The Psychology of Self-Storage: Why We Keep What We Keep

Have you ever thought about what makes self-storage companies so successful? It's not just because these businesses serve a practical purpose; they are also tapping into an aspect of American life that is all about the ups and downs of our relationships with our things. We are a populace of pack rats, and there are many reasons why we hold tightly to what we own—even when a portion of it is portable, boxed up, and crammed into a unit that, in some cases, is taller than the former occupant.

  1. Attachment to Items That Have Meaning Objects, in many cases, serve as solid connections to the past, especially to memories of cherished people and events. Possessions like a wedding dress or childhood toys take on almost sacred spaces in our hearts. Our marriages, divinations, and even nonjudgmental and nudging promises to ourselves that we have made for keeping our stuff safe rattle around in self-storage units and, at least theoretically, at our homes.
  2. Owning things isn't always about the past—it can also be about the future. Lots of the stuff we have isn't just nostalgic; it represents things we might want to do someday. When we keep our exercise equipment, craft supplies, or musical instruments, we're making space for new hobbies or in-the-moment passions. After all, self-improvement is often just a workout, paintbrush, or sheet of music away.
  3. The Anxiety of Potential Regret Letting go of items can provoke worries about possibly making the incorrect decision. What if you need that old sofa or those random tools in the next few months? Self-storage can act as a stopgap, letting you postpone the hard calls.
  4. Today's Lifestyle Makes Self-Storage Necessary Most of us live a moving, changing life. Very few people stay in one place for a long time anymore. The concept of home is in flux, with many of us working from home, in offices, or somewhere in between. How can anyone keep a home uncluttered and useful when previous notions of what a home is have gone out the window? Grasping the reasons behind our use of self-storage brings to light the fact that it serves not only as a physical space but as an emotional and psychological buffer. Preserving the past, we use it to safeguard our personal narratives, to protect the unfathomable depths of our unique identities, and to hold in stasis our wildest possibilities.
Back