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Moving dates do not always line up perfectly. Your new home may not be ready, settlement could be delayed, or you might need somewhere secure for your belongings while renovating or downsizing.
Temporary storage can make these situations easier, but one question often causes confusion: how much storage space do you actually need?
Choosing too little space may leave you searching for another solution at the last minute. Choosing more than necessary can mean paying for space you do not use. The best approach is to estimate your needs based on your actual belongings, how they can be packed, and how long they will remain in storage.
This guide will help you create a practical inventory, account for commonly forgotten items, prepare furniture properly, and discuss your requirements clearly with your removalist or storage provider.
People often estimate storage requirements by counting rooms. While the number of bedrooms provides a useful starting point, it does not tell the whole story.
Two three-bedroom homes can contain very different amounts of furniture. One may have a minimal interior with few possessions, while another has a garage, outdoor setting, home office, children’s equipment, and years of stored belongings.
Your storage needs may also be affected by:
The size and number of furniture pieces
The number of packed boxes
Appliances and electronic equipment
Garage, shed, balcony, and garden items
Whether furniture can be dismantled
Whether items are suitable for stacking
The amount of access required during storage
Whether you are storing everything or only part of the home
How carefully fragile belongings must be positioned
Instead of relying on the property size alone, begin with a detailed inventory.
Walk through every room and list what will be placed in storage. Include both large furniture and smaller boxed belongings.
A room-by-room inventory may cover:
Sofa or modular lounge
Armchairs and ottomans
Coffee and side tables
Television and entertainment unit
Bookshelves
Lamps
Rugs
Artwork and decorations
Beds and mattresses
Bedside tables
Dressers and wardrobes
Desks and chairs
Clothing
Bedding
Personal belongings
Dining table and chairs
Bar stools
Small appliances
Cookware and tableware
Pantry items suitable for storage
Additional cabinets or shelving
Washing machine and dryer
Storage cabinets
Hampers
Towels and linen
Unopened household supplies
Tools and workbenches
Bicycles
Shelving
Camping equipment
Lawn-care equipment
Barbecue
Outdoor table and chairs
Sports equipment
Plant pots without soil or plants
Do not forget cupboards, hallways, attics, sheds, balconies, and under-bed storage. These areas often contain more belongings than expected.
Take photographs as you complete the inventory. They can help the storage provider understand the volume and shape of your belongings more accurately than a simple room count.
Property type can provide an initial guide, but it should never replace a complete inventory.
A smaller home may include a bed, mattress, compact lounge, television, table, chairs, appliances, and several boxes. Storage requirements can increase quickly if the property also contains a balcony setting, large wardrobe, sporting equipment, or home-office furniture.
In addition to the main bedroom and living-room furniture, consider the purpose of the second bedroom. A fully furnished guest room or home office will require more space than a lightly used spare room.
Young families may also need storage for prams, cots, toys, high chairs, and changing furniture.
A three-bedroom household may contain several beds, larger dining and lounge furniture, multiple appliances, outdoor furniture, and a significant number of boxes.
Garage and shed contents can have a major effect on the estimate. Tools, bicycles, storage racks, and garden equipment are easily overlooked during the first assessment.
Larger households often require a more detailed assessment because the total volume can vary considerably. Additional living spaces, a home office, large wardrobes, multiple refrigerators, outdoor entertainment furniture, and garage equipment all need to be included.
For a larger move, providing photos or arranging a more detailed assessment can reduce the risk of underestimating the space required.
Storage estimates commonly focus on obvious items such as beds, sofas, and boxes. However, irregular or bulky belongings can use more space than expected.
Remember to include:
Mattresses and bed frames
Outdoor furniture
Barbecues
Bicycles and scooters
Exercise equipment
Mirrors and framed artwork
Rugs
Ladders and tools
Office chairs and filing cabinets
Musical instruments
Children’s outdoor toys
Shelving units
Spare refrigerators or freezers
Seasonal decorations
Suitcases and travel equipment
Pianos and particularly heavy furniture also require specialised handling. Speedy Move provides piano and heavy-furniture moving services, so these items should be identified during the quote process rather than added on moving day.
There is little value in paying to store belongings you no longer need.
Before finalising your estimate, separate items into four groups:
Keep and store
Move directly to the new property
Sell or donate
Recycle or dispose of responsibly
Be realistic about damaged furniture, unused appliances, old paperwork, clothing that no longer fits, and items that have remained unopened for years.
Decluttering can reduce the space required, simplify loading, and make unpacking easier when your belongings leave storage. It also gives you a clearer inventory to share with the moving team.
Large furniture can create empty gaps that are difficult to use efficiently. When suitable pieces are dismantled, they may require less space and be easier to protect.
Items that may be suitable for dismantling include:
Bed frames
Dining tables
Desks
Modular lounges
Wardrobes
Shelving units
Outdoor settings
Keep screws, bolts, brackets, and other small parts in clearly labelled bags. Attach each bag securely to the corresponding furniture or place all hardware in a dedicated parts box with a written list.
Take photographs before dismantling complicated furniture. These images can make reassembly easier later.
Speedy Move can assist with furniture dismantling and reassembly where required. Identify the relevant pieces when requesting your personalised quote so the team can prepare the necessary tools and allow enough time.
Short-term and long-term storage require slightly different planning.
Short-term storage may help when settlement is delayed, moving dates do not match, or your new property needs cleaning or minor work.
