Last Updated on February 18, 2021 by Tina
Are you going to travel long term, don’t want to continue renting an apartment anymore but you need a place to leave your things in Metro Manila? Perhaps you are thinking of moving to the province but you are not sure if you’re going to like the place you are considering, and you don’t want to bring all of your stuff with you yet while you try the place out. A storage space rental might be the solution.
What is a Storage Space Rental?
A storage space rental is a space in a storage facility that you can rent to store your belongings under lock and key. And depending on the size of the space you need, you have the option of renting storage by the box if you need to store small to mid-sized items that can fit in just one box, or by the space, if you have many things to store and you have larger-sized items such as furniture.
If you have watched the movie Eat, Pray, Love, there was a scene where Elizabeth (played by Julia Roberts) packed up her boxes in a self-storage unit before traveling to Italy. That’s basically what it is.
Two years ago, I didn’t know that there are storage facilities in Metro Manila. Have I known back then, I wouldn’t have wasted money renting an apartment that I rarely stayed at.
Instances When a Storage Space Rental Comes in Handy
Aside from the scenarios I mentioned above, there are other instances when a storage space rental would be a great help.
You are downsizing.
Perhaps you are considering moving into a smaller apartment to save on rent but you have a lot of belongings. You’re not ready to let go of your things yet because you have a sentimental attachment with them. What you can do is store the excess stuff into a storage space.
You got a job with no permanent residence.
If your job requires you to travel often (maybe you’re a geologist based in Manila but they want you to report at the mine site), and you rarely stay in Manila, you might find that renting/maintaining an apartment might be a waste of money. Having a storage space rental would solve your problem of where to leave the stuff that you don’t need on your trips.
To have more space at home
Maybe over the years, you’ve accumulated a lot of things that you just can’t get rid of and it’s taking so much space in your home. Storage space might be a solution.
You’re having a home renovation
You decided to renovate a room in your house, but you don’t have enough space to move your things from that room so the renovators can work freely. Take them to a storage space unit until renovation work is over.
To empty a dorm room in the summer
When you’re staying in a dorm and you’re not enrolling for a summer class, you will need to vacate your room so others can rent it. It will be very inconvenient to bring home all your stuff to the province. A storage space unit comes in handy for this situation.
Storage for the products of your online business
If you have an online business but you have a small space in the house and you’re having problems with where to store your products, you may find value in a storage unit.
How Does It work?
Moving your things to a storage space rental is super easy. You can do it alone even if you have a lot of stuff. (I’m speaking based on experience.)
Find a Storage Facility
First, pack all your things so you know exactly the size of the storage space that you need. Next, you need to find a storage facility to store your things. There are many storage facilities in Metro Manila. Some of the things to consider when choosing a storage facility are the location, security features, accessibility of the facility, rental period, and price.
You can either choose self-storage or valet storage. With self-storage, you have 24/7 access to your storage unit and items. You’ll be the one to store or pull-out your items in the facility. With valet storage, all you need to do is pack your items and people from the storage facility will be the ones to pick your things up at your doorstep and store them for you. When you need your things, just book them again and they will bring them back to you.
If you choose self-storage, you have the option of scheduling an appointment to visit the facility and select your storage space. But if you have limited time (like me), you can choose the unit when you move your things in the facility.
Request for a Quotation
If you already know the size of the space you need, request a quotation so you know the details of their services and to have an idea of how much the rate is going to be. If you’ll be moving your things on your own and you don’t have a vehicle, you can ask the facility if they can arrange a trucking service for you. Trucking service usually includes a helper.
Store Your Items in the Facility
When your things are ready, inform the facility what time you are bringing your items to the facility so they can send the trucking service to your place. Once you get to the facility, sign the contract then store your things in your storage space.
Why I Chose StorageMart
Before anything else, I would like to say that this is not a sponsored post and I am not an affiliate of StorageMart. However, they have a referral program where I get Php 2500 off my rent if I refer someone to them. The person that I referred also gets Php 2500 off. So if you decide to get a storage rental with them, let me know so I could refer you. You can read the mechanics of the referral program below.
I chose StorageMart due to several reasons. First, it has branches in different areas in Metro Manila. Two of their branches, Santolan and Chino Roces are near my apartment. Nearer my apartment means I don’t need to spend a lot of time and money moving my things. I chose Chino Roces over Santolan because it was cheaper. You might be wondering why. The facility manager in Santolan explained theirs is more expensive because of the location (more centrally located).
Next, they have a locker in a size that is perfect for my things. Also, they are the cheapest among the other storage facilities that I checked.
Their facility manager was also very accommodating. When I first called their office, she patiently answered all my queries and offered to email me a sample breakdown of the total bill of the storage rental.
StorageMart also has flexible terms. You can rent a storage space for a month only. There are no lock-in periods and you get one month free when you rent for six months.
As for the security of the facility, when you rent a space with them, you will be given a code to access the facility. Every time you or someone else enters the facility using your code, you will receive an email alert. Also, you use your own padlock for your storage space. And your storage space has insurance coverage of Php 50,000. Lastly, the storage space can be accessed anytime, may it be during the day or at night.
Rental Payment with StorageMart
You can pay your monthly rent for your storage through a bank deposit, then email them a copy of the deposit slip as proof of payment. Or you can sign a document to have your monthly rent be charged to your credit card. This is super convenient if you’ll be traveling out of the country for a long time.
You will be sent an email every month reminding you to pay your rent and an email informing you that your credit card has been charged for the monthly rent.
StorageMart Referral Program Mechanics
Existing customer (referrer) gets a credit of Php 2500 off their existing rent (Php 1000 off for locker units) when he/she refers a friend (referee) with the following conditions:
The referee must not be an old or existing customer and must not have inquired with StorageMart over the past 8 weeks. His or her contact details must not match any of the past inquiries in the last 8 weeks. Also, the Referee must stay a full month (no proration).
The referee will also get a credit of Php 2500 off their existing rent (Php 1000 off for locker units). This is only applicable to the first full month without promos and only applicable to rent. It is not applicable to merchandise, insurance, etc.)
Hi, Tina. Read your item re storage mart. Still comparing prices and I’ve called them. In case I decide to use their services, could you still refer me for both of us to get the discount. Thanks
Hi,
Yes I can refer you. Just send me an email or DM me in Facebook or Instagram. 😊