Storing Your Belongings During Urban Renewal

Between building meetings, signatures and the hunt for temporary housing, your belongings always end up last on the list. "We'll deal with that," people say. Then the eviction date is set, and everyone in the same building is looking for movers and storage in the same week. Demand piles up all at once. Those who plan early find space and keep the price under control; those who leave it late have to settle for whatever is left.

Nobody Knows How Long It Will Take

Let's say it up front: the hardest part of urban renewal (earthquake-driven redevelopment) isn't moving out; it's not knowing when you'll move back. Construction time varies by project and often runs over. This uncertainty has two consequences. First, committing to a fixed term by saying "six months" is risky; if it takes longer, you're stuck. Second, packing your belongings carelessly because "it won't take long anyway"; when the timeline stretches, those are the items that get damaged.

That's why we recommend the flexible monthly model. The minimum term is 1 month, there's no deposit, you move out in whichever month you like and you don't pay for the remaining months. Details are in our article on monthly storage rental.

How to Build Your Timeline

Say the eviction date has been set. Let's count backward.

4–6 weeks before

First, the key question: where will you live during the process? You can't plan for your belongings until this is clear, because the size of the temporary home determines what goes into storage. Next, mentally split your home in two: what you'll take with you and what goes into storage. Work out a rough volume for the storage portion; our guide how many m³ of storage do I need is made for exactly this.

2–3 weeks before

Get quotes for storage and moving, and book your date. During these weeks, everyone from the same building and the same neighborhood is calling, and finding an open day gets harder. Buy packing materials or schedule a packing service. And that bike on the balcony, the chest no one has opened in years, the bed the kids have outgrown: sell them, donate them, give them away. Every cubic meter shows up on your monthly bill.

1 week before

Pack and label everything that's going into storage; the system in our box labeling system article is a lifesaver when you're looking for a box months later. Title deeds, contracts, IDs and personal documents go in a separate folder; they don't go into storage, they stay with you. In our view, the smartest move is to send the storage items before eviction day. That way, only the things going to your temporary home are left on the day itself, and both the truck load and the stress are cut in half.

Eviction day

What's left are the items going to your temporary home. Walk through the apartment and the building one last time; check the tops of cabinets, the balcony and your basement storage space. For an overall moving plan, see our moving day timeline article.

Four Ways to Lower Your Bill

1. Reduce the volume. There's no better excuse to get rid of things you haven't touched in years.
2. Don't insist on a central location. If you won't be visiting the warehouse during the process, there's no point paying extra for a central location; outlying districts are cheaper.
3. Disassemble everything you can. Once wardrobes, bed frames and dining tables are taken apart, the volume drops considerably.
4. Consider a container. If your things will be stored for a long time and you won't need access in between, container storage is more economical than a private room.

If It Will Last More Than a Year, Packing Changes

Short-term storage and storage lasting more than a year are not the same thing. The longer it lasts, the more humidity becomes the main enemy. Cover wood and leather with breathable covers; don't wrap them directly in plastic. Textiles should go into storage completely dry, with a moisture absorber placed alongside them. Nothing should touch the floor. Clean and dry your appliances and leave the refrigerator door ajar; otherwise, the smell that comes out when you open it will fill the whole house. Details are in our articles humidity, mold and pests in storage and furniture storage.

What Goes to the Temporary Home, and What Goes into Storage?

Throughout the process, you have two addresses: the temporary home and the storage unit. Getting the split between them right determines both your comfort and your bill.

There's a practical rule of thumb. Keep the bare minimum needed for daily life in the temporary home: a bed, basic kitchen essentials, clothes for the season and a desk. Everything else goes into storage.

A common mistake is moving extra items to the temporary home "just in case." The already small apartment gets cramped, boxes wait in the hallway, and when the process passes the one-year mark, those "just in case" items are still unopened.

Documents and Valuables

Title deeds, contracts and correspondence should always be within reach throughout the renewal process; they don't go into storage but travel with you in a separate folder. The same goes for jewelry, important documents and items of personal value. A storage unit is the wrong place for them.

Where to Start?

We've gathered our options tailored to urban renewal on the urban renewal household storage page. If you'd like your belongings picked up from your door, there's storage with door-to-door pickup. For a free survey and quote, you can fill out the form or call 0850 888 66 15.

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