The two options share a word, storage, and little else. One is a rented room you manage. The other is a service in which the mover handles the goods from the door to the warehouse and back. Knowing the difference helps you pick the right one for a given move.
How a self-storage unit works
You rent a unit, move your goods into it with your own vehicle and your own labor, lock it, and visit when you like. Access on your own schedule is the strength of a unit. The trade is that you do the lifting twice, once in and once out, and the contents stay as you left them.
How full-service vault storage works
Movers pack and wrap the goods at your home and load them onto the truck. At the warehouse in Sparks, the crew places them into wooden vaults, each 7 by 7 by 5 feet, stacked in a 30,000 sq ft building. Vault storage runs from $40 per month, short or long term. When you are ready, you give the office about 2 to 3 weeks notice and the goods are delivered to your new home.
The warehouse is at the same site as the office and the truck yard, 2277 Glendale Ave. See our warehouse and vault storage.
Side by side
| Question | Self-storage unit | Vault storage |
|---|---|---|
| Who loads it | You | The moving crew |
| Who unloads it | You | The moving crew, at your new home |
| Suits | Items you visit often | A household in transition |
| Notice to get goods out | Not applicable | About 2 to 3 weeks |
When vault storage fits
- Between homes: you sell before the new house is ready and the goods wait in the Sparks warehouse.
- A remodel: furniture leaves for weeks, then comes back with the crew.
- A long-distance move with a gap between pick-up and delivery.
- A downsize or an estate: furniture needs a place while decisions are made.
- A seasonal move: a second home or a winter away.
When a unit fits
If you will open the space every week for tools, seasonal decor or business stock, a self-storage unit is built for that. If you want your goods handled once in and once out by a crew, and you will not need them for weeks, vaults are the better match. The storage vault sizer estimates how many vaults your goods fill.