Into storage, and back out

Storage usually enters the picture when life does not line up neatly. A sale settles before the new home is ready. A renovation needs rooms emptied. A downsize leaves furniture nobody is ready to part with. A business runs out of room for archives or stock. In each case, belongings need to go into storage carefully and be ready to come back out when the time comes.

That is the part we do. Brisbane Moving Company provides storage pick-ups and deliveries: from your home or business into a storage facility, from storage to your new address, and from one facility to another. We do not operate storage units ourselves. You choose and rent the facility that suits you, and we handle the loading, transport, unloading and placement.

Keeping the two separate gives you freedom. You can choose a facility on location, price, access hours and unit type, without being tied to a removalist's own storage. We handle storage transfers across Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Logan, Ipswich, Redlands and Moreton Bay.

Storage facilities differ in ways that matter far more on moving day than they do on a website. Before you sign, check:

• Access hours. Can you, and our crew, get in at the time you want to move? Gate access is often limited to set hours.
• Truck access. Can a removal truck reach the unit, or the loading area closest to it? Ask about height clearances and turning space.
• Unit type. Drive-up units are loaded straight from the truck. Internal units mean trolleys, corridors and often a lift, which adds time.
• Distance from truck to unit. Every extra metre is walked on every trip, in both directions, on both moving days.
• Lifts and trolleys. For upper-floor units, check the lift size and whether it needs booking.
• Authority. How the facility lets a removalist in on your behalf, and whether you need to be there.

The facility's own fees, contract, insurance requirements and rules on what can be stored are between you and the provider. Read them before you book the unit, not on the day.

Packing for storage is different from packing for a move across town. Belongings may sit stacked for months before anyone opens them. A few principles help:

• Use uniform cartons. Same-sized boxes stack squarely and stay stable; odd shapes create towers that lean.
• Label the sides, not just the top. In a stacked unit, the top of a box is usually hidden.
• Keep heavy cartons small. Books and files in small cartons, linen and soft furnishings in large ones.
• Clean and dry appliances. Fridges, freezers and washing machines should be clean and completely dry before storage; follow the manufacturer's guidance.
• Make an inventory. Number the cartons and keep a list, so you can find one box among sixty.

When we load the unit, we work to your plan. Large, solid furniture goes in first, along the back and sides. Mattresses and tabletops stand on their edges to save floor space. Cartons are stacked heaviest at the bottom. The things you may need to retrieve, such as seasonal clothes or business records, go near the door, and a walkway can be left if you want to reach items without emptying the unit.

Our quilted blankets, furniture pads, stretch wrap and straps protect furniture in transit and are included at no extra charge. The blankets travel back with the truck, so if you want pieces covered while they are in storage, plan for dust covers or sheets of your own. For fragile or high-care items, or to hand over the whole job, our packing service covers full and partial packing.

Home to storage

The simplest version: we collect from your home, office or a family property and deliver into your unit.

Storage to your new address

When you are ready, we collect from the facility and deliver to the new home, placing furniture in the rooms you nominate. Add unpacking if you want cartons opened and the empties taken away.

Partial collections

Taking some items out and leaving the rest? Label clearly what goes and what stays, and confirm access with the facility. A list with photos removes any doubt on the day.

Split loads in one booking

Some moves split: most of the furniture into storage, the essentials to temporary accommodation or a family member's home. That is one booking with an additional drop-off at $48 including GST per location, rather than two separate jobs.

Business storage

Archive boxes, surplus office furniture, display stock or seasonal equipment. Business storage transfers can be scheduled on their own or as part of an office relocation.

Timing is often what brings storage into a move. Settlement on the old home falls before the new one is available, and everything needs somewhere to wait. A storage transfer turns that into two planned stages instead of one rushed one.

Stage one happens around the sale: packing if you want it, then loading and delivery into the unit, with essentials split off to wherever you are staying. Stage two happens when the new home is ready: collection from the facility, delivery, placement and, if booked, unpacking. Each stage is a separate booking, charged by time.

Renovations are another reason, and a very Brisbane one. Many Queenslanders have been renovated over the years, with verandahs enclosed for extra bedrooms and the space underneath built in as extra living area. Work on that scale often means emptying rooms for weeks or months. Moving furniture into storage for the duration keeps it away from dust and trades, and gives the builder room to work.

If your renovation only needs one or two rooms cleared, a smaller furniture move to storage may be all you need.

Downsizing? Our downsizing guide covers what to keep, store and clear.

Storage transfers are charged by the hour, like our other moves. Our hourly rates are $125 to $169 per hour + GST, depending on the type of move and truck size, for a moving truck, two professional movers and all standard equipment. Travel is charged depot-to-depot or as a call-out fee, depending on the job and location.

At a storage facility, time is driven by access: how quickly the gate opens, how far the unit is from the truck, and whether items travel along corridors and up lifts. A drive-up unit is usually quicker to load and unload than an upper-floor internal unit, which is worth weighing when you choose.

Extras of $48 including GST each may apply, including appliances (per item), heavy items over 90kg (per item), apartment stairs (per flight), each additional pick-up or drop-off location, and extra trips between loading and unloading. Parking or permit costs are passed on where they apply. Waiting time is chargeable if a collection or delivery cannot be completed in a timely manner, for example when facility access is not ready.

The storage facility's rent and fees are separate and paid directly to the provider. A deposit secures each booking, the balance is payable on completion, and we ask for at least 48 hours' notice to cancel or reschedule. See our pricing page for the full breakdown.

Your storage does not have to be near your old home. It can make sense to choose a facility close to where you are going, so the second stage is short. We move belongings to and from storage facilities across Brisbane and the Gold Coast, including transfers between the two in either direction, as well as in Logan, Ipswich, Redlands and Moreton Bay. Travel is confirmed before booking.

When you request a quote, include the facility name and address, the unit number and floor, the unit type (drive-up or internal), the facility's access hours, a list of what is moving and the address at the other end. Our team aims to call new enquiries back within five minutes during business hours (8am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday).