Storage
Storage
Containers
There are a whole series of storage
containers are available for storing things in. Some storage containers are
specialised such as containers used to store liquids and fuel. For generalised
containers nothing beats transparent plastic containers. They are lighter
than metal, wood or glass. They won't break like glass. They generally won't
deteriorate like cardboard containers. They also come in all shapes and sizes.
They can be a bit pricey but they are not too expensive when compared to containers
of a similar sizes made from metal and wood. They also have the advantage
that you can generally see through them to what is inside, so you don't have
to open them to work out what's in them. In Australia you can normally buy
9 litre rectangular storage containers for about $3-4 at discount shops.
I've also seen and used resealable
plastic bags for storing things in. Zip Lock bags are great for storing food
in, as well as small collections of loose items. They will bend to the shape
of whatever space you put them in. They also come in all sorts of sizes from
lunch bag size to big ones 30 centimeters (about a foot) square. In addition
you can buy bigger ones which you can store cloths in then suck the air out
of to keep clothing fresh. Though if you have additional clothing that you
don't wear all that often you need to consider selling that.
Storage
in your car.
You can store a
lot of the things you don't need on a day to day basis in the boot of your
car. Also if you are sleeping on the back seat you can store things in the
gap between the front seats and the back seat where you would normally put
your feet. You can store things in the feet well of the front passenger seat
and on the front passenger seat. As a safety consideration, make sure they
won't fall on to your gear stick, hand brake etc. You can hang clothing on
clothes hooks from the built in hooks that a lot of cars have on the passenger
side of the car near the ceiling.
If you are living in a van your storage
options increase dramatically. A lot of people build storage units under elevated
beds or along one wall of the van. It is up to you.
Out
of car storage.
Besides storing things inside of
your car, there is also out of car storage options to consider. If you don't
need much more storage, how about a roof rack mounted storage box? You can
buy stream lines storage boxes to mount on the roof that are almost long enough
to lay down in. They are often used for skis. They generally come in single
or double thickness.
If you need more
storage space, how about a trailer? A small box trailer can be big enough
to store small furniture items in. If you can store this with friends or family
this is best.
Storage
depots.
There is also storage
depots. You can store items in storage depots long term. The problem with
storage depots though is the ongoing cost. Some can be quite expensive. If
you can't keep up the payments then you may end up loosing everything you
have in storage. You really need to make some decisions as to what you want
to keep, and what you can afford to sell. You also need to make a few decisions
as to how long you can afford to put things in storage. I would suggest that
yes, you do put furniture and things in storage when your first become homeless
and start living in a car or van, unless your intention is to live in vehicles
long term.
If you aim is to get back to working
and out of your car or van as soon as possible, then storage is a viable option.
If you find that things don't work out and you're still in your car after
a month with no real job prospects then you need to make some hard decisions.
Can you sell your furniture? Can you leave it with relatives for storage?
Can you leave it with friends for storage? Can you put it into a trailer for
storage? These are options you need to consider.
Some advantages of storage depots
though include that many of them have access to electricity. A few larger
storage spaces will have power points inside the storage unit. Most won't
but they do have lights. Some specialised electrical stores will sell a fitting
that allows you to convert a conventional bayonet type light fitting to a
power outlet. They are rare these days, and I have not seen one in years,
but they are out there. While I don't advocate living in a storage unit, certainly
you can use it to store a fridge, washer, dryer, furniture, spare clothing,
other items.
