I'm about to put a lot of my belongings into self storage. Orpington's got a big centre and I've just downsized from a four-bed detached to a two-bed semi so as you can imagine I've loads of clutter that I need to find a home for.
The way the economy is now means that so many people have had to put stuff into storage as they have lost their homes, which is sad. I've been lucky in that I didn't lose my house; my move is the result of a divorce. But I was reading that the recession has also been bad for the self storage industry.
I think that human laziness has always been quite good for self storage; Orpington's no different. They've got a huge facility, but apparently, our guilt about paying rent for all that storage has overridden our need to hoard so much.
Before, people felt that once they'd put their possessions into storage, they could always sort it out or sell it off next week, and so they left things in storage for what seemed like forever. But now, they are watching every penny of course and making huge cuts and deciding that they could actually do without all that stuff they have kept in storage for years, because it isn't worth paying so much to rent the space.
So in a way, self storage, and the reason we need so many depots around the UK, is symptomatic of why we're in a recession in the first place. We have been allowed for so long to accumulate a massive amount of material possessions that we didn't really need, and couldn't really afford.
Self storage was first set up in 1960s America, designed as a low-profile business which people could use when in transition, but after a couple of decades the industry exploded with success, thanks to a peak of divorce numbers and a fashion for second and third homes, and crossed the pond to the UK.
There are about 52,000 self storage units in America today, and it's estimated there could be about 750 in the UK.
Whenever I use self storage Orpington or otherwise, I always check there's on site security. Are their CCTV cameras? Security staff? Always be happy that your belongings will be safe before you commit to anything.
You should also always check that you've found the perfect conditions for housing your stuff. Premises shouldn't feel humid; this can cause possessions to deteriorate, and it's ideal to choose somewhere with steel structures as this offers the best protection for your belongings.
Thomas Pretty is one happy self storage centre customer. Find out more about self storage Orpington at http://www.safestore.co.uk/storage/london/orpington/orpington/map_directions.aspx
