Self Storage Exclusives
Stay up to date with exclusive self storage stories, original reporting and emerging industry trends on construction, rents, sales and more.
Second Acts With Roll-Up Doors: The Most Unexpected Self Storage Conversions In The U.S.
You probably don’t expect to stash your holiday decorations in a former armory. Or tuck away old photo albums where moviegoers once lined up for popcorn. But across the country, some of the most unexpected buildings are getting a second act — as self storage facilities.
I’m Gen Z: What’s in My Storage Unit?
Trading Facebook posts for TikTok dances and Beanie Babies for Labubus, Gen Z has given growing up online a whole new meaning. Defined by everything concerning reusing, recycling and cycling through trends that previous generations would rather forget (looking at you, Millennials and capri jeans), it’s no wonder this is also a generation that can spot an authentic vintage find from a fast-fashion knockoff in under three seconds. And when your wardrobe can go from Depop find to next season’s comeback without warning, a little extra space starts making sense.
I’m a Millennial: What’s in My Storage Unit?
So, you’re a Millennial. You probably know all the lyrics to Phoebe Buffay’s Smelly Cat. Hannah Montana’s The Best of Both Worlds has become more like a life philosophy rather than a fun tune. And if you rent a self storage unit, you’re in good company. You’ve officially joined the 31% of Millennials who rent storage space, most often because there simply isn’t enough room at home, according to StorageCafe’s 2026 Self Storage Demand and Trends survey(opens in new tab).
What to Know Before Starting a Self Storage Business in 2027
If you’re wondering how to start a self storage business, two questions come first: Does your area need more storage, and what would it take to run the business? Before you commit to a property, it helps to understand local demand, the costs involved and the day-to-day work of serving renters.
Suburban Giants and Urban Risers: Where America’s 100 Largest Metros Fall on the Self Storage Map
Self storage has long been a suburban story. Across America largest 100 metros, 59% of the inventory built over the past decade sits outside city cores, largely preserving the ratio of the total existing inventory.
1 in 4 Americans Rent Self Storage — and the Next Wave Is Already Coming
About one in four Americans is already using self storage and just as many are actively searching for a unit online right now. Across the 150 largest U.S. cities, self storage searches rose 23% year-over-year in 2025 — nearly triple the growth recorded the previous year, up from around 8% in 2024.
Best Websites For Finding Storage Units (Without Overpaying)
If you’re looking for a storage unit, you likely want two things: to see what’s available near you and to avoid overpaying.
Self Storage Sales Hit $5B in 2025: Pricing Surged Amid Steady Deal Volume
Slow and steady wins the race, and self storage — an industry that quite literally carries its “home” on its back — proved the point again last year. While the number of transactions barely moved (up just 1% year over year), the value of those deals climbed sharply. Total transaction volume rose 39% from 2024 to nearly $5 billion in 2025, pointing to sustained confidence in the sector’s long-term value.
2026 Self Storage Supply Report: Florida Leads A Strong National Expansion
Self storage development is stepping down from its boom-era highs and settling into a more deliberate rhythm. Roughly 55.4 million square feet of new space is expected to come online in 2026, closely mirroring 2025 and signaling a market that is no longer sprinting, but still far from standing still.
Out With The Old, Enter Self Storage: Adaptive Reuse Skyrocketed Last Decade And Is Now Accelerating In The Sunbelt And Northeast
Self storage has been moving at warp speed in recent years, with annual deliveries in the 2020s topping 64 million square feet of rentable space — surpassing the roughly 55 million annual average seen in the 2000s. Not all new supply comes from ground-up construction, and adaptive reuse has been playing a growing role in filling industry demand gaps. Owners are increasingly embracing conversion projects — repurposing existing buildings to expand inventory in markets where zoning hurdles and limited land make new development difficult.
Where Self Storage Boomed In 2025: The Sunbelt Pulls Ahead As Atlanta And Phoenix Top The Nation In New Supply
Self storage is operating in a mode of cautious optimism. After a pandemic-era construction surge that pushed several markets into oversupply, development activity pulled back in 2025 as builders focused on restoring balance between supply and demand. New deliveries totaled 51 million square feet of rentable space in 2025, marking a 21% decline from 2024 and signaling a deliberate recalibration rather than a retreat.
Self Storage Sales Reach Nearly $1.6B In Q3 2025 As Transaction Activity Jumps By 62% Compared To Previous Year
Self storage investment activity picked up pace during the third quarter of 2025, signaling stronger confidence among both private and institutional buyers. The total value of assets that changed hands reached $1.6 billion, compared to $988 million a year earlier, representing a massive increase of 62%. Over 260 facilities changed hands during the quarter, up 32% from Q3 2024 transactions. The amount of space traded also increased by 44% to 18.4 million square feet.