You’ve saved for months, planned your route, and booked your flights. The excitement of travelling the world is building—but then reality hits: what do you do with all your belongings? Your flat needs emptying, your landlord wants the keys back, and moving everything into your parents’ spare room isn’t an option.
This is one of the most stressful parts of planning extended travel. Between sorting visas, vaccinations, and itineraries, the last thing you need is the added pressure of worrying about where your belongings will be safe for the next 6-12 months. We make gap year storage easy so you can focus on the adventure ahead.
The problem isn’t just finding somewhere to put your things—it’s finding somewhere you can trust for an extended period. You’re not just storing boxes for a few weeks between house moves. You’re storing your life: furniture from your first flat, university textbooks you can’t bear to throw away, winter clothes, electronics, maybe even your car.
Friends offer their garages. Parents mention their loft. But deep down, you know you need a proper solution. Somewhere secure, somewhere you won’t be imposing, and somewhere that gives you genuine peace of mind when you’re halfway around the world with no easy way to check on things.
Travel budgets are tight enough without adding expensive storage fees. When you’re trying to make your savings last for 6-12 months abroad, every pound matters. You’ve probably seen storage advertised at £1 for the first month, only to discover the real cost is £150+ per month after that.
That’s over £1,800 for a year—money that could fund an extra month in Southeast Asia or that bucket-list experience in New Zealand. Our customers across Salisbury Self Storage, Yeovil, and Frome tell us the same thing: they need affordable, long-term storage without the hidden fees that other companies add on. At Giant Storage, we offer straightforward pricing — storing your life could cost as little as £3 per day.
Traditional storage units with plasterboard walls might be fine for short-term storage, but when you’re travelling for months, you need something more substantial. Our solid steel containers provide the security that lets you actually relax on that beach in Bali, rather than worrying whether your belongings are safe back in Wiltshire.
Steel containers are built to cross oceans and withstand extreme weather. That same durability protects your belongings while you’re away. No shared walls mean no pest problems migrating from neighbouring units. Ground-level drive-up access makes loading before you leave and unpacking when you return completely hassle-free—no lifts, no stairs, no struggling with heavy bags.
Life doesn’t always go to plan when you’re travelling. Your 6-month trip might extend to 9 months. You might need a friend to grab something from storage and post it to you. Or you might cut your travels short and need to access your belongings quickly.
We understand plans change. That’s why we offer month-to-month contracts with no long-term commitment and 24/7 access to your unit. Family-run and locally operated across our six locations, we’ll work with your circumstances—not against them. And there are no hidden fees to surprise you when you’re managing your budget from abroad.
Most gap year storage travellers need between an 8ft and 20ft container, depending on whether they’re emptying a house share room or an entire one-bedroom flat.
Our container sizes for travellers:
The key is being realistic about what you actually need to keep. Many of our Warminster and Amesbury gap year storage customers find that a good clear-out before travelling not only reduces storage costs but also feels liberating—you’re literally lightening your load before the adventure begins.
Storing items for 6-12 months requires more preparation than short-term storage. You want everything to emerge in the same condition you left it, not damp, damaged, or unusable.
Start by thoroughly cleaning everything. Dirt and food residue can attract pests or cause odours over time. Disassemble large furniture pieces if possible—they’ll fit better and reduce the risk of damage. Wrap upholstered furniture in covers and use sturdy boxes for smaller items. Label everything clearly, because in 8 months’ time, you won’t remember which box contains your important documents.
Our steel containers are weather-proof with proper ventilation to prevent condensation. Customers regularly store wooden furniture, electronics, books, and clothing for 12+ months with no issues. One gap year storage customer told us their suede jacket survived 18 months in storage and came out perfect—that’s the kind of protection steel containers provide.
Here’s where Giant Storage differs from the chains. While big companies might lure you in with promotional pricing that jumps after a few months, we believe in fair pricing for long-term customers.
For a 20ft container storing a medium 2- or 3-bedroom house’s contents, you’re looking at £190 per month—that’s around £6.30 per day. While this might seem higher than budget options, compare it to national chains charging £250-300+ per month for equivalent space. Over 12 months, that’s a saving of £720-1,320—money that could fund an extra month in Southeast Asia or cover flights to your next destination.
We also offer payment flexibility. Some gap year storage customers prefer to pay monthly while travelling. Others pay for several months upfront before they leave to avoid dealing with payments from abroad. Both options work, and there are no penalties or admin fees for either approach.
