Knowing The Difference Between Self-Storage and On-Demand or Valet Storage

Getting yourself a proper storage space or system has become more important now than ever because it makes everything look neat and organized. Besides that, decluttering also saves you much time and effort to figure out whether or not you’ve misplaced or lost something. 

But before getting a storage solution, you’re faced with the dilemma of deciding on which one to rent: should it be a self-storage unit or valet storage (also referred to as on-demand storage)?

Luckily, you are not the only one facing this dilemma. Many people these days don’t exactly know the difference between a self-storage unit and valet storage. So let’s get down to it and distinguish what exactly the differences are between these two.

Self-Storage

Self-storage has been around for quite a while now and is actually familiar to people who have previously tried looking for several ways to store their belongings. From the term itself, “self” only means that you’ll be the one to personally bring, store, and load up your things to the storage space unit that you rented. 

Self-storage is a storage system or solution that offer space at a facility where you can store your stuff. It’s pretty much just like owning an extra space out of your home, where you can access it all day. This is the DIY or do it yourself version. 

Pros

1. Since it’s called self-storage, you have one whole storage space unit all to yourself, and you have exclusive access to it. You don’t have to worry about storing your valuables inside as long as it fits.
2. You can rent the unit flexibly and don’t have to worry about whether or not it’s for short- or long-term purposes.
3. Given that you have the unit all to yourself, you also get 24/7 access to it.
4. Self-storage facilities usually provide a centralized security system, so you don’t have to worry about break-ins and burglars.

Cons

1. Self-storage units or facilities normally do not have transportation or delivery services; hence, if you don’t have a vehicle of your own, you still need to hire transportation or delivery services to carry your things to and from and facility.
2. This is not for people who are busy and always on-the-go because self-storage requires your physical appearance as you will be the one packing and loading your belongings in the unit.
3. Whether or not you’re maximizing the space you’ve rented, you’ll be paying for it i.e. even if you’re only using half the space, you’ll still pay for the whole storage unit.

Valet or On-Demand Storage

On-demand or Valet storage is relatively new to the game, as self-storage have always been the traditional way of storing things. With on-demand storage, instead of traveling to a storage unit to keep things away (DIY), this will only require you to gather up all the belongings you want to store, and then a storage company will come to you and pick these up from your home. It’s very much like a mover and delivery service.

If you only need to store small items, the storage company will most likely give you storage containers or boxes – which will then serve as your storage “units” where you’re responsible to pack and organize your things in. However, you may also opt for packing services if you’d rather not do the packing yourself. This container shall then be sealed to ensure that no one gets access to it but you. As for large items, storage companies offer one-stop solution packing services, so it’s easier and more hassle-free for you to store these away.

After packing, this will be taken to a warehouse space where it will be stored. When you need your things back, you can simply contact the storage company and schedule your preferred date and time to have your belongings delivered back. Sometimes you’ll have a self-service app or website with a customer portal to order the retrieval of your items. 

Pros

1. Just like self-storage, valet storage also implements a centralized security system in their warehouse to closely monitor who gets in and out of the facility.
2. Forget about traveling to and from a storage facility, especially if you’re busy because with valet storage, you don’t have to leave the house to get your things packed and stored away.
3. On-demand storage is more budget-friendly as you’ll only have to pay for what you store and not the entire storage unit.

Cons

1. But unlike self-storage, you only get limited access to your belongings. While self-storage provides 24/7 convenient access to your things, with valet storage, you’ll have to schedule and make a request for the pick-up and pull-out of your things, which may be a hassle considering the availability of delivery services, especially during peak season.
2. Logistics costs may begin to add up if you need access to your items frequently.

After further research and reading, you’ll notice that each of these two has its own fair share of advantages and disadvantages. So it really depends on what you’re looking for, how often you need to access your items, and whether or not you’re a DIY type of person. Make sure to check out our storage solutions or get in touch with us here for all your storage needs!