Millennials in the UK are fast becoming the self-storage generation. With high housing costs and limited living space, a rented storage unit is turning into the extra “cupboard” many young adults desperately need. In fact, nearly one-third of today’s self storage renters are millennials. That’s up from just 20% a few years ago.
More than half of young UK consumers (roughly ages 20s to 40s) now rely on self-storage due to lack of space at home. Forget the latest gadget or streaming service, for many millennials, the must-have subscription might just be a storage unit. Who knew adulting in 2025 would involve paying rent for your stuff?
Why Are So Many Young Brits Turning to Storage?
Several trends are colliding to make self storage especially popular with millennial renters and first-time buyers. Sky-high housing costs and smaller homes are a big part of the story. UK rent prices have hit record highs. Average rents jumped 9.2% last year alone, adding about £1,300 more annually for the typical tenant, according to the Guardian. Buying a larger home isn’t any easier though.
Rising mortgage rates and the cost-of-living crisis have priced many young people out of upsizing or looking for larger homes. As a result, over 500,000 rented households in England are officially overcrowded, with people cramming into shared rooms and overflowing closets. The ISS published research showing that 81% of millennials and Gen Z say they simply don’t have enough room at home. If you’re renting and can’t afford a bigger flat, renting a bit of extra space in a storage facility starts to make a lot of sense.
Frequent moving and life transitions also drive young people to self storage. A recent industry report found that nearly 32% of self-storage customers were storing items due to moving home. This is common during gap periods in a house purchase or when you’re between rentals. When selling a property you might sell your old place before the new one is ready, or downsize into a starter home that doesn’t fit all your furniture. Both of these scenarios have seen people turning to self storage in the UK, so they know their household items and furniture can be stored securely.
In fact, 16% of people who moved used self storage because their new home had no space for some belongings. New-build houses and flats have been shrinking in size each decade since the 1950s, meaning anyone moving into a modern home may have excess stuff that no longer fits. Rather than say goodbye to beloved furniture or heirlooms, young movers are opting to store the overflow until they have room again during their house move.
Then there’s the decluttering craze, which is an antidote to all that overcrowding. Growing awareness of mental health and minimalist living has prompted many millennials to clear out clutter from their living spaces. Some have even opted for a nomad lifestyle while they focus on work and save for a first home. Self storage plays a key role here: it lets people keep their stuff without tripping over it at home.
Nearly 45% of millennial storage users rent a unit to help with downsizing or decluttering according to a Storeganise article, freeing up precious elbow room in their flat. About 30% say they turned to storage simply because there’s no spare cupboard space in their current home. Think of it as outsourcing your overstuffed closet!
By moving rarely-used items into storage, from childhood memorabilia to that guitar you swear you’ll play again, millennials can make their small homes feel larger and calmer. Although it might sound like a good marketing line, keeping your clutter in self storage can give you the space to promote feelings of calm and relaxation in your living environment. We might laugh at the idea of paying for a “zen” storage unit, but there’s truth to the claim that a tidy home is good for your mental health.
Other life events also nudge young adults toward self storage. Figures from Storganise say, around 15% of millennial renters use storage during a temporary move (for example, moving abroad for work or studying). 5% use it to stash seasonal items like holiday decorations or winter sports gear, and a few even store belongings while traveling long-term.
The rise of remote work has created a need to repurpose home space as well, clearing out a spare room to make a home office, for instance, often means putting old furniture or boxes into storage. All these scenarios boil down to one thing: flexible space. Self storage gives millennials an affordable way to expand their living space on demand, without the commitment of a bigger mortgage or lease.
A Growing Industry Catering to Millennial Needs
The boom in millennial demand is fuelling record growth in the UK self storage industry. Over 100 new storage facilities have opened across British towns and cities in the past three years, according to the Guardian, adding much-needed capacity. To put it in perspective, the new storage space opened last year alone was equivalent to about 6,000 two-bedroom flats worth of space. Despite this building spree, many facilities are filling up as soon as they open. UK storage sites reached a record-high 83.3% occupancy rate in 2022. Clearly, the demand for extra space is not just a passing trend but a lasting market shift.
This surge is also reflected in industry finances. The UK self storage sector now generates an estimated £1 billion in annual revenue, and operators remain optimistic about continued growth. In surveys, 72% of facility owners expect profits to keep rising in the coming years despite economic headwinds. Self storage has proven surprisingly recession-resistant, when people can’t upgrade to a bigger home, they turn to self storage as a cost-effective Plan B.
