Packing for a two-week holiday is one thing.
Packing your life into a motorhome or campervan for several months is something completely different.
Whether you’re planning an extended road trip around the UK, travelling through Europe, taking a career break or simply trying a different lifestyle for a while, one question quickly becomes important:
What happens to everything you aren’t taking with you?
If you’re keeping your house, you might be tempted to leave everything exactly where it is.
If you’re ending a tenancy, selling your property or renting your home out while you’re away, that may not be an option.
Either way, trying to squeeze an entire household into a motorhome isn’t the answer.
SecureStore provides flexible personal self storage and Removal + Storage across Bury, Manchester, Failsworth and Salford, allowing you to keep suitable possessions securely stored while you’re travelling.
And with our current limited-time promotion, getting started could cost much less than you expect.
2-Week Flash Offer: First Month’s Storage for Just £1
For a limited period, SecureStore is offering:
YOUR FIRST MONTH OF STORAGE FOR JUST £1
The flash offer runs for two weeks only, subject to promotional terms, eligibility and availability.
If you’re preparing for an extended trip, you could use self storage for suitable furniture, clothing, household belongings, hobby equipment and other possessions you don’t want to take with you.
Call 0161 470 0288 or email info@securestoreselfstorage.co.uk to enquire.
Why Motorhome Living Requires a Completely Different Packing Strategy
A motorhome may contain clever storage compartments, cupboards and under-seat areas, but space is still limited compared with a typical house or flat.
The challenge isn’t finding a way to squeeze everything in.
It’s deciding what actually deserves to come.
Think in terms of what you’ll genuinely use during the trip rather than what you own.
That’s a much more useful starting point.
Don’t Pack for Every Possible Scenario
When preparing for a long trip, it’s easy to start packing for every possibility.
What if it’s cold?
What if you need formal clothes?
What if you suddenly decide to play golf?
What if you need that kitchen gadget you’ve used twice in three years?
Before long, you’re attempting to move your entire house into the vehicle.
Be realistic.
Prioritise the things you expect to use regularly and find another solution for the rest.
Start With Four Categories
Work through your belongings and divide them into four groups.
Take With You
Everyday essentials and items you’ll genuinely use during the trip.
Put Into Storage
Suitable possessions you want to keep but don’t need while travelling.
Sell or Donate
Good-quality items you no longer want.
Dispose or Recycle
Items that have reached the end of their useful life.
This makes the packing process considerably more manageable.
What Happens to Your Furniture?
If you’re leaving a furnished home behind, perhaps nothing needs to happen.
But if you’re ending a tenancy or selling your property, furniture becomes a much bigger question.
You might own:
- Sofa
- Bed
- Dining table
- Chairs
- Wardrobes
- Drawers
- Desk
- Bookcases
- Television unit
- Occasional furniture
Selling everything can seem appealing when you’re excited about travelling.
But think about what happens when you return.
How Much Would It Cost to Replace Everything?
Imagine returning after six months and renting another unfurnished property.
Suddenly you need another:
- Bed
- Mattress
- Sofa
- Table
- Chairs
- Drawers
- Kitchen equipment
Selling good-quality furniture cheaply before travelling and then buying it all again later may not make financial sense.
Self storage gives you another option.
Keep the belongings you’re realistically likely to need again and deal with the things you genuinely don’t want.
Don’t Store Everything Automatically
The opposite mistake is keeping absolutely everything.
Storage works best when you’re selective.
Before paying to keep something, ask:
Would I actually want this in my next home?
If the answer is no, moving it into storage simply delays the decision.
Extended travel can be an excellent opportunity for a proper household clear-out.
Clothing Can Quickly Take Over a Campervan
It’s tempting to pack enormous amounts of clothing when you’ll be away for months.
But a long trip doesn’t necessarily require six months’ worth of different outfits.
Think about:
- Climate
- Laundry access
- Activities
- Season
- Footwear
- How often you’ll genuinely wear formal clothing
Suitable clothes you want to keep but won’t use during the trip can remain in storage.
Store Clothing by Season
If your journey crosses different seasons, think ahead.
Perhaps you’re leaving Manchester in autumn and expect to return the following spring.
There may be little reason to take your entire summer wardrobe.
Likewise, if you’re travelling somewhere warmer for winter, bulky cold-weather clothing could potentially remain behind.
Label stored clothing clearly so it’s easy to identify when you return.
Shoes Deserve Their Own Clear-Out
Shoes consume a surprising amount of space.
Before travelling, separate them into:
- Everyday footwear
- Walking footwear
- Smart shoes
- Sports footwear
- Seasonal footwear
- Pairs you rarely wear
Take what you’ll realistically use.
Store suitable pairs you want to keep.
Sell or donate the rest.
Sports Equipment Can Be Particularly Bulky
Perhaps you own:
- Golf clubs
- Skis
- Snowboards
- Bikes
- Camping equipment
- Fishing equipment
- Paddleboards
- Large sports bags
You may want some equipment during your travels, but probably not all of it.
