Finding Storage Units in Portsmouth, VA
Looking for a storage facility in Portsmouth, VA? Look no more—Storage.com can help you find exactly what you need! By using our website's features, you can search and compare storage facilities and even reserve your Portsmouth storage unit directly online! We give you the tools to look for units based on unit size, facility location, price, and features. When you find Portsmouth self storage for your specific situation, you can rent it right from your computer here at Storage.com!
Common Reasons for Using Self Storage in Portsmouth
No matter if you're moving here to take advantage of employment opportunities, living in the historic downtown district, or attending a nearby university, a Portsmouth storage facility can help you!
Moving to Portsmouth
Portsmouth is a part of the Hampton Roads area, a metropolitan region composed of nine cities in seven counties.
While Portsmouth itself is home to the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, being in Hampton Roads also gives it proximity to four Fortune 500 companies: the food industry's Smithfield Foods, Norfolk Southern with railway transportation, national retailer Dollar Tree, and the shipbuilding Huntington Ingalls Industries. With a wide range of employment opportunities nearby, it's quite possible you're moving to Portsmouth for work.
While relocating may be a fun and exciting challenge, it also can come with a lot of stress and hassle. For one, you may move before you actually have living arrangements made, or perhaps you have to get a smaller house or apartment as a result of relocating. Don't sweat it, though—Portsmouth self storage is here to help! By renting a nearby storage unit, you can have a safe and secure place to keep all your things until you're ready to finalize the move.
Self storage amenities to look for when moving to Portsmouth:
- Unit Size: Take inventory of all your items ahead of time to determine exactly how much storage space you'll need in your Portsmouth storage unit. For instance, if you're packing up all the contents of a multi-room house, look for a 10x20 or 10x30 unit. Check out our interactive storage guide for further help.
- Security Features: The items you're storing will likely be valuable on both a personal and financial level, so be sure to find a Portsmouth storage facility with security features such as gated access, video surveillance, and even on-site management to ensure your belongings will be safe from vandalism or theft during their stay in storage.
- Drive-up Access: In most cases, moving means you're bringing along a large number of items, some of them large or heavy, such as a couch or bed. You can save yourself time and energy by finding a Portsmouth storage unit with drive-up access, which allows you to pull your truck or trailer directly up to the unit, saving you the work of carrying your items down hallways or on elevators to upper floors of a storage facility.
Living in Downtown Portsmouth
The Olde Towne Business and Historical District in the downtown area has been redeveloped and preserved in recent years, making it an ideal place to live, work, and play for Portsmouth residents. Combining one of the country's most historic seaports with modern amenities, living in one of the downtown high-rise apartments puts you right in the center of the action. See shows at the Commodore Theatre or visit the nTelos Pavilion for a riverside concert. Living downtown also gives you access to a number of restaurants and opens up discovery opportunities at the Olde Towne Antiques to Flea Market on the first Saturday of each month.
The only downside to living downtown is sometimes space can be a bit restricted, especially when you can't afford more than a one-bedroom apartment. Using a Portsmouth storage unit can expand your living space at home for a cheaper price than living in a larger apartment. The additional space can be used to store nonessential items like important documents or seasonal clothing, as well as larger items such as a bicycle or other sports gear.
Considerations for downtown Portsmouth self storage:
- Location: Look ahead at what you're going to place in storage and determine how often you'll need it. If you'll be visiting your unit often, then find a Portsmouth storage facility that's downtown. It may come at a slightly higher price than one on the outskirts of town, but the proximity to your belongings is worth it.
- Unit Size: Typically speaking, most apartment renters could use a spare closet for their additional belongings. This closet space is comparable to a 5x5 or 5x10 Portsmouth storage unit, which can fit a number of spare boxes and even small furniture.
- 24-Hour Access: If you plan on storing items you may need at a moment's notice, be sure to find a Portsmouth storage facility with 24-hour access. As its name implies, this feature allows you entry to your unit whenever you need to get to your things, not just the normal 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. work schedule.
College Life
Portsmouth is just a short trip across the Elizabeth River to nearby Norfolk, which is home to both Norfolk State University and Old Dominion University, meaning there's a lot of college life close by.