The cost of Self Storage in the UK
What about the cost for customers? Renting a storage unit in the UK, especially in big cities, isn’t free, but it’s a lot cheaper than upsizing your housing. Recent data show that the average self storage rental rate in the UK hit £26.13 per square foot this year, after rising about 9% last year, according to Storeganise. That works out to roughly £130 per month for a typical 50 square foot unit.
When comparing prices with self storage prices it’s important to check for hidden costs like insurance. You can check our prices here. We pride ourselves on clear pricing and inclusive costs, with padlock and base rate good protection included, so you don’t have to worry about hidden fees.
Prices vary widely by region: in 2024, London had the priciest storage by far at about £38.80 per square foot annually (Londoners pay a premium for everything, and storage is no exception!). Meanwhile, regions like the North West averaged closer to £18–£20 per square foot, and most of the country falls somewhere in between. For example, a small storage unit or locker in London might range from £100 to £300 per month, whereas in northeast England it could be as low as £25 a month.
In all cases, you’re essentially renting space. A few extra square feet to call your own. Given that more than 54% of young Brits feel forced to use self storage due to lack of space at home, according to the ISS, many are willing to budget for that bit of breathing room. As housing activists have pointed out in the Guardian, it’s unfortunate that an entire generation has to rent storage lockers because their homes are too small or too expensive. But until the broader housing crisis improves, self storage is a practical solution helping millennials (and others) get by with the space they have.
(Quick reality check: If paying £50 – £100 a month for a storage unit keeps you sane in a cramped flat, that might be money well spent. It’s certainly cheaper than moving into a place £200+ higher in rent!)
Making Space Simple (No Hidden Bears, Promise!)
Amid this storage boom, Blue Bear Self Storage is stepping up to serve the needs of millennials, first-time buyers, and anyone else short on space. We know that convenience, transparency, and cost matter more than ever to our customers. That’s why all Blue Bear facilities offer drive-up access and extended 7-day availability. You can literally park right next to your unit for easy loading, no hauling boxes through endless hallways or waiting on trolleys. We’re also constantly improving our services to keep things user-friendly.
Our most recent upgrade is a new online booking system with all-inclusive pricing. You can now reserve a unit from your phone or laptop and see exactly what you’ll pay at checkout – no hidden fees, no surprise charges. After all, studies shown by the ISS show that 83% of people say price is the most important factor when choosing storage, so we’ve made our pricing crystal clear and competitive!
Blue Bear Self Storage prides itself on combining modern convenience with old-fashioned customer care. Our facilities are clean, highly secure (24/7 CCTV, gated access & Grafotherm treated units), and designed for hassle-free access. Whether you’re a renter needing to stash furniture during a move, a new homeowner looking for space or just trying to declutter your garage, we’ve got you covered with our affordable container self storage. And with locations across multiple regions, you’re likely to find a Blue Bear site not too far from home:
- Buckingham, Buckinghamshire – Secure units in the heart of Buckingham to serve the surrounding area.
- Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk – Two sites (Barton Road and Dettingen Way) offering easy-access storage in West Suffolk.
- Cheltenham, Gloucestershire – A brand new facility to serve Cheltenham and the Cotswolds area.
- Corby, Northamptonshire – Drive-up storage serving Corby and the wider Northamptonshire region.
- Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire – Conveniently located for Huntingdon and nearby towns in Cambridgeshire.
- Petersfield, Hampshire – Storage units ready to help customers across Petersfield and the South East Hampshire area.
- St Ives, Cambridgeshire – Serving St Ives and the greater Cambridgeshire community with our signature easy access units.
Each Blue Bear location offers the same great features like drive-up units, 7-day access, top-notch security, and friendly service. At some of the most competitive prices in the region. We know millennials appreciate value and honesty, so we’ve built our business around fair, transparent pricing and no-nonsense service. That’s why we’re the highest rated self storage provider in each town we have a storage facility. Check out our Trustpilot reviews to see why our customers love storing with Blue Bear.
Need an extra bit of space for a few months while you sort out a move or make room for a nursery? No problem. Want to finally clear out your parents’ loft but not ready to toss your childhood treasures? We’ll keep them safe until you need them.
In short, Blue Bear Self Storage is here to make your life easier. The growing demand for self storage among young UK adults is a sign of the times, smaller homes, more mobility, and a greater focus on quality of life. We’ve embraced this trend with a solution that’s simple, flexible, and geared to what people actually need: affordable space, minus the fuss. With our help, millennial renters and first-time buyers across the UK are gaining space to breathe (and maybe finally room for that drum kit or vintage comic collection!). And hey, you might even achieve that Instagram-worthy, clutter-free living room , with your excess stuff happily hibernating at Blue Bear until you need it next.
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