For some parents, it feels like just yesterday when you were dropping your young adult off at college. You met the roommate, cleaned the dorm room from top to bottom, then played movers for a day as you hauled all their items into a tiny room for two. It was emotional. It was a breath of relief. And it made your house rather empty. Then four years later, you found yourself in the same situation.

But the second time, you were the “roommate,” the old spare bedroom was their new “dorm,” and all their old – and new – stuff came back with them. That was almost a year ago. You can no longer call your child a “recent college grad,” and all their personal stuff that was once just temporarily being stored in your home, has started to settle along with your foundation. Perhaps, now is the best time to look into long-term storage options.

Since the economic downturn in 2008, the job market for college grads has been less than inviting. Two years later, while the situation has improved slightly, college graduates are still residing in Mom and Dad’s house, while looking for work. Welcoming your child back with open arms was easy at first, and taking all their stuff back was doable because it was just temporary. But after a year with your son or daughter still at home, the house is beginning to feel a bit cramped. This is where moving companies can become your best friend.

Moving companies, like Atlas Van Lines, offer more services than just packing and moving items from one place to another. While your graduate can’t move just yet, you can move their personal belongings out of your sight with the use of professional storage. Typically, moving companies will offer two kinds of storage services.

Warehouse storage is the most common when it comes to your storage needs. It’s essentially a spare room with a monthly rate that you have access to whenever you need it. Most companies offer spaces in a variety of sizes. While many customers think only of local storage facilities in their community, more companies are offering this service due to their expertise in the moving industry. Moving companies like Atlas Van Lines offer state-of-the-art storage systems in clean and safe facilities.

Portable storage is another service option that is being offered by many moving and storage companies. With this service, a portable moving container is delivered to your location, filled and then taken to the company’s closest facility. Atlas Van Lines offers this as part of its Smart Move service and also has movers that can pack the container for you. Before you opt for this service, it’s best to ask your moving company where the containers are stored. If the containers are stored in a climate-controlled facility, this could determine what items you choose to store in your container.

Determining the best service for your situation is dependent on the length of time that you will need the storage space, and what kind of access you want to the stored items. Storage facilities will require you to sign a contract for the length of time that the space will be leased. Ironing out the details before the move will make the process less stressful, more streamlined, and could save you money.

Courtesy of ARAcontent