What self storage is and how it works
By TrovaStorage. Last updated: .
Self storage is the rental of a locked unit, inside a purpose-built facility, where you put your things and which you access on your own, with your key or your code, during the facility's hours. You choose the size of the unit, sign a contract with the operator and pay a regular fee for as long as you keep it.
How it works, in practice
- Choose the size. Units are measured in square metres. To work out how many you need, start from what you have to put away: the space calculator does it in a few seconds.
- Choose the facility. What counts is the distance from home, the access hours and the services, such as van access or a goods lift. On each city's page you find the listed facilities, with address, sizes and hours.
- Ask for a quote. Many operators do not publish a price: they give it on request, together with the terms of the contract.
- Bring your things. Transport is yours to arrange, unless the operator offers it as a separate service.
- Come when you need to. You enter during the facility's access hours, which may differ from the office hours.
What changes from one facility to another
Each operator sets its own terms. Before signing it is worth asking in writing:
- the minimum term and the notice period for ending the contract;
- whether a deposit is required and how it is returned;
- whether the price includes VAT and insurance;
- the access hours for the units and the office hours;
- what may not be stored.
TrovaStorage does not summarise these terms here because they change from operator to operator: on each facility's page you find the details the operator publishes, with the source and the date they were read.
Self storage and a mover's furniture storage are not the same thing
With self storage the unit is yours for the whole length of the contract and you go in on your own. With a mover's furniture storage your things are collected, kept in a warehouse and brought back, and you usually cannot access them freely. The guide Deposito mobili o self storage, in Italian, compares the two services.
How much it costs
It depends on the city, the size and the operator. The TrovaStorage price index publishes a figure only where it has enough prices with a source; where it does not, it says so.