5 Reasons Why You Should Rent A Self Storage Unit Before Moving to Charlotte

Charlotte, North Carolina, is one of the country’s fastest growing cities, with a population of about 886,000 residents in 2019, representing an 20% increase compared to 2010, according to US Census data. The city has also long been a magnet for Millennials due to the availability of well-paying jobs and the affordable housing market.

Charlotte is one of the largest banking centers in the US, being home to the corporate HQs of Bank of America, Truist Financial, or east coast operations of Wells Fargo. The metro area hosts seven Fortune 500 companies, including Honeywell and Lowe’s. The city is also a major motorsports hotspot, housing multiple racing teams and offices of NASCAR.

The numerous job opportunities pair well with an affordable housing market. The average rent in Charlotte, NC, is around $1,276 per month, as per RentCafe data, well under the national average of $1,464 – even more remarkable when accounting for the city’s size and its economic growth and development over the past two decades. It’s not at all surprising, under these circumstances, that a lot of people are considering moving to Charlotte.

But moving, particularly long distance moving, is a complicated process. You should use any tools at your disposal to streamline the process, and renting a self storage unit is one such tool. The monthly rate for a 10×10 storage unit in Charlotte stands at $86, according to Yardi Matrix. Here are the main reasons why you should get a self storage unit in the city before actually moving to Charlotte:

1. It streamlines the moving process

When moving long distance, you usually have two solutions: driving a huge moving truck yourself for hundreds of miles or waiting in an unfurnished apartment for the moving truck to arrive. However, there’s also a third option – renting a self storage unit in your city of destination, Charlotte in this case, and shipping a good portion of your items ahead of time.

From the bulk of your clothing to cooking utensils, pieces of furniture, electronics, books and so on, you can have them at a storage unit located close to your new home. This strategy allows you to drive your car, or even fly, to your destination, and have your essentials right there when you arrive.

2. It helps you save money

Housing costs are affordable in Charlotte, that’s one of the city’s biggest appeals. Even so, you shouldn’t pay the rent for a large home or apartment, if you can make do with something smaller. That’s even more important for college students, or young people starting up their careers. You could rent a studio instead of a two-bedroom, or share an apartment with a roommate, and enjoy the extra cash. You can simply compensate for the storage space you’re losing that way by renting a self storage unit. A small, 5×5 unit in Charlotte costs around $39 on average, and can fit in there your seasonal clothing, sporting equipment, books, and so on.

3. It allows you to explore your housing options

Probably the biggest challenge, when moving to a new city, is finding a place to live that truly suits your lifestyle and all your needs. And that’s a hard thing to accomplish, considering you don’t know much about the city. You might find a great house, or apartment, only to realize later that the neighborhood is not what you hoped for, or that driving to work takes too long.

A better solution is to rent an apartment short-term, put the bulk of your furniture and other belongings in self storage, and get to know Charlotte and its neighborhoods. You have plenty to choose from, from the bustling Uptown with its busy lifestyle, and the many entertainment and dining out options to the artsy NoDa district or the family-oriented Elizabeth neighborhood. Once you get the vibe of the city’s varied neighborhoods, you can decide which one is the best for you and your family.

4. You can protect your belongings while getting your new home ready

Moving into a new home usually involves some remodeling projects. When it’s a long-distance move things are even more complicated, because you usually don’t have the time to deal with the remodeling prior to moving in day. A self storage unit allows you to store furniture, appliances, electronics, clothes and so on safely, until the work is done. This way, not only your belongings will stay safe while your house is being remodeled, but the tasks will be done faster and easier, because you – or your handymen – don’t have to stop all the time to cover and protect furniture and other items.

5. It lets you to dive deep into Charlotte’s amazing antiques scene

If you’re a frequent visitor of Charlotte and well in your way to move here for good, then you’re probably also familiar with the city’s many vintage and antique stores. It’s also very likely that you stumbled upon interesting finds but passed on purchasing them because you don’t yet have a house in the city. However, if you’re the kind of persona that really enjoys unique and timeless pieces of furniture and decoration, you can start buying things for your future home in Charlotte and put them in storage for now. A climate-controlled self storage unit is ideal for keeping delicate items like artwork, antiques, and vintage furniture.