Tips & Advice
Using Storage During Renovations or Downsizing in East Devon
A local storage unit can be incredibly helpful when you are renovating, moving to a smaller home, or clearing a family property. Because each of these big life events naturally happens in stages, having a secure space for your belongings gives you the flexibility and breathing room to manage everything at your own pace.
For households across East Devon, a local storage facility can provide a welcome buffer while work is completed or decisions are made.
Furniture can be moved out before builders arrive, belongings can be sorted gradually during a downsizing move, and items from a family home can be kept safe while relatives decide what they would like to keep.
At East Devon Removals, we offer secure storage alongside our house removals and property clearances as a single fully joined-up service, for peace of mind at every stage.
Using storage during a home renovation
Renovation projects become much easier to manage when tradespeople have clear space to work. Large furniture, boxes and household possessions can quickly get in the way, particularly if several rooms are being worked on at the same time.
Putting some of your belongings into storage before work begins can free up valuable floor space and reduce the amount of furniture that needs to be moved repeatedly as the project progresses.
It also helps protect your belongings from the dust, decorating materials, and general disruption that naturally accompanies building work.
The amount you move into storage can depend on the scale of the renovation. A single-room project may only require a few larger pieces of furniture to be moved temporarily. A major refurbishment could mean clearing several rooms or most of the property.
Storage also gives you the option to bring your belongings back gradually. If one part of the house is finished before another, you can concentrate on setting up those rooms first and leave the remaining items safely stored until they are needed.
How storage can help when downsizing
Moving into a smaller property often involves deciding what will fit comfortably in the new home and what to do with everything else.
Rushing into all of those decisions before moving day just adds unnecessary pressure. It can be hard to judge how furniture will look until you see it in the new rooms, and personal belongings often need a bit more thought before you decide to sell, donate, or pass them on.
Storage gives you time to work through those choices without pressure.
Perhaps you’d prefer to move the essentials into your new home first and place less urgent belongings into storage. Then, once you have settled in, you can see how much space you have and decide what you want to bring across.
A gradual approach can be particularly helpful when downsizing from a home you have lived in for many years, where there may be a considerable amount to sort through.
Storage when clearing a family home
Clearing a long-held family property can involve a large number of belongings and, in some circumstances, difficult personal decisions.
Families dealing with a bereavement or probate may need to identify valuable documents, distribute possessions between relatives, arrange donations and decide what should be removed from the property. Completing all of that at once can make an already demanding situation harder.
Temporary storage creates an additional option for belongings that need to leave the property but are not ready to be permanently dealt with.
Furniture can be stored while relatives decide who would like it. Boxes of personal possessions can be kept securely while they are sorted. Items intended for another property can also remain in storage until there is a suitable time to move them.
East Devon Removals provides bereavement and probate clearances across East Devon, alongside full and partial house clearances, garage, loft and shed clearances. Our team approaches sensitive clearances with care and professionalism.
Choosing the right amount of storage
Before arranging storage, spend some time considering what you expect to put away and how long it may need to stay there.
Furniture usually takes considerably more room than boxes, and bulky items such as wardrobes, tables and sofas can quickly determine the amount of space required. A renovation could also require more storage than originally expected if additional rooms are added to the project.
Also, think about how often you may need to access your belongings. Items required more frequently should be packed where they are easy to reach, with longer-term possessions placed further back.
Our Sidmouth facility offers 20ft container storage, while additional unit sizes are available at Monkton. Sidmouth customers have 24/7 access to their units. The Monkton facility provides indoor storage with different access arrangements.
Rental periods are flexible, with no minimum or maximum term, which can be particularly useful when renovation schedules or moving plans remain uncertain.
Storage for renovations and downsizing in East Devon
Renovations, downsizing and family-home clearances can all take time. Secure storage gives you a place for your belongings while work is completed and decisions are made.
When you are ready to start planning your next steps, get in touch with East Devon Removals. We are here to talk through your storage needs and give you a free, no-obligation quote.
Posted by Rob on August 27th 2026
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