Self storage allows you to keep suitable hobby and sports equipment without trying to carry everything everywhere you go.
What About Sentimental Belongings?
This is where storage can become particularly valuable.
You may own things that aren’t useful for your trip but that you would never want to throw away.
Examples include:
- Family photographs
- Children’s keepsakes
- Inherited belongings
- Letters
- Wedding items
- Collections
- Personal memorabilia
There’s little benefit in taking irreplaceable sentimental possessions on an extended road trip simply because you don’t know where else to put them.
Suitable items can be carefully packed and stored until you return.
Create a Proper Inventory
If you’re going away for months, don’t rely on memory.
Create a basic inventory of your storage unit.
For example:
Box 1 – Winter clothing
Box 2 – Books
Box 3 – Kitchen equipment
Box 4 – Photographs and keepsakes
Box 5 – Office equipment
You can keep the list on your phone so you know what you’ve stored.
Photograph Boxes Before Closing Them
A quick photograph can save a surprising amount of time later.
Before sealing a box, photograph the contents.
You can then create a digital album organised by box number.
If you’re halfway through your trip wondering whether you stored something, you can check your photographs rather than trying to remember.
What If You’re Renting Out Your Home While Travelling?
Some homeowners decide to let their property while they’re away.
If you’re considering this, don’t assume it’s simply a matter of finding someone and handing over the keys.
Your mortgage terms, insurance, tax position and other legal obligations may be relevant depending on your circumstances.
Official information for landlords is available from:
GOV.UK – Renting Out Your Property
gov.uk/renting-out-a-property
If you’re considering letting your home, obtain appropriate professional advice for your circumstances.
Remove Personal Possessions Before Tenants Arrive
If another household will be living in your property, you may not want personal belongings left throughout the house.
Consider removing suitable:
- Photographs
- Documents
- Sentimental possessions
- Clothing
- Collections
- Personal decorations
- Equipment
Self storage can allow you to clear these possessions without permanently getting rid of them.
What If You’re Ending Your Tenancy?
Extended travel can sometimes coincide with the end of a rental agreement.
Rather than paying rent on a property you’re not using simply to keep your furniture somewhere, you may decide to move out.
That creates a straightforward storage requirement.
Your belongings can go into storage while you travel, and you can find your next home when you return.
For general information about private renting in England:
GOV.UK – Private Renting
gov.uk/private-renting
Deal With Paperwork Before You Leave
Extended travel is much easier when your administration is organised.
Review:
- Insurance documents
- Vehicle documents
- Banking
- Bills
- Subscriptions
- Important correspondence
- Property documents
- Identification
Don’t accidentally put something into a storage box that you’ll need while travelling.
Keep important documents appropriately secure and accessible.
Think About Your Post
Your home arrangements may change while you’re away.
Royal Mail provides information about services for managing post, including redirection.
Royal Mail
royalmail.com
SecureStore also offers a mailbox service from £5 per week.
Speak to our team about what the SecureStore mailbox service includes and whether it is suitable for your requirements.
Don’t Forget About Things in the Garage
When people think about storing household belongings, they often concentrate on the rooms inside the house.
Then they open the garage.
You may have:
- Tools
- Bikes
- Car accessories
- Camping equipment
- Garden equipment
- Boxes
- DIY supplies
Go through these belongings with exactly the same approach.
Take what you’ll use.
Store suitable possessions worth keeping.
Dispose of or sell things you no longer need.
Clear the Loft Too
If you’re giving up your property altogether, don’t leave the loft until moving day.
Lofts often contain years of forgotten belongings.
Start early.
Work through one section at a time.
You may discover that much of what you’ve been keeping no longer needs to move with you at all.
Sell Unwanted Belongings Before You Travel
Good-quality items you no longer want could potentially contribute towards your travel budget.
You could consider platforms such as:
eBay UK
ebay.co.uk
Vinted UK
vinted.co.uk
Facebook Marketplace
facebook.com/marketplace
Give yourself enough time to actually complete the sales.
Trying to sell half a house two days before departure usually creates unnecessary pressure.
Set a Selling Deadline
For example:
Anything not sold two weeks before departure gets reconsidered.
At that point, you might:
- Reduce the price
- Donate it
- Recycle it appropriately
- Decide it’s genuinely worth storing
A deadline prevents bags and boxes of “things to sell” from following you right up to departure day.
Plan for Your Return Before You Leave
This is one of the best questions you can ask:
Where am I likely to live when I come back?
You may not know the exact answer.
But consider the possibilities.
If you’ll probably return to an unfurnished house or flat, keeping good-quality household furniture could be sensible.
If you’re planning a permanent move abroad, your approach might be completely different.
Storage gives you flexibility while your plans develop.
Don’t Forget the Cost of Starting Again
Furniture isn’t the only thing that costs money.
A household also contains:
- Crockery
- Pans
- Bedding
- Towels
- Lamps
- Small appliances
- Office equipment
- Tools
- Household accessories
Individually, these may not seem expensive.
Replacing an entire household at once can be.
