Pick-Up & Delivery Storage: The New Trend in Self Storage

Self storage is booming across Europe, with thousands of providers helping households and businesses find extra space. In total, there are currently over 10,000 professional self storage facilities across Europe. But there’s a relatively new trend in the storage market: pick-up and delivery storage. Instead of driving to a facility yourself, the storage provider comes to your door, collects your belongings, and stores them safely in a warehouse. Need something back? With just a few clicks, the provider delivers it right back to you.

This growing service is making storage easier and it’s already widely available in multiple countries. From the United Kingdom to Germany, and from Sweden to Spain.

What Is Pick-Up & Delivery Storage?

Pick-up and delivery storage, also called “valet-storage”, is a modern alternative to traditional self storage:

• The provider picks up your items directly at home.

• In some cases, they provide a storage box or container that you load yourself.

• Items are transported to a secure storage facility.

• When you need them back, the provider delivers them to your door.

Some providers even allow you to visit the warehouse yourself if you prefer to collect items in person. It is the perfect solution if you want storage without moving heavy items yourself. Basically, it is a combination of 1) a moving service (to and from the facility), and 2) the actual storage service. The perfect solution if you do not have the time or transport possibilities to move your stuff to the facility yourself.

Leading Providers in Europe

A wide range of companies now offer pick-up and delivery storage - from local specialists to international players such as Boxie24, SaveSpace, YouStock, and many others. Some companies are focussed exclusively on the pickup and delivery storage service, while other, more traditional storage companies are starting to implement this service as well, but more as an add-on service. Traditional self storage remains the largest segment in Europe, but pickup & delivery storage is expanding quickly and becoming more popular.

Providers by Country

Below is an overview of most well known pick-up and delivery storage providers active in different European markets. Important to note is that this list is not exhaustive, as more and more providers are implementing this service and new companies focused on this type of storage are being founded fast.

United Kingdom

• LoveSpace

• The Box Co

• Stackt

• YouStock (also active in France, Spain, Belgium)

Germany

• Boxie24

• SaveSpace

France

• StoragePal (Paris)

• YouStock (also active in Spain, Belgium, UK)

Netherlands

• Boxie24

• InboxStorage

• Kubox

• PickupBox

Belgium

• Boxify

• BoxAtHome

• YouStock (also active in Spain, France, UK)

Switzerland

• SaveSpace

Sweden

• Ztorage

• Vinden

Ireland

• Boxdrop

Benefits of Pick-Up & Delivery Storage

Pick-up and Delivery Storage has many benefits of which the most clear ones are stated below:

• Convenience – no need to rent a van or carry heavy furniture.

• Time-saving - the provider handles transport and logistics.

• Flexible - available per item, per box, or for an entire household.

• Door-to-door service - request your items back whenever you need them (potentially at an extra cost).

• City-friendly - ideal in urban areas where parking and transport are difficult.

Drawbacks to Keep in Mind

Obviously, there are also some drawbacks to this “new” type of self storage product. The most prominent ones are stated below:  

• Less direct access - you cannot always visit your unit freely. Some providers offer the possibility to temporarily bring some stuff back, or to visit the warehouse yourself. In most cases, this comes however with additional costs.

• Higher costs - transport and delivery are included in the price. So indirectly, you pay for the transport costs and the storage costs.

• Limited coverage - some providers operate only in certain cities or regions. In the European market, most capital and regional cities are covered by this service. However, some smaller villages in rural areas might fall outside of the service area of the storage providers.

Find Pick-Up & Delivery Storage on The Storage Scanner

At The Storage Scanner, you can easily compare both traditional self storage and pickup & delivery storage providers. Simply use the filter “Show only Pickup & Delivery” on our website to view all providers offering this service in your country or city. Whether you are moving house, renovating, or simply running out of space at home, you can compare prices, availability, and services in one place.

Traditional Self Storage or Pick-Up & Delivery?

There is no good or bad in our opinion. Both types of storage have their benefits and drawbacks.

• A traditional self storage unit that you can access anytime, but requires you to transport your belongings yourself.

• Or a pick-up and delivery storage service that saves time and effort by bringing storage directly to your doorstep, but potentially at an extra cost.

The choice depends on your lifestyle, budget, and how often you need to access your items.