Once you rent a storage unit, you'll wonder how you ever went without one. With a myriad of sizes available in most locations, there's a perfect fit for every need—and every budget. You'll be surprised at how affordable storage units are. If you're using BuxBear, you'll also usually get plenty of extra perks, like month-to-month rental agreements, online bill pay, and electronic gate access. For first-timers, it can be challenging to know which storage unit sizes are a good fit for their needs, and we're here to help.
What storage size options are available for you may vary from location to location, even among locations of the same company. However, we'll hit all the most common storage unit sizes and give you an idea of how much each holds.
Small Storage Unit Sizes
5x5 Unit — 25 square feet
A 5x5 storage unit is roughly equivalent to the size of a small closet. As such, it holds about as much stuff as one—great for keeping collections in long-term storage or heirlooms you're hanging onto. Small storage units are also ideal for holding onto off-season clothes to free up closet space in your home, such as stashing away heavy winter clothing that you know you won't need access to for months. Once it's time to transition to the winter wardrobe, you just swap out items. Fans of a tidy home, rejoice!
5x10 Unit — 50 square feet
A 5x10 storage unit is roughly equivalent to an average walk-in closet size. These units hold a deceptively high amount of gear when organized well, including boxes of clothing, collectibles, or perhaps a few pieces of furniture. These units are ideal for anything you might otherwise store in your basement, attic, or garage, but that need to be kept safe because attics, basements, and garages are often subject to extreme conditions like excessive temperatures or moisture. A climate-controlled self-storage unit can safely keep those more fragile or valuable items in storage.
5x15 Unit — 75 square feet
A 5x15 storage unit is roughly equivalent to a large walk-in closet size. This size can handle small amounts of furniture, chairs, chests of drawers, etc. It's also large enough to hold box springs and mattresses. This is a good size if you have smaller outdoor items that you need to store safely in the off-season, like kayaks or bicycles.
Medium Storage Unit Sizes
10x10 Unit — 100 square feet
A 10x10 storage unit is roughly half the size of a one-car garage. A 10x10 unit can potentially store the entire contents of a small one-bedroom apartment, including major appliances like washers, dryers, and refrigerators.
10x15 Unit — 150 square feet
A 10x15 storage unit is roughly two-thirds the size of a one-car garage. This is often enough space to store the contents of a two-bedroom apartment or house. It's also a good size for commercial inventory storage, making these self-storage units no-brainer investments for small businesses who want a storage solution but don't have a vast inventory.
Large Storage Unit Sizes
10x20 Unit — 200 square feet
A 10x20 storage unit is roughly equivalent to a standard one-car garage size. This is an ideal size for substantial business storage and inventory racks. It's also enough to fit the entire contents of an average three-bedroom home. Two hundred square feet is typically the smallest size to comfortably store an automobile. Some will fit in a 10x15 unit, but 10x20 is the superior choice. A 10x20 storage unit size is also on the lower acceptable end for most boats. Smaller boats and trailers will fit in a 10x20 unit, but most will require more space.
10x25 Unit — 250 square feet
A 10x25 storage unit is roughly equivalent to a large one-car garage size. This storage unit will typically hold the contents of a three-bedroom house, including large appliances like fridges, washing machines, and dishwashers, in addition to plenty of boxes and other furniture. These spacious units are great for commercial inventory storage, allowing you plenty of room to set up storage racks to keep inventory up off the ground and maximize how efficiently you use your space.
10x30 Unit — 300 square feet
A 10x30 storage unit is roughly equivalent to the size of a two-car garage. This is a great storage unit size for those with spare vehicles to store, like boats that need to be kept in a climate-controlled environment over the winter to protect them from the elements. The contents of most three-bedroom houses can fit in a 300-square-foot storage unit, and this also provides ample room for many commercial businesses that need off-site storage.
Larger than 10x40 Units and Up — 400+ square feet
Extra-large units are tougher to come by, but many storage unit services will have some extra-large options available. This is the size to research if you're storing a large vehicle, like an RV or a larger-sized boat and trailer. RVs, for example, are on average a little over 30 feet long—and many are longer—so to comfortably fit them, you'll need some serious room. Since many communities have rules about parking RVs in driveways, it's common for RV enthusiasts to store them in a large storage space until they're ready to take them out on the road.
When in doubt, go up a size!
If you find yourself on the fence about what size to get, we recommend renting the larger option you're considering. You'd rather have more space than you need than too little, and usually, the price difference to bump up by one storage unit size is not significant. This is particularly true for businesses; a slight difference in one expense future-proofs you so you're prepared for growth down the road.
Don't forget to look for specials!
Finally, we'll leave you with one majorly overlooked pro-tip: check out every size option available with the self-storage service you choose. At BuxBear locations, for example, sometimes specific sizes are on sale, particularly if you reserve them for multiple months at a time, meaning you may actually be able to get a larger storage space for less money, not more.
Visit us at your local BuxBear Storage location to secure a climate-controlled storage unit for all your storage needs! And give us a call with any storage-related questions. We’re happy to help!