Think carefully before disposing of good-quality belongings you’ll probably buy again when you return.
Removal + Storage Can Simplify Departure Day
Preparing for extended travel already involves a long list of jobs.
You may be:
- Packing the motorhome
- Organising insurance
- Preparing travel documents
- Ending a tenancy
- Preparing a property for tenants
- Selling possessions
- Cancelling services
- Arranging post
Moving furniture into storage doesn’t have to become another major project.
SecureStore provides Removal + Storage, so speak to our team about suitable furniture and household belongings that need moving.
Pack the Storage Unit With Your Return in Mind
Don’t simply fill the unit randomly.
Put items you’re least likely to need towards the back.
Keep things you might need sooner more accessible.
For example, if you expect to return during winter, winter clothing might be easier to access than garden equipment.
Good organisation now can save a lot of work later.
Don’t Store Important Travel Essentials
Before the removal takes place, create a clearly separated DO NOT STORE area.
This could contain:
- Passports
- Driving licences
- Travel documents
- Medication
- Vehicle documents
- Chargers
- Laptop
- Insurance information
- Essential clothing
- Keys
The last thing you want is to discover that your passport is somewhere inside Box 34.
A Simple Eight-Week Motorhome Departure Plan
Eight Weeks Before
Start deciding what is coming with you and what isn’t.
Six Weeks Before
Begin listing suitable unwanted items for sale.
Four Weeks Before
Choose your storage unit and start packing non-essential belongings.
Three Weeks Before
Deal with loft, garage and seasonal possessions.
Two Weeks Before
Move larger suitable furniture into storage.
Final Week
Keep only travel essentials and the possessions you’re taking with you.
Departure Day
Leave knowing the belongings you’ve chosen to keep are organised rather than scattered between friends’ houses, garages and spare rooms.
Use SecureStore’s £1 First-Month Flash Offer
If extended travel is on the horizon, our current flash offer could make this an ideal time to organise your belongings.
For two weeks only:
GET YOUR FIRST MONTH OF STORAGE FOR JUST £1
You could use your unit for suitable:
- Furniture
- Clothing
- Books
- Sports equipment
- Hobby equipment
- Kitchen equipment
- Household belongings
- Sentimental possessions
- Boxes you want waiting when you return
2-WEEK FLASH OFFER – FIRST MONTH’S STORAGE £1
Promotional terms, eligibility and availability apply. Contact SecureStore for full details.
How to Book Your Unit With SecureStore
Getting started is straightforward:
- Decide what you’re taking in the motorhome.
- Separate everything else into store, sell/donate and dispose categories.
- Think about what you’ll need when you return.
- Pack suitable storage belongings carefully.
- Label and photograph boxes.
- Contact SecureStore and ask about our 2-week flash offer – first month’s storage for £1.
- Choose a suitable storage unit.
- Ask about Removal + Storage if furniture or larger belongings need moving.
- Create an inventory.
- Keep travel documents and essential belongings completely separate from storage items.
2-WEEK FLASH OFFER: FIRST MONTH’S STORAGE FOR £1
Call: 0161 470 0288
Email: info@securestoreselfstorage.co.uk
Visit: 574 Manchester Road, Bury
Locations: Bury | Manchester | Failsworth | Salford
No deposit required in many cases; same-day move-in may be available.
Contact SecureStore for promotional terms, eligibility and current unit availability.
Travel Light Without Starting Again From Nothing
Extended motorhome travel is partly about freedom.
Trying to take the contents of an entire house with you rather defeats the point.
But travelling light doesn’t mean you have to sell every possession you’ve spent years acquiring.
Take what you need.
Sell what you genuinely no longer want.
Store suitable belongings that still have a place in your future.
Then enjoy your travels knowing that when you eventually come home, you won’t necessarily have to start again from an empty room.
SecureStore provides flexible personal self storage and Removal + Storage across Bury, Manchester, Failsworth and Salford.
And for a limited period, your first month of storage is just £1 with our 2-week flash offer.
Call 0161 470 0288 or email info@securestoreselfstorage.co.uk to discuss your storage requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is self storage useful if I’m travelling in a motorhome for several months?
Yes. It can provide space for suitable furniture, household belongings, seasonal clothing and other possessions you don’t want to take with you but still want when you return.
Should I sell my furniture before extended travel?
That depends on your future plans. If you’re likely to return to an unfurnished property, replacing good-quality furniture could be expensive. Storage gives you another option while you’re away.
Can SecureStore help move my furniture into storage?
Yes. SecureStore provides Removal + Storage. Speak to our team about the suitable belongings you need moving.
Does SecureStore offer a mailbox service?
Yes. SecureStore offers a mailbox service from £5 per week. Contact our team for details of what is included.
What is the current SecureStore flash offer?
For a limited two-week period, your first month of storage is £1, subject to promotional terms, eligibility and availability.
Where does SecureStore provide storage?
SecureStore provides storage solutions across Bury, Manchester, Failsworth and Salford. Call 0161 470 0288 to discuss your requirements.
