Your buyers want to complete on March 28th. Your new place is not ready until April 14th. You have 17 days of homelessness and a three-bedroom house worth of furniture that cannot sleep on your mother-in-law's sofa. Welcome to the gap.
The "gap" — that period between selling one home and moving into the next — affects roughly 40% of UK house purchases. Estate agents mention it casually, as if everyone has a spare warehouse. Removal companies offer storage add-ons at eye-watering prices. And the self-storage industry sees you coming from a mile away: stressed, time-poor, and willing to pay anything.
This guide is for the version of you that takes five minutes to compare options before signing a £200/month direct debit. There are at least four ways to store your belongings during a house move, and only one of them involves paying a corporation £6 per day to keep your sofa in a metal box.
How long do people actually need storage when moving
The average gap between UK house sales is 2–4 weeks. But averages lie. Chain collapses, survey delays, and solicitor holidays mean the real range is 1 week to 3 months. Here is what to plan for:
Best case (1–2 weeks): Completion dates almost align. You need storage for a long weekend to a fortnight. A friend's garage or a Packhood host is perfect — cheap, local, minimal hassle.
Typical case (3–6 weeks): The most common scenario. Long enough that a friend's patience might run out but short enough that a 12-month self-storage contract is absurd. Packhood (month-to-month, no minimum stay) fits this window perfectly.
Worst case (2–3 months): Chain collapsed, rebuild needed, planning delays. Now you are paying storage for real. At £200/month commercial, three months is £600. At £80/month Packhood, it is £240. The £360 saving buys a nice piece of furniture for the new place.
The four options compared
1. Removal company storage: Many removal firms (Pickfords, Bishop's Move) offer containerised storage. They pack your house into a wooden container, drive it to their depot, and unpack it at your new address. Cost: £150–£400/month depending on volume. Convenient but expensive, and access to your items is limited (often by appointment only).
2. Self-storage (Big Yellow, Safestore, Access): Drive-up units you rent monthly. Cost: £100–£280/month for a room-sized unit. 24/7 access, climate control, CCTV. The Rolls-Royce option — but you are paying Rolls-Royce prices for what is essentially keeping boxes dry for three weeks.
3. Packhood peer-to-peer: A local host's garage, spare room, or lock-up. Cost: £40–£120/month. You visit the space, meet the host, and move in yourself or with a man-and-van. No minimum stay, Host Guarantee included. Search your area.
4. Portable storage pods (SMARTBOX, Pods UK): A container delivered to your driveway. You pack it, they collect and store it, then deliver to your new address. Cost: £150–£300/month. Good for large volumes but requires driveway access and lead time.
What to move out first (and what to keep until the last day)
Move out early (2 weeks before completion): Seasonal items, loft contents, garage overflow, garden tools, spare bedroom furniture, books, photo albums. These are items you will not miss for two weeks. Moving them early reduces stress on moving day and lets you clean properly.
Move out last (moving day): Beds, kitchen essentials, bathroom basics, one set of clothes each, the kettle (always the kettle), phone chargers, important documents. You are camping in your own house for the last night — keep only what you need.
Don't store at all: Perishable food (give it to neighbours), plants (they will die in storage), anything that smells (perfume, paint, cleaning chemicals in a shared space). If your item would be embarrassing to explain to a host, it probably should not be stored.
How to save money on moving storage
Book early: Packhood hosts in popular areas fill up. Booking 3–4 weeks before your completion date gives you the best selection and prices.
Share with neighbours: If your neighbour is also moving, split a larger Packhood space. Two families sharing a double garage is cheaper per family than two separate units.
Declutter before storing: Every box you do not store saves money. The average UK household throws away or donates 20–30% of their possessions during a move. Do this before paying for storage, not after.
Use the calculator: Our rent-vs-store calculator shows exactly how much you would save by downsizing and storing surplus items vs renting a bigger place.
FAQ: moving house storage
How far in advance should I book storage? 3–4 weeks. Earlier in summer (June–August is peak moving season) because availability drops. You can always cancel with 7 days' notice on Packhood.
Can I use a man-and-van to move into Packhood storage? Yes. Most host spaces have street parking or driveway access. A man-and-van costs £50–£100 for a local move — still cheaper than the delivery fees most commercial facilities charge.
What if my completion date changes? Packhood is month-to-month. Extend by messaging your host. No penalties, no admin fees.
Is my furniture insured during the move? The Packhood Host Guarantee covers items in storage. For transit, your removal company or man-and-van should carry goods-in-transit insurance. Check before hiring.
How much space do I need for a 3-bed house? Roughly 150–200 sq ft for everything, or 50–80 sq ft for the "keep but don't need daily" pile. Most movers store about half their house and keep essentials with them.