We all need fresh air in our lives, and there’s no greater than the wind of change that propels you abroad for a new life. About as far from a timid decision as you could get, and strategy must be wedded to this boldness, particularly when it comes to what you’re going to do with your belongings when you move overseas.
Whether it’s the other side of the world or those beautiful Greek islands, it would be a tragedy were you not to factor in a safe storage solution for everything you’ve accrued to date.
Who among us doesn’t want to escape the UK’s extreme weather now and again!
Unless you plan on shipping everything overseas, often fraught with problems, and hidden expenses, not to mention the time it takes to transport large items of furniture, many choose Edinburgh Self Storage.
Not to pour cold water on all your hopes and dreams, but you might not like it when you get there. Bubbles are fragile things that can quickly burst. Who knows? You might even begin to miss the rain, a certain type of chocolate and fish suppers.
There are loads of reasons why you might think of moving abroad, like a work opportunity, to see more of the world, join family, or just a change of pace and sunnier weather. All have a common goal: an improved quality of life, so why attach stress to the first step when you can use self-storage?
Perhaps you’re looking for self storage becuase you’re retired and about to be on your travels?
To take or not to take? That is the question
You could donate it all or rely on family and friends to look after it for you, but are these realistic options? Are the friends and relatives you’re waving goodbye to at the airport really going to want to have your stuff cluttering up their home or garage?
Shipping every last belonging might be a bit hasty if you’re only on a temporary contract, for example. This takes a lot of planning and investment: we’re talking international removals, customs, insurance, and long transit times.
Maybe you’re staying in temporary accommodation to begin with when you land? So many variables to be so strident and confidently moving your stuff lock, stock, and barrel.
And it’s a wee bit drastic to go selling your stuff, too. What about the nostalgic and sentimental value of all that has accompanied you for years? We can all get carried away with that new broom and sweep stuff not only under the carpet but right out of the door. Yes, a wee declutter is good, but maybe don’t be too gung-ho and imagine that a reinvention must be head-to-toe and against the clock.
Apart from anything else, it’s a lovely, warm and fuzzy feeling when reunited with your stuff when you take it out of storage on your return to the UK.
Self Storage is a great middle ground, and we have a handy Room Size Helper to get you started.
How long will you be away?
You might be sure as anything that you’re moving abroad, but unsure how long you’ll stay.
This could be a work contract that doesn’t have any long-term guarantee, travel plans that could be thrown up in the air at any moment, or a course of study where you might find that you’re hopping on flights home a few times a year at least.
Any lifestyle change can evolve. You might not settle, and rebuilding your life when you get back will be a lot more arduous if you wholesale cast your belongings to the four winds.
Protecting your worldly goods when you’re abroad
Furniture is often a favourite for storage with us when customers head abroad, and for a variety of reasons. We’re talking sofas, dining tables, wardrobes, beds, shelving – the lot.
Selling this type of thing these days often means letting them go at a steal. That’s why storing them until you return is a far more workable approach.
Our secure storage facility in Edinburgh keeps your furniture protected and in as good a shape as when you left it. And again, trust us, no friends or family want the burden or inconvenience of storing it for you.
Sentimental items
We all have keepsakes and stuff that we can’t bear to part with, and yet, you might not be able to justify shipping it all abroad. Or you might not feel that its energy fits with this new life you’re hoping for, but this is not something to make a snap decision about.
The Future You might come to crave it once again.
Family heirlooms don’t have to be priceless monetarily to hold value; likewise, photo albums, artworks, books, childhood toys, etc. Get them to Edinburgh Self Storage and be done with it. That way, you will know it’s all there when you return to these shores.
Storing seasonal belongings
If you’re moving to warmer climes, are you going to lay waste to all your Christmas decorations, tools, sports equipment, winter coats, etc.?
These are bulky, and you could do with a far more streamlined approach, and, yes, you guessed it, by using one of our self-storage units at Jenners Depository or Bonnington Road, Leith. Travel light and feel bright.
Are you renting your home while you’re abroad?
Perhaps you’ll rent out your property when you’re abroad? Your tenants aren’t necessarily going to want your stuff cluttering up the joint.
Personal belongings, excess furniture, they’re the flies in the ointment. Neither would you want any of them to be damaged. People tend not to treat other people’s property with the same respect, unfortunately.
Think functionality.
Take the stress out of it all
There might even be a sliver of chaos in moving abroad, no matter how organised you are. There’s so much paperwork, travel arrangements, and logistics to think about. Never mind the packing.
You can move things into one of our storage units bit by bit, rather than pile too much on your plate and boost those cortisol levels even further. Moving home is stressful enough, let alone to another country.
Be flexible
A linear timetable and all your ducks staying in line, well, you must be quackers if you think that this will be the case. There are so many things that could happen out of the blue, so you must be your own flexible friend.
A great buffer for such eventualities is self-storage. Short or long, you can shift things as per your changing plans. You might also return for a visit, and you can access all your stuff should you wish to retrieve some of it.
Read more about our StoreProtect package.
Tips for storing your belongings before moving abroad
Decluttering is a great starting point, and you can donate and recycle anything that won’t figure in your future life abroad, so that you’re not dealing with too many distractions further down the line.
Pack carefully, using sturdy boxes and labelling everything clearly, and protect with bubble wrap if necessary. Disassembling large furniture can also help save space.
Inventories are great months or years down the line. And think about what you need easy access to when you do return, and what should therefore be at the front of the storage unit.
When the time comes for you to return, you’ll be so glad you kept some things rather than having to start from scratch all over again.
