The short answer
Start four weeks out: list what you are keeping and get the volume, enquire three weeks out, sell and donate two weeks out, pack by numbered box one week out, and book the lift and loading bay for collection day. Carry your passport, Emirates ID and tenancy papers with you.
Leases rarely end the day the next one starts. A flat is handed back on the 30th and the new keys arrive on the 14th. A job moves you abroad and you do not know where you will live. The villa is being renovated, or you are away for the summer and the flat is sublet. In each case the question is the same: where do the things go in the meantime?
This is a plan for the four weeks before. It works for a studio or a villa. Adjust the dates to your lease and you will have time to spare.
Four weeks out: count what you have
Do not start with a quote. Start with a list. Walk through each room and write down everything that will be stored, with an honest tag for each: stored, sold, given away, thrown out. Anything you will not use for six months and cannot easily replace goes in the first pile. Anything you would replace cheaper than store goes in the second.
Then put the first pile through the storage unit size calculator. It adds the volume room by room and tells you how many units that is. Our size guide shows typical numbers for a studio, a flat and a villa if you want a check. The printable sheet below has the same rooms and a column for what happens to each item.
Decide at the same time how long you need. If you are unsure, say so when you enquire. A longer minimum term often has a lower monthly rate, but it also commits you for longer.
Three weeks out: enquire and read the terms
Send your enquiry now, not in the last week. Partners need the collection address, the access at your building and a date. Giving them a window of a few days is easier on everyone than a fixed morning.
When quotes come in, read them against the twelve questions in what to ask before you accept a storage quote. The ones that matter most at this stage are the minimum term, what is included in collection and redelivery, and what the cover says.
Check your own side too. Your lease will have a handover date and probably a notice period. Your building management may need notice to book the service lift and the loading bay. Ask them what they require, and send those details to the partner so the crew is not turned away at the door.
Two weeks out: sort
This is the week to sell, donate and bin. Everything you remove is volume you do not pay to store. When you are done, re-run the calculator. A unit smaller by one size is worth the effort.
Put your important papers in a bag that stays with you: passport, Emirates ID, visa papers, tenancy contract, the documents for your car and your bank cards. They do not go in the unit. Take photographs of anything valuable and keep the files somewhere other than the phone you are carrying.
One week out: pack
Pack by room. Use small boxes for heavy things and larger ones for light things. Label each box on two sides, number them, and write the number and contents on your sheet. The numbers matter most: a year from now, “bedroom stuff” will not help you find a charger, and “Box 14: bedroom, cables and chargers” will.
Take beds and wardrobes apart, and keep the screws in a labelled bag taped to the piece. Empty, defrost and dry the fridge and the washing machine. If anything will go in an air-conditioned unit and anything in an ambient one, separate the piles now. How to store furniture in the UAE heat goes through what each material needs.
Keep a bag with the things you will need for the first week in the new place, and the things you will need if the move slips.
Collection day
- Have the lift or loading bay booked, and the access card or permit with you.
- Walk the crew through the order: fragile and heavy things at the bottom, boxes on top.
- Photograph the loaded unit before the door closes.
- Keep a copy of the signed paperwork, and the unit number.
While your things are in storage
Put the end date in your calendar with a reminder a month before. Note the notice period for ending the contract and for arranging redelivery. If your plans change and you need something from the unit, ask the partner what notice a visit or a part-delivery needs.
When you are ready to take everything out, use your inventory sheet to check each numbered box on the way out. It is the quickest way to know nothing is missing.
Questions about storing between homes
How long before moving out should I arrange storage?
Ideally three to four weeks. That gives time to count what you have, get quotes, read the terms, sort the volume down and book building access. It can be done in less, but you will have fewer choices.
What should I not put in storage when I move?
Passports, Emirates ID, visa and tenancy papers, bank cards and anything you will need in your first week. Also food, alcohol, plants and flammable or pressurised items, which storage partners do not accept.
How much storage do I need for a one-bedroom flat?
About 15 m³ on average, which is roughly two XL units on our size guide. The only way to know for your flat is to count your furniture and boxes, which the calculator does by room.
Can I store things short term in the UAE?
Yes, but check the minimum term. Some partners have minimum periods, and a shorter stay can cost more per month than a longer one. Ask for the minimum before you decide.
