To store, or not to store, that is the question! Last summer, I drew up a rough list of how I would handle my material possessions before embarking on my trip around the world.
I was pretty proud to put my Sony TV in the sales column. However, I figured I'd store clothes, select books, snowboard gear, art, kitchen stuff, and the few pieces of furniture I owned, including my queen-size bed, kitchen table (with four chairs), and leather love seat. The price of 5'x10' storage spaces seemed to fit my budget—about $100/month (climate-controlled).
Then, this past Friday night, while drinking a delicious Sam Adams Boysenberry Wheat Ale, I took a measuring tape to one corner of my studio apartment and measured out a 50-square-foot space. My bed alone took up 30 sq. feet! Good grief, I thought.
I could either increase the amount of money I'd be paying to save my stuff, thereby reducing my travel budget, or I could get rid of the few big-ticket items I owned. Perhaps that way, I could even downgrade to a 5'x5' storage space at about $60/month.
The next day, after donating some stuff, I stopped by an Extra Space storage facility about 15 minutes from my apartment. Handrick, the rep there, was super friendly without being pushy. First, he showed me the 50-square-foot space (400 cubic feet).
It was conceivable I could fit my bed on its end in there with the rest of the stuff I mentioned above; however, it would be tight, and I know it's not ideal to store a bed on its end due to gravity's effect on the springs (so I hear, at least).
More than the tight squeeze concerning space, the cost increasingly irked me. After all, my ultimate goal is to be away with a complete sense of freedom, and paying so much for storage would eventually weigh on me.
The 25-square-foot space (200 cubic feet) would definitely not allow me to include furniture. It would have to be straight boxes, floor to ceiling.
As I stood in the cool, small enclosure, it became clear that my priority was to save money rather than hold onto stuff. So, I revised my sell vs. storage list to reflect my new decision to sell my bed and table set (via Craig's List, as suggested on the BootsnAll message boards) and hopefully find a friend to take care of my leather love seat.
Unfortunately, my parents' home is not an option as they will likely be moving while I'm gone, and I wouldn't feel right asking them to assume the responsibility. However, I'll reserve the right should all else fail!
