A storage gap is the same problem as a temporary-accommodation gap, just for your belongings instead of you — your old settlement date, your new one, and your mover's actual delivery day don't always land on the same day.
How to do it
- Ask your removalist first — many long-distance movers offer short-term storage as part of the same booking, which is usually simpler and cheaper than arranging it separately.
- Compare a dedicated storage company if you need longer than a few weeks — self-storage facilities are usually better value than a mover's short-term option once you're past a couple of weeks.
- Check unit size against what you're actually storing — most facilities have a size guide, and it's easy to underestimate how much a house's worth of boxes and furniture actually takes up.
- Ask about access hours — some facilities are 24/7, others have set hours, which matters if your schedule is tight around the move itself.
- Confirm what's covered while your belongings are in storage — a mover's transit insurance doesn't always extend to the storage period, so check whether a separate policy applies.
Common mistakes
- Assuming your mover automatically includes storage — confirm this explicitly when getting quotes, don't assume.
- Booking a unit sized for what you think you have rather than what you've actually measured.
- Leaving it until the exact week of the move, when short-term availability is tightest.
One more thing worth checking: confirm the facility's cancellation policy before you book, in case your settlement or delivery date shifts — a flexible booking is worth more than a slightly cheaper inflexible one if your dates aren't fully locked in yet.
Related tasks
If you're also arranging temporary accommodation for yourself, sort both at the same time — they're usually driven by the exact same date mismatch.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does short-term storage cost in NZ?
- Roughly $30-$75 a week depending on unit size and city — small units start around $30-$45/week, larger ones (enough for a 3-4 bedroom household) run $60-$75/week.
- How far ahead should I book a storage unit?
- As soon as you know there's a genuine gap between moves — popular sizes and locations can book out, especially over summer, and storage is far easier to arrange ahead than at the last minute.