Even if your belongings will only be stored briefly, they should still be clean, dry, packed securely, and clearly labelled. Avoid treating short-term storage as an excuse for rushed or unprotected packing.
If you expect to retrieve certain items before everything else, identify them in advance and ask how access will work.
Long-term storage may be appropriate during an extended renovation, interstate transition, overseas stay, downsizing process, or major life change.
For longer storage periods:
Clean and completely dry appliances
Wash and dry fabric items
Use suitable furniture covers
Protect mattresses properly
Remove batteries where appropriate
Keep important paperwork elsewhere
Avoid packing items in damp boxes
Create a detailed written and photographic inventory
Label boxes on more than one side
Speedy Move’s website confirms flexible storage options for both short- and long-term requirements. The appropriate arrangement will depend on your inventory, timing, and moving plan.
Efficient storage is not about forcing as many items as possible into a limited space. Belongings still need appropriate protection and stable placement.
Before storage:
Clean furniture and allow it to dry completely
Empty cabinets, drawers, and appliances
Defrost and dry refrigerators and freezers
Secure doors and movable components
Wrap fragile items individually
Protect corners and polished surfaces
Store books in smaller, strong boxes
Avoid making boxes too heavy to lift safely
Label every box by room and contents
Mark fragile items clearly
Keep a copy of your inventory
Use sturdy boxes that can be stacked safely. Boxes with weak or damaged bases may collapse and place the belongings around them at risk.
Avoid placing heavy items on soft furniture, mattresses, fragile boxes, or appliances. A neat and stable packing plan is more valuable than filling every small gap.
Speedy Move offers packing and unpacking assistance and uses packing materials and protective equipment to help prepare belongings for transport and storage.
Before booking, think about whether your belongings can remain untouched until the end of the storage period.
If you may need access to work equipment, seasonal clothing, documents, children’s belongings, or kitchen essentials, discuss this before loading begins. Access rules and arrangements can differ depending on the storage service.
Create a separate list of priority items and make sure they are clearly labelled. Randomly opening boxes later can disturb the packing arrangement and make items more difficult to locate.
Valuable documents, medication, passports, keys, jewellery, and frequently used personal items should generally remain with you rather than being packed into storage.
Storage providers may have restrictions on certain goods. Always ask for the provider’s prohibited-items list before packing.
Items that commonly require special consideration include:
Petrol and other fuels
Gas cylinders
Paints, solvents, and flammable liquids
Fireworks and explosives
Perishable or opened food
Live plants
Animals
Medication
Cash and irreplaceable documents
Wet or mould-affected belongings
Leaking or damaged batteries
Unlawful goods
Queensland Fire Department advises that flammable liquids such as petrol, kerosene, paints, and solvents should be kept away from heat sources and stored only in approved, clearly labelled containers. However, a storage provider may prohibit them entirely, so confirm the rules instead of assuming they are accepted.
If your move crosses state borders, check whether plants, soil, produce, or other goods are restricted. The Australian Government’s domestic biosecurity guidance explains that restrictions can apply to household potted plants and other goods moving between states and territories.
Storage should be considered as part of your complete moving plan rather than as a separate last-minute decision.
Ask:
What information is needed to estimate the space?
Can I provide photos or a video of the inventory?
Are short- and long-term arrangements available?
How are storage charges calculated?
What items are prohibited?
How should furniture and appliances be prepared?
Can the team help with packing?
Can furniture be dismantled before storage?
How is access arranged if I need an item?
What notice is required before delivery?
What protection or insurance options apply?
Are collection and redelivery included or quoted separately?
Request the important terms in writing. A clear quote should reflect your inventory, collection address, delivery plan, access conditions, dates, and any additional moving or packing services required.
Storage may be needed for many reasons. Your new property might not be ready, renovation work may still be underway, or you may need time to decide what will fit after downsizing.
Speedy Move provides secure and flexible short- and long-term storage solutions that can be coordinated with local, country, or interstate moving requirements.
The team can also assist with:
Packing and unpacking
Furniture dismantling and reassembly
Home and office removals
Heavy-furniture moving
Piano removals
Interstate moves and backloading
Protective packing for transport
Because storage requirements depend on the actual inventory, Speedy Move does not need to force every customer into the same estimate. Providing accurate details and photographs allows the team to understand your belongings and recommend an arrangement suited to your move.
Need storage during your move? Request a personalised quote from Speedy Move and share your inventory, dates, locations, and any packing or furniture-handling assistance you require.
Create a room-by-room inventory that includes furniture, appliances, packed boxes, garage contents, outdoor items, and unusually shaped belongings. Provide photographs and measurements of large pieces where possible. The storage provider can then assess your requirements more accurately.
It provides a starting point, but it is not a reliable measurement on its own. Two homes with the same number of bedrooms may contain very different amounts of furniture, boxes, outdoor equipment, and stored belongings.
Yes. Dismantling suitable beds, tables, shelving, and modular furniture can reduce awkward gaps and make items easier to protect. Speedy Move can assist with dismantling and reassembly when arranged in advance.
Yes. Speedy Move provides flexible storage options for both short- and long-term needs. Share your estimated dates, inventory, and access requirements when requesting a quote.
Speedy Move provides removal and storage services that can be planned around your relocation. Confirm the collection address, eventual delivery location, storage period, and any access conditions during the quote process.
