Storing furniture, books, media and possessions while you decide what to do with them is not unusual. There is no time limit on renting a storage unit, so it’s the perfect solution if you need a bit of time to make up your mind about a piece of furniture.

But perhaps you’re looking to pay less for storage by reducing the volume of your stored goods. When the time comes to dispose of them, how do you go about it? If reality shows like Storage Wars are to be believed there are buyers falling over each other to bid, sight unseen, on abandoned storage lockers and units. But that is a risky way of disposing of your property, and it is more likely that you will reap rewards if you go about selling your stored goods in a methodical way.

Make a deadline for clearing your storage unit

As with any big project, a deadline and some targets can help. For example: ‘by the end of summer I will have moved my stuff in to a 35 square foot unit.’

Do check whether your storage company will adjust your monthly bill down as soon as you move into a smaller unit, or if the new lower rate starts at the end of the month. That way, you can time your move to ensure you get best value.

By the way, if you insure your stored goods with us, you’ll pay by the day – so if you reduce the amount of stuff you have stored, your insurance bill will go down at once.

What is the right season for selling domestic goods?

One reason many people hang on to unwanted domestic goods that they could sell is that they feel the time is not right for a sale. It is difficult to sell a winter coat in the middle of summer as there are few buyers looking for cold-weather clothing on a hot day. By storing items and waiting for the right time, you can maximise the money you make. If you have seasonal goods stored that you would like to sell, make targets that reflect this. For example, ‘on 1 May put garden furniture on Gumtree.’

Check your inventory for sentimental and valuable items

It’s surprisingly easy to forget what you have stored away. So use your inventory to remind yourself of what you actually have stored. You may have sentimental items that you want to keep; and valuable items that are better sold individually. Without an inventory, you risk overpaying for your storage insurance because you may be paying for items that aren’t stored. If you don’t already have one, our post has some tips for making an inventory.

Sell valuable stored items individually for most profit

Once you’ve identified items that you want to sell individually, think about the best marketplaces. Will they do well on eBay, at a boot fair or on social media marketplaces? Or will you get a better price from a specialist dealer or collector? For convenience and a quick sale, you might want to group similar items and collections into job lots and sell them to a dealer. You’ll get slightly less money than if you sold them individually, but you’ll have the money in your hand sooner and for less effort.

We have a few posts with ideas to help you release the monetary value of your stored goods:

• How to hold a yard sale
• Free up cash with Facebay
• Taking great photos to use with for-sale ads
• Have you got a treasure trove in storage?

Has the value of your stored goods changed recently?

It’s important to us that you are not overpaying or underpaying for your insurance. So if the value of your stored goods has changed recently, get a new quote to make sure you’ve got the right coverage.