If you’re thinking of leasing, buying or renting a storage container for personal or business use, your first thought may be: what size should I get? Your answer will depend on whether you need the container for custom use or on-site storage, what you need to store in the container, and how much space you have.
Let’s go over a few considerations here.
Do You Need On-Site Storage or Custom Containers?
You can get customized containers for your unique needs, but in many cases, standard sizes will suffice for most purposes. Those typically come in 20ft and 40ft units. These are industry standard lengths. Portable storage containers overall can range from 10ft to 53ft, as well as high cube options.
If you need sizes other than those for custom workspace, storage, living and commercial needs, you may have to cut down a larger unit or get the unit custom made from a leasing company or shipping line. But for standard containers and simple modifications (think: fresh paint), you’ll be best off with 20ft or 40ft standard sizes or a 40ft high cube. This will ensure the quickest delivery.
How Many Items Do You Need to Store? What are Their Sizes?
In selecting the height and length of your container, you have to consider what will be going inside it and how much.
Think of a 20ft standard container as a one-car garage, with an interior height of 7’10”. Think of the 40ft standard container as a two-car garage, featuring the same height as the 20ft but twice as long.
High cube containers are simply one foot taller than the others, accommodating large or oversized items that won’t fit in the standard sizes.
What About On-Site Storage Space?
Containers require adequate storage space, so another consideration to take into account is the space and layout of the on-site location. Will it accommodate a storage container in the size you have chosen? Make sure you take measurements.
Here’s one way to visualize it: a 20ft storage container will cover the space of one parking spot. A 40-footer will take up two.
What’s Your Budget?
Of course, your budget will play a large part in your decision on which storage container to choose. If you have the money to spare and have a lot of items to store, go with the largest one you can afford – especially if you plan on using the storage container in that spot for the long-haul. In this case, you may want to consider a purchase.
If you won’t need the container for long and know you’ll be picking up and leaving soon, a short-term rental will fit your budget and needs better.
If you need help selecting the right size container, it’s always a good idea to ask your storage container provider.
Contact Tropical Trailer Leasing
If you would like to know more about the sizes of containers we offer here at Tropical Trailer Leasing, feel free to contact us for a free quote in Miami FL at 305-885-6047.