For out-of-state college students, using a Portsmouth storage unit can be a great way to reduce stress and travel when you head home over summer breaks. By finding a storage facility in Portsmouth—a 10 minute drive from Norfolk State's campus—you can leave all of your dorm room furniture and decorations in a convenient storage unit near your school rather than over-stuffing your car for the drive home.
Helpful features for college storage:
- Climate Control: The Hampton Roads area typically experiences hot and humid summer seasons. Such weather can warp wooden furniture and fry electronics, so if you're storing items like a computer, a TV, or a couch for your dorm room, find a Portsmouth storage facility with climate control, which maintains temperatures between 55–85°F and low humidity level to prevent weather damage.
- Unit Size: The contents of most dorm rooms can typically fit in a 5x10 or 10x10 unit. You may also consider going in on a larger unit with a roommate to get more space while splitting the cost.
- Short-Term Rental Agreement: Most Portsmouth storage facilities offer monthly or short-term storage agreements. This way you'll only be paying for the time you'll need to store your items and no more.
Military Storage
Portsmouth is home to the U.S. Navy's oldest and largest industrial facility: the Norfolk Naval Shipyard. Originally built in 1767 as Gosport Shipyard for the British Crown, it has been updated into a modern shipyard which covers more than 1,200 acres spread across the area. Its primary purpose is to provide repairs and to modernize every type of ship in the Navy, from the relatively small amphibious vessels to supercarriers—it's even capable of dry docking nuclear aircraft carriers.
As is the case with any military installation, there is a chance you may be moved to or from the area permanently or on a short-term basis, as a member of the U.S. Navy. Portsmouth self storage can help with the relocation process for military members by providing a place to keep all of your belongings during the transition or while you're away.
Features to consider with military storage:
- Security: As you may be deployed for months or storing all of your belongings during a transition, it's important to know all of your items are safe in storage. Be sure to find a Portsmouth storage facility with strong security features such as gated access, video surveillance, and even individually-alarmed units to protect your belongings from being damaged or stolen.
- Climate Control: Portsmouth is known to have hot and humid summers and potentially freezing winters. This change in temperature and humidity over the course of a year can cause irreparable damage to important paper documents, cause electronic components to break, and cause mildew growth in fabrics. Protect all of your belongings with a climate-controlled Portsmouth storage unit to keep them at a steady temperature and humidity level.
Portsmouth Boat Storage
Located right on the waters of the Elizabeth River, with access to the nearby Chesapeake Bay, boating in Portsmouth is a big pastime. Boating gives people a chance to get away for a weekend of water skiing or maybe just a few hours in the morning to fish and enjoy the sunrise.
While it's a way to have lots of fun, finding a place for your boat can be anything but enjoyable. If you're lucky, your boat is small enough to fit in your garage, where it takes up valuable parking or work space. If it's too large, you're left parking your boat in your driveway—left vulnerable to the elements and theft.
Portsmouth boat storage facilities offer you a way out of this hassle and worry by giving you a place to park your boat in a safe and secure area.
What to look for with boat storage:
- Indoor/Outdoor/Covered: You'll need to decide if you want indoor, outdoor, or covered storage for your boat. Often, people choose outdoor storage for recreational vehicles and boats, as it's the most affordable. Covered storage is also outdoors but offers more protection for your belongings from the elements. Indoor storage offers the most protection from both the weather and theft.
- 24-Hour Access: Many people enjoy waking up early to get a good start on the water, so why wait for your Portsmouth storage facility to open in the process? Find a facility with 24-hour access so you can get to your boat when you're ready, not when normal business hours begin.
- Wide-Drive Aisles: Some boats are definitely larger than others, which may make them difficult to maneuver through tight spots when on a trailer. Find a storage facility in Portsmouth with wide-drive aisles to give yourself some extra space and comfort when you're picking up and dropping off your boat.
- Drive-up Access: While some boat storage facilities provide special parking spots for boats, you may want the extra protection provided from an enclosed storage unit. In such a case, find a Portsmouth storage unit with drive-up access, so you can pull your truck directly up to the unit to hitch up or unlatch your trailer, making your trip to the water all the easier.
Rent Your Portsmouth Storage Unit Today
Thanks for checking out Storage.com for your Portsmouth self storage needs! If you've found just what you're looking for, you can rent your next Portsmouth storage unit directly from your computer, or you can call one of our storage representatives, who'd be happy to provide any further assistance you may need.
