time and space to sort through possessions at your own pace. With our online system, you can do everything, apart from physically moving into your storage unit, from the comfort of your own home at a time that suits you, giving you a little more privacy.
You can simply move the contents of the property into a storage unit and sort through them at a later date, with no pressure. Our in-store and online teams can even arrange transport for you, giving you one less thing to think about. If you decide you want to keep some items, particularly larger belongings such as furniture, you’ll have the flexibility to do so with our complimentary 24-hour access.
To find out how we can support you with storage during bereavement, give us a call and we’ll be happy to discuss the services available to help.
Caring for a family member
When a loved one becomes unwell or an elderly parent requires additional support, a lot can change in a short period of time. You may need to move closer to a hospital, adjust your living arrangements, or make room to care for someone at home. Some benefits of using self storage when taking on caring responsibilities include:
- Supporting a loved one’s move into full-time care: When a loved one moves into full-time care, their belongings are often left behind. If it’s too overwhelming to sort through everything while helping them with the move, you can place items into storage and go through them at your own pace.
- Storing bulky furniture and belongings when you move in: Moving in as a carer may require you to downsize your own living space. Putting items into storage allows you to keep your furniture without overcrowding a spare room, single-room accommodation, or your loved one’s home.
- Keeping belongings secure during long hospital stays: If you or a loved one need to spend weeks or months in hospital, moving valuable belongings, furniture, or antiques into a secure storage unit can offer extra peace of mind. Knowing your items are protected by CCTV, locks and alarms can help reduce stress during an already difficult time. With complimentary 24-hour access, you can also access your belongings whenever you need them.
Welcoming a new baby
When it’s time to bring a new baby home, preparing your house and creating extra space can help you feel ready for this exciting new chapter. Moving furniture, sports equipment, and other bulky belongings into storage can free up room for baby and child’s essentials and items. Here are a few reasons why a storage unit may benefit your family.
- Saving baby items for the future: Babies quickly grow out of cots, prams, clothes and toys. Once your child has outgrown these items, you may not be ready to part with it but may not have enough room to store it. If you’re also planning for more children in the future, you may also want to keep it until then. Storing your baby items away from your home allows you to store in the long-term and access whenever you want them again.
- Making room for a growing child: As babies become toddlers, your home often needs to adapt too. You may want to move fragile furniture, valuable possessions, or items that aren’t suitable for young children out of the way, especially once they’re crawling, walking, and exploring more independently. Self storage can provide a secure place to keep these belongings while you decide whether to keep, sell, or donate them, giving you more space at home in the meantime.
- Upsizing your family home: As your family grows, you may find that you need more space. If you’re planning to move to a larger home, a storage unit can hold your belongings while you prepare your property for sale and complete the move. This can make the process more manageable, especially if you’re working to a tight timeline.
Downsizing your home
Our housing needs change throughout life. You might start out in a small flat, move into a larger home as your family grows, and later decide to move somewhere smaller. When that time comes, self storage can help make the downsizing process a little easier.
- Children leaving home to go to university: As children grow up and move out, many parents find themselves with more space than they need. Downsizing is common for empty nesters, and a storage unit can provide a place to keep your children’s belongings while you settle into a smaller home. Alternatively, if you’re planning to repurpose their room, storage can offer a long-term solution for items you’d like to keep safe for the future.
- Relationship changes: Separation and divorce often bring significant changes to your living arrangements. In many cases, each partner moves into a smaller property and may need time to decide what to do with furniture and personal belongings. Self storage during separation or divorce offers a flexible solution, allowing you to keep items safe while you adjust to your new circumstances.
- Retirement: As you get older, a large home may become more difficult to maintain. Many retirees choose to downsize to a smaller property, using self storage to keep belongings safe during the move. This gives you more time to sort through, sell, donate, or pass on items, while providing a long-term home for possessions you’d like to keep.
Tips for preparing a storage unit during a life change
We understand that major life changes can feel overwhelming, and adapting to a new situation often takes time. That’s why our self storage units are designed to be as convenient as possible, with complimentary 24-hour access so you can visit whenever it suits you. In the meantime, here are a few ways to make the process easier:
- Organise and categorise your belongings into clearly labelled boxes, whether you’re storing baby items, documents, furniture, or sentimental antiques. Be sure to mark any fragile items.
- Speak to our friendly on-site team about services that could make the transition easier, including transport assistance, forklift access and packing materials.
- Before booking, use our storage unit size guide to find the right unit for your needs. As a guide, a 100 sq ft storage unit can hold the contents of a typical three-bedroom home.
- When packing your storage unit, leave enough space to move around comfortably so you can access items whenever you need them.
During major life events, it’s important to give yourself room to breathe. Our storage units across London provide a secure place to keep your belongings while you navigate a move, bereavement, downsizing, or another significant life change. With facilities across East, North and Central London, many of which are conveniently located near major roads and transport links, accessing your belongings is simple whenever you need them. Simply browse our locations to find your nearest Attic Self Storage facility today.