Temporary Housing Survival Guide

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How Self Storage Can Help You Manage the Stress of Temporary Housing

Moving is Hectic

It’s time consuming and many people absolutely loathe the process. Having to sort through every room and meticulously pack up all of your personal belongings only to haul them off to another place to be unpacked seems monotonous. It is stressful, but it must be done. This is especially true when you start to move in your later years of life – after you’ve started a family and accumulated more possessions than you know what to do with. Life changes from moving yourself to moving an entire herd of people, and while it is straightforward, it’s still a pain.

Most people believe that the moving process is easy. You go from point A to point B, packing and unpacking. Unfortunately, it’s not always that easy.

Sometimes, we get stuck in temporary housing in between moves. This leaves us feeling a little helpless (and homeless) while we try to adjust to life outside of our homes we had come to know so well. It can be frustrating, but also inevitable. You may face yourself needing temporary housing for a variety of different reasons. Some of them being relocation, relationships coming to an end, building your dream home or even internships in new cities. Regardless of what your situation is, just remember that you will survive temporary housing!

If you happen to find yourself getting stuck in the undefined limbo that is temporary housing, we’ve put together a few tips to help you through it.

Finding the Right Temporary Home

Finding the right temporary home can be difficult. It all depends on how many people are involved, if there are family pets joining the party and the length of time that you’re going to need temporary housing. In addition, budget will obviously come into play. Regardless of your needs, there is something that will work for you. In fact, there are a surprising amount of options in the short-term housing world, more than you probably would have thought!

Some options are as follows:

Vacation Rentals

We don’t mean packing up all of your things and moving to the tropics while you wait, but some vacation rentals can double as temporary housing options. Specifically, look at websites like Airbnb and HomeAway. Both of these options allow users to browse through an extensive collection of listings that include numerous different types of housing. You aren’t stuck in a lease and make all of your payments through a secure website – so no dealing with impossible landlords or pesky leasing agencies. When you are browsing, be sure to find one that offers rentals that could be extended or that can be booked for months at a time. This will save you the hassle of having to move from one property to the next.

If you are single, renting a room can also be an option that could save you money and open you up to meeting some new people in a potentially unfamiliar area! Check out the listings on the popular sites above.

Another option that is gaining popularity in the online rental world is Sublet.com. This is essentially the same as Airbnb and HomeAway, but provides an option for securing a short-term lease or even an open lease. This helps provide flexibility without the anxiety of potentially having to leave before you move into your forever home. Again, it depends on your personal situation, but these are great resources to use when browsing your options.

Extended Stay Hotels

Another popular option is utilizing extended stay hotels. It’s easy, convenient and provides a ton of additional amenities. It’s practically the same as staying in a hotel room, however the rates are usually cheaper for longer periods of time and the rooms come equipped with the essentials you need for long periods away from home. In addition, most of these hotels are pet friendly since they know that you would never think of leaving your four legged children behind.

Extended stay hotels are also a fun option if you have children. It’s like a mini-vacation!

Apartments

In addition to newer online renting options, we can also fall back on trusty apartment guides to find temporary housing. You can search places based off of how long you plan on staying and move into an apartment that is perfect for everything you need. Both fully furnished and non-furnished options are available. The bonus here (in comparison to vacation rentals) is that you’ll be moving into a vacant apartment rather than someone else’s home.

Temporary Houses

The same idea goes for temporary houses. In fact, there is a website, Short Term Housing, that takes all of the guesswork out of everything. If you are tired of searching, planning, packing, moving and negotiating this is the perfect website for you. They specialize in handling the entire process of getting you into your temporary home. From leases, deposits and moving dates a professional consultant works with you to secure everything with the third parties involved. They work within your preferences as well as your budget, so you can pass some of the stress onto someone else’s plate for once!

Pack Strategically

Regardless of what your situation is that moves you to temporary housing, chances are you’re still going to be moving out of your previous home. That means that you’ll still need to pack everything up and get it organized for storage. Depending on the type of temporary housing that you will be moving into, we recommend that you only bring the essentials along.

If you will be renting a fully furnished apartment/home or staying at a hotel with reasonable extended stay prices, then you will have all of the essentials in your kitchen, living room and bedroom. Some places may even have a bathroom that is stocked with towels and appliances. Take some time to look through your options and when you decide on a place, do a walk through. Does it have everything you’ll need? If so, only pack the essentials for your temporary home. It will reduce the stress of packing, unpacking, repeat. Trust us, it gets old fast!

If you happen to move into a non-furnished temporary home, try out the minimalistic approach. Only pack furniture that you will need – think bed, sofa, kitchen table, etc. Think of what you use daily and bring that rather than moving in every single piece of furniture you own. It will make a world of difference when it’s time to move into your forever home.

Everything else that you have packed that won’t be accompanying you to your short-term rental can go into storage. When you pack things strategically, by room or by use, it is easy to get if the need arises. It will also make moving into your new home a breeze. Find a great storage unit at The Lock Up Self Storage for all of your needs.

Explore

Once you’ve moved into your new temporary home, it might feel a little bit weird. You know that you’re not going to be staying here forever, so you feel stuck. Not quite at home but also not quite without one. We recommend using this time to get up and get outside. Do some exploring and spend some quality time with your family outside of the house.

Getting outside and exploring is a great way to not only relieve some of the stress that comes with moving, but it is also a perfect way to get to know your new surroundings. This is especially true if you are moving to a new city! Find your new favorite coffee shop and learn how to navigate the streets around your house. Maybe there is a great new health club or beautiful parks close by, go and find them. Whatever will make you the happiest, don’t be afraid to give it a try. Anything is better than cooping yourself up and waiting for your forever home.

Make it Your Own

Moving into a temporary home can feel… well… weird. You’re no longer surrounded by all of your favorite mementos or comforts and you won’t be living there all that long. While most of your things will likely be in your self storage unit, you can still add a touch of “home” to your temporary housing. Try packing a few pictures or your favorite scented candles. Add a few flowers to some of the rooms and you’ll notice a huge difference! These small details can help you feel more at ease during your transition.

Whatever you decide to do, just remember that it is only temporary. Whether you find yourself in a short-term leased apartment or renting out a vacation home, try and enjoy this time and don’t stress too much. You don’t have to absolutely love it, but make sure it’s something you’re comfortable with for at least a few months.

Regardless of your situation – if you’re traveling for an extended period of time for work, in the process of creating your dream home or going through a major transition in life, The Lock Up Self Storage is here to help. Find one of our conveniently located self storage facilities near you by visiting www.thelockup.com.