One practical consideration for long-term travellers: what if something needs to be retrieved from storage while you’re away? Maybe a friend needs to post you a document, or your family wants to grab something you’ve stored.
Our 24/7 access means someone can collect items on your behalf any time—not just during office hours. You simply provide their details when you set up your gap year storage, and they can access your unit using your security code. This flexibility is particularly valuable for travellers in different time zones who can’t easily coordinate during UK business hours.
Gap year customers across our Crewkerne and Salisbury sites regularly arrange for family members to access storage while they’re travelling. It’s straightforward, and there’s no complicated paperwork or additional fees.
This is the number one concern we hear from travellers—and it’s completely valid. You might plan for 6 months but love it so much you stay for 12. Or personal circumstances might bring you home early after just 3 months.
The beauty of month-to-month contracts is this flexibility. You’re not locked into a year-long commitment. If you return early, simply give us notice, and we’ll sort out your final payment pro rata. If you extend your travels, just let us know and continue paying monthly. We’ve had gap year storage customers store for 6 months, extended to 9, then to 12, and eventually 18 months—adjusting as their plans evolved with no hassle and no penalties.
Leaving your belongings for a year feels like a leap of faith. You’re entrusting your possessions to a facility you won’t see for months, in a country you won’t even be in.
That’s why security features matter: 24/7 CCTV monitoring across all our sites, secure access code, and solid steel construction that can’t be easily breached. But what really provides peace of mind is knowing we’re a family-run local business with a reputation built over years. We’re not a faceless corporation—we’re people who live in Wiltshire and Somerset, and we treat your belongings like we’d want ours treated.
Many of our long-term gap year storage customers tell us they didn’t worry about their storage once during their entire trip. That’s the level of confidence proper security and reliable service creates.
Dealing with bills and payments while travelling is frustrating. Exchange rates, international transaction fees, and unreliable internet connections all complicate matters.
We make it easy. Set up a card payment or standing order before you leave, and payments happen automatically. Or pay for several months upfront—some gap year storage customers pay for 6 months before departing, then arrange the next 6-month payment once they’re settled somewhere with reliable internet. We send payment confirmations by email, so you have records wherever you are.
And if something goes wrong—a payment fails, or you need to adjust dates—just email or call us. We’re flexible and understanding. Travel throws up unexpected situations, and we’ll work with you to find solutions rather than creating problems.
Some storage companies force you to buy their expensive insurance even if you already have coverage. That can add £30-50 per month to your costs—money you’d rather spend on experiences.
At Giant Storage, we don’t insist on our own insurance, but we do recommend you have coverage. Check whether your existing contents insurance covers items in storage (many don’t). If not, you can arrange your own insurance independently, often for less than what storage chains charge. We’re happy to provide the information insurance companies need for quotes.
The transparency extends to all costs. What we quote is what you pay—no surprise insurance fees, no admin charges, no hidden extras when you’re trying to budget from 5,000 miles away.
Sarah stored the contents of her house share room with us before spending 10 months travelling through Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Indonesia. She initially booked for 6 months but extended twice as opportunities arose.
“I was really stressed about where to put everything,” she told us when she returned. “My parents didn’t have space, and I didn’t want to burden friends. Finding Giant Storage was such a relief. I paid for the first 6 months upfront, set up a standing order for month 7 onwards, and literally didn’t think about it again until I was flying home. Everything was exactly as I’d left it—even my books and photos were perfect. Best decision I made during all the planning chaos.”
This couple stored their entire one-bedroom flat’s contents—furniture, kitchen equipment, electronics, clothing, everything—in a 20ft container while they spent 14 months travelling through South America, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia.
“We compared prices at every storage place in the area,” Tom explained. “Giant Storage was hundreds of pounds cheaper over a year, and the steel containers felt much more secure than those indoor units with plasterboard walls. We had Rachel’s dad collect some documents for us once—he said the whole process was effortless, just drove up and got what we needed. When we got back and opened everything up, it was like we’d packed it yesterday. Totally worth it.”
The world is waiting, and your belongings don’t need to hold you back. With gap year storage sorted, you can hand in your notice, book those flights, and set off knowing everything’s safe and secure back home.
We’ll help you work out what size you need, and get you set up quickly. Most customers are storing within 48 hours of first contact—leaving you free to focus on the exciting stuff like planning itineraries and learning basic phrases in